Where Paths Diverge

[Fyn16]

My second fanfic for this site, (but in reality, the third one I wrote) I present to you "Where Paths Diverge." Here's a summary:

As the gang comes closer to adulthood, an attack occurs which puts the Great Valley's residents on edge. Chomper is sent to deal with it, and the problem is solved quickly, but not everything is as it seems. Can a single event, one common to every Sharptooth that grows up, destroy the friendship that Littlefoot and his friends share? A tale of undying friendship and loyalty, for your consideration.

Again, this story features Fyn, my Amargasaurus OC. Not many other new dinos except for... the Fast Claws (Megaraptor), and believe me, you'll know when they show up...

Anyway, enjoy!


Where Paths Diverge

Prologue

The Threehorn scrambled over the sharp, slippery rocks leading up to the entrance to the Great Valley. He glanced behind himself, to ensure nothing was following him, then resumed his rush to safety. He was hurt, and breathing heavily. Dust rising from the earth below was mingling with the wound on his tail, and the pain forced him to stumble every few steps. The attack had been swift; The Sharptooth had come from out of nowhere, and the Threehorn had never expected it. Attacks this close to the Valley were unprecedented. Why would it happen now? Shaking his head, he focused on the task at hand: getting to safety. He wasn't far now; he could see the Valley. He hurled himself through the entrance, panting. Behind, he could hear a roar, but no Sharptooth was in sight.

"Good," he thought, "it can't see me." He began to walk towards the lake, where he knew everyone would gather when the Bright Circle rose. He had to warn them, somehow. The future safety of the Great Valley depended on him.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 1: Awakening

Littlefoot lifted his head out of the cool water, the last of the sleepiness from his body leaving with the water dripping off of his skin. He walked out of the lake and shook himself dry. Coming down to the lake in the mornings to wake up had become a favorite habit of his, and his friends had quickly caught on and started coming to join him, too. Today, it seemed, everyone was here. Littlefoot could see Ducky, Petrie, Cera, Spike, and Fyn. He smiled: life had been good to him in the Great Valley. Then he stopped short. Where were Chomper and Ruby? He scanned the surrounding area, searching for the blue Sharptooth and the pink Fastrunner, but did not see them, eventually deciding they must have slept in today. After all, everyone had been up late the previous night, looking at the stars together, and walking the length of the Great Wall. Littlefoot quickly banished the concern from his thoughts.

"Hey, Littlefoot!" he heard a familiar voice call. It was Fyn, a Fin-Neck that had later migrated to the Great Valley with the rest of his herd. The orange and black Longneck walked over towards him.

"Have you seen Chomper and Ruby today?"

"No. I just thought they might have slept late. We were all up pretty late last night."

Fyn nodded. "I'm just a bit surprised. They're usually the first ones down here."

"Well, it's no matter," Littlefoot said, "we can always go check on them later." His words, however, held shallow meaning. Littlefoot was trying to avoid the fact that he was worried; it was most unlike Chomper and Ruby to be late. Again, he tried to ignore the thought. Everything was probably fine.

At that moment, Cera wandered over, followed by Duckie, Petrie, and Spike.

"Hey, everyone's gathering over there," she said, gesturing towards a clearing where it seemed a crowd was starting to form.

"I did not know there was a meeting today," Ducky said, "no no no."

"There isn't," Littlefoot replied.

"Then maybe we should see what going on." Petrie said, hovering above everyone.

"Sure. Sounds good to me," Fyn said, "we'll go visit Chomper and Ruby later."

The group began to head towards the brewing excitement. When they came closer, they could see that at the center of everyone was a Threehorn, and he was hurt.

"It was a Sharptooth, I swear it," he said.

"But Sharpteeth have never attacked this close before!" Another voice said.

"I don't see what else could have attacked me, though!" the Threehorn responded.

Littlefoot anxiously looked around, surveying. Suddenly, he stopped short. Ruby! She was standing next to a Spiketail, looking more worried than she'd ever been.

"There's Ruby," Littlefoot whispered to his friends, "I'm going to see what's going on."

He hurried over to where the pink Fastrunner was standing. When he arrived, Ruby looked up.

"Ruby," Littlefoot said, "where's Chomper? Isn't he supposed to be with you?"

"I don't know. I went looking for him this morning, but all I found was that I couldn't find him."

Littlefoot was puzzled. "Weren't you with him last night?"

"Yes," she said, nodding, "but when I woke up today, he wasn't there!"

Before Littlefoot could speak, the Threehorn in the center of the group spoke.

"I swear to you, I was attacked by a Sharptooth right at the entrance to the Great Valley."

Littlefoot and the others moved in closer, to listen.

"How do you know?" someone asked, "you were hurt before the Bright Circle rose; it was dark. Maybe a rock just fell on you."

"Does this look like a rock fell on me?" the Threehorn said, brandishing his tail, revealing to everyone the perfectly-aligned scarlet tooth-marks. At that moment, Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, Littlefoot's grandparents, entered the crowd and confronted the Threehorn.

"Calm down, everyone," Grandpa Longneck said. Then, turning to address the Threehorn, he spoke. "Repeat your story once more, please."

The Threehorn sighed. "I was just outside the entrance to the Great Valley this morning, just walking as I do every day; I love it here, but it's nice to see a change of scenery now and then. Anyway, I was by the entrance when I heard something breathing heavily; it almost sounded like growling. I called out, to see if anyone was there. It was dark, so I had no idea what was in front of me. At the sound of my voice, something attacked me, and when I stepped back, it got a hold of my tail. I barely escaped."

His story had silenced everyone. Finally, Grandpa Longneck spoke again. "Sharpteeth are known to live outside the Valley, so the fact that you were attacked is not surprising. What troubles me is that this attack happened so close to the entrance." Others nodded in consent.

"Something needs to be done!" the Threehorn said.

"Yes," Grandpa Longneck nodded. "I believe our only option is to send a few of us out to drive this Sharptooth away. It's the only way to be sure it won't enter the Valley."

"But I thought Sharpteeth couldn't enter," Littlefoot said.

"The only reason Sharpteeth haven't entered the Valley in the past is because they have no knowledge of the locations of the few entrances into here. That does not mean it's impossible for one to discover one of these passages."

Littlefoot nodded. He'd often wondered about the possibility in the past. Now he knew the truth.

"Now, are there any volunteers to look for the Sharptooth?" Grandpa Longneck continued. No one spoke. Finally, Labon, Fyn's father stepped out of the crowd.

"I'll go." He was quickly followed by Cera's father, who simply uttered a low snort, not to be outdone by a Longneck.

"Wait!" a voice called from outside the crowd. The tension that had been building in Littlefoot all day was released when he saw who it was: Chomper. The large, blue Sharptooth ambled over to the gathered dinosaurs. He looked tired, and didn't seem to pay any notice to Littlefoot or any of his friends.

"If anyone's going out there, it should be me," he said, "I'm the only one of us that the Sharptooth won't immediately attack. I might even be able to talk it into leaving."

Everyone was astonished. For someone to volunteer to go into the Mysterious Beyond alone? It just wasn't done.

"If you would like, some of us can accompany you," Labon offered.

"No," Chomper said, "it would only put everyone else in danger. Trust me, it'll be easier if I go alone."

Grandpa Longneck considered this, for a moment.

"Very well, if that is your wish." He and the crowd began to disperse. The Threehorn who had been attacked walked over to Chomper.

"Thank you so much for doing this," he said, "That Sharptooth won't threaten us any longer, thanks to you." He moved off, to join everyone else. Ruby hurried over to Chomper's side.

"Where were you?" she asked him.

"I've been here in the Valley the whole time," Chomper said, sounding a bit annoyed.

"But I looked everywhere!"

"Well maybe," Chomper said, swiveling to face her, "you didn't look hard enough!"

Ruby was taken aback by Chomper's tone. She'd never heard him speak this way before. Chomper began to walk away, towards the Great Wall.

"Chomper, wait!" Littlefoot called. The Sharptooth's head turned to acknowledge his friend, but he kept walking in silence.

"What's gotten into him?" Cera asked.

"He seem mad," Petrie said.

"No," Ducky said, "I do not think that is it. He seems sad to me."

"You know," Fyn spoke, joining Ducky by her side, "I think you might be right, but what could possibly be making him sad? He's always so happy around here."

"I don't know," Littlefoot said, watching the now distant figure ascending the Great Wall, towards one of the entrances, "but we have to do something. We can't just leave him to face whatever problem he's dealing with by himself. We're his friends."

Everyone agreed. Now it was just a matter of time, waiting for their friend to return.

...

"I'm really worried about Chomper," Ruby said. She and the rest of her friends were sitting around in the shade to cool off; it had been a hot day.

"You mean he's never acted like this before?" Littlefoot asked.

"No. I mean, he's been grumpy before, but he's never been this grumpy. I wonder if he's homesick."

"Homesick?" Ducky asked, "what's that?"

"It's when you've been away from home for a long time, and you miss it so badly, it makes you feel sick," Fyn said. "It's happened to me before."

"Well I think he's just being plain rude!" Cera snorted. Everyone turned to look at her. Cera grumbled and went back to kicking around pebbles.

"I still think we should try to talk to him later," Littlefoot said.

"Yes," Petrie agreed, "but what if he no listen?"

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe he so upset, he not even want to talk to us."

"I hadn't thought of that," Fyn said. "We need to find him somewhere he can't avoid us." Everyone began to think, when Ruby spoke up.

"His cave! We'll go to his cave and wait for him to come back. Then he'll have to talk to us!"

Everyone thought this would be an excellent idea.

"We need to get moving now," said Littlefoot, "to make sure we're there when he returns."

All of the dinosaurs agreed, and soon the seven friends set off for Chomper's cave, concealed in the Great Wall.

...

Chomper didn't return until much later. The Bright Circle was already setting when he found Grandpa Longneck and made his report.

"Fast Biter," he said, "I scared him off. Luckily, he wasn't anywhere near the entrance this time."

Grandpa Longneck nodded. "You've done us a great service, Chomper. Our gratitude goes to you."

Chomper bowed his head humbly, retreating. When he was out of sight, he crept off towards his cave. His mind was full of troubled thoughts, and he needed rest. As he neared the cave, he could sense something was different. He could smell them before he saw them, but sight only confirmed what he thought: his friends were waiting for him.

"What do you want?" he asked, none too kindly as he approached.

"We just want to know what's bothering you, Chomper," Fyn said.

"Nothing's bothering me. I just want to be alone right now." Chomper moved into the dark of his cave, out of sight.

"I'll go in and see what the problem is," said Ruby. The Fastrunner slipped into the darkness, her large eyes quickly adjusting to the change in brightness. As her vision came into focus, she could see Chomper, shaking and laying down in the back of the cave. Ruby edged closer.

"Chomper?" she said, "it's me, Ruby."

"Oh, you. Why are you following me?"

"Your parents once told me to take care of you. That's my duty, and I can't do it if I don't know what's going on."

"Nothing's going on."

"Well something must be going on, because even nothing is still something."

Chomper sighed. Ruby's unique way of speaking always cheered him up. He rolled to face her.

"I've just been feeling... strange, lately."

"Strange? How?"

"I don't know. I feel hungrier, like the bugs I eat aren't filling me, and I miss my home."

Ruby's heart sank; she knew what was happening. Before she and Chomper had left for the Great Valley, Chomper's parents had made it very clear that someday Chomper would go through this.

"Chomper," she said, "do you ever feel like you can't control yourself?"

Chomper's eyes suddenly widened.

"Ruby, what are you talking about?"

"Have you ever done anything without thinking about what you are doing?"

The words didn't seem to make sense, but Chomper understood what Ruby was saying.

"Ruby-" he began, then stopped. "I think I need the rest of my friends in here to talk."

Ruby nodded, heading for the cave entrance. Cera saw her emerge.

"Is he finally ready to talk?" she growled.

"Yes," Ruby said, shaking off Cera's usual bad temper, "he wants to talk to all of you."

The friends followed Ruby inside. Chomper was back on his feet near the back wall of the cave. Seeing his friends enter, he spoke.

"Don't get too close. I don't know what'll happen if you do."

Littlefoot was confused. A warning from Chomper? Why?

"Chomper," he said, "we're just here to help you. Tell us what the problem is."

Chomper sighed. "In all honesty, I don't know, myself."

"What do you mean 'you don't know'?" Cera asked.

"That's just it. I don't know. I've just been feeling strange, lately."

"Are you sick?" Ducky asked, concerned.

"No, it's not that kind of strange. I just feel different, like everyone is out to get me. I'm always jumping at everything, I'm hungry all the time, and on top of it all, sometimes I even have trouble remembering things."

Fyn spoke up. "Chomper, I've been meaning to ask you- those bite marks on the Threehorn's tail- they weren't really from a Fast Biter, were they?"

Chomper shook his head.

"You lied?" Littlefoot asked, "why?"

Chomper looked distressed. "He was attacked by a bigger Sharptooth. I didn't want to worry everyone."

"Oh, that not a problem," Petrie cut in, "one Sharptooth not enough to take on whole Great Valley!"

"It could if it had already found a way in."

"But there are no Sharpteeth in the Valley," Fyn said, then noticed Chomper. "Well, no vicious Sharpteeth, anyway."

"You don't understand." Chomper said quietly, "the Sharptooth is me. I attacked the Threehorn."

[Fyn16]

Chapter 2: Revelation

Littlefoot and his friends were struck dumb by what Chomper had just told them. He'd never tried to hurt anyone before. Why now?

"Chomper," Littlefoot said, "are you sure?"

"I wish I could deny it," he replied simply. Fyn spoke next.

"But I've never seen you act aggressively towards anyone. You're gentler than most of the Leaf-Eaters here."

Everyone instinctively looked at Cera for the second time that day. "What?" she said, "I don't like showing weakness! And anyway, stop trying to change the subject."

"There must have been some reason," Ducky said, addressing Chomper.

"Yes Chomper," Ruby said, "tell us exactly what happened."

Chomper breathed deeply, to calm himself, then began. "After we all went our separate ways last night, I decided to wander around outside the Great Wall. I was hungry, and I couldn't sleep, so I had to distract myself somehow."

"But you told me you were only going to the Wall and back," Ruby said.

"That's right. I didn't want you to worry. Anyway, I spent a while out there, just exploring. When the Night Circle started to leave the sky, I started heading back to the Great Valley. That's when it happened."

"What, exactly, happened?" Cera prodded.

Chomper thought hard, trying to recollect each moment. "I was rounding a corner. It was still dark, so I had no idea what was in front of me. I probably should have smelled the Threehorn, but I wasn't really paying attention to what was around me; I just wanted to get back. When I'd completely rounded the corner, I saw a shadowy dinosaur; it called out to me. Since I wasn't expecting him, he startled me. When he did, though, something happened. It's like I lost control. He became something I had to deal with: a threat. From there, everything's a bit of a blur, but what I do remember is that I attacked him. I did what I swore I would never do in my life faster than you could blink an eye. I didn't snap out of it until I realized it was a Threehorn I was attacking. I pulled away as soon as I could, but I hurt him. He ran away, and I tried to call him back to apologize, but- this was the worst part- I couldn't remember what to say. Instead, I just roared. Why? Why me? Why now?" Chomper was panting, and in tears at the conclusion of his story.

"I can tell you why," Ruby said, quietly. Everyone's attention diverted to the Fastrunner.

"Please," Chomper said, "I need to know."

Now it was Ruby's turn to reveal what she knew. "It's time I told you the truth, Chomper. You're old enough to know, now. I warn you, though, you may not like what you hear." Everyone was fixated on her, now. Her tone had lost its usual charm, and was deadly serious.

"I'll accept whatever you can tell me," Chomper replied.

Ruby sighed, then began. "Alright, then. Just before you and I left for the Great Valley, your parents spoke to me in private. They told me to take care of you, and to make sure you were fed, and always safe, but they also told me something else: as a Sharptooth, you'd never be able to stay in the Great Valley forever."

Everyone was shocked, and Ducky even gasped. "What do you mean, Ruby?" the swimmer asked.

"Chomper," Ruby continued, "your parents said that in a Sharptooth's life, there comes a time when every Sharptooth, no matter where he's grown up or who he's grown up with, will be forced to follow their instinct to be a hunter."

"Instinct?" Chomper asked, "what's that?"

"I don't know for sure; it's kind of confusing, but your parents said it's the reason why so many dinosaurs migrate, and why we fall in love, and why we either eat plants or meat. I guess you could say it's acting without really thinking about it first."

"So my attack on the Threehorn was an instinct?"

Ruby nodded. "Your parents told me that once the instincts started to appear, you'd be less able to control them. In Sharpteeth, the instincts eventually become so strong that they block almost everything else that you feel out."

"What are you saying?" Chomper asked, riveted to the spot.

"Chomper, there will come a day, maybe soon, when you'll lose all memory of your past. You won't be able to speak Leaf-Eater, you won't remember us, you may not even remember your name. All that you'll know is that you have to eat, and survive."

"When will this happen?"

Ruby hesitated.

"When?" Chomper almost roared.

"It's already happening," she said quietly.

Chomper stepped back, in shock. "So I'm just like the Smoking Mountain, then. I'm here, talking peacefully to all of you tonight, but who knows? Tomorrow, I might be at your throats, endangering you all without a care! It's not fair! This can't happen to me!" He was almost pleading, now. "I know all of you. I've known you all of my life. I can't just forget everything." He broke down. "Please..."

Littlefoot moved to his side. "Chomper, we'll never forget you. Know that."

Chomper stood up and straightened out. "Tomorrow, I need to speak to your Grandpa," he said to Littlefoot. "As of now, I'm a danger to everyone in this Valley. I need to leave and find a home elsewhere, before my instinct takes over completely."

"Where?" Petrie asked.

"Anywhere but here. Maybe I'll try to get back to my parents."

"Maybe we can talk this over." Fyn said.

"Not tonight. Tonight, I just need to talk to Ruby, and think." Everyone nodded, and began to leave.

"I'm sorry, Ruby," Chomper said as everyone left, "I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"I understand," Ruby said, "it's a lot to understand."

As Littlefoot left the cave, he glanced back at Chomper. Chomper nodded, and in that nod, Littlefoot knew that, for tonight at least, all would be well.

"As it should be," he thought. Tomorrow, he knew, would be a trying day for everyone.

He walked back to where his grandparents were sleeping in deep thought. He had known Chomper since the Sharptooth was an egg. Now, he had to be prepared to lose him, more than likely forever. If nothing else, they would meet again as enemies.

Littlefoot yawned and stretched as he settled in to sleep. Something occurred to him, then. He couldn't just leave Chomper to look for a place to settle in the Mysterious Beyond by himself. Whether he was a Sharptooth or not, he was still vulnerable, and what if he couldn't find a place to live? Something had to be done. It was then, as he began to fall asleep, that Littlefoot made up his mind: Chomper would not make his journey alone. He would spend his last few days of being who he was with his friends. Littlefoot's last thought before sleep took him was to talk to his friends about it in the morning. With luck, everyone would agree to accompany Chomper on his journey. Shortly, the Longneck was asleep, preparing for the next day, and what it would bring.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 3: Exile

The day's first rays of light from the Bright Circle penetrated the cave opening. Inside, Chomper stirred as he began to wake up. He yawned, exposing his jaws full of formidable teeth, scratched his side with his hind legs, and stood up slowly and groggily. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw Ruby sleeping close by. He stood over her, remembering how he'd once had to look up to her. Now, he mused, things had certainly changed. He reflected on the conversation they'd had the night before.

"Ruby, why didn't my parents just tell me this would happen?"

 "They wanted you to live without worrying about it, and I think they also wanted you to grow up happily and safely in a place like the Great Valley."

 "But they could have said something to me."

 "I'm not sure they had to. It's just a part of growing up. Perhaps they even thought that by not telling you, you would become a better friend to everyone, and who knows? Maybe those memories will be strong enough that you won't forget them."

"You're trying to find good in this situation, aren't you?"

 "I think you've given up too soon. Your friends hold a strong place in your heart, and it would take a lot to remove them completely from your mind."

 "Thanks, Ruby. I'm glad I can count on you."

They had both gone to sleep after that, but the conversation had lingered in Chomper's mind. What Ruby had said had intrigued him. His memories of his friends were strong. Stronger, he thought, than the memories most other Sharpteeth going through this had. Maybe the only reason no Sharptooth remembered much of their past after this was because none had ever had the kind of friends Chomper did.

Chomper was about to wake Ruby, then thought better of it. He would let her sleep. After all, he wasn't planning on leaving without telling her first. Instead, he moved to the opening of the cave and basked in the warm light from the Bright Circle. If there was one thing he'd miss about the Great Valley, it was the tranquility. Nowhere in the Mysterious Beyond was this peaceful when the Bright Circle rose. He moved farther out of the cave, and was about to start walking when he heard Ruby stir behind him. Apparently, Chomper didn't have to worry about waking her.

"Ruby," he said, "good to see you."

Ruby shook herself from head to tail, waking up. "I'm glad to see me too- and you, of course."

Chomper smiled briefly, then became serious again. "This is it. Today, I make everything right. At least, I think I will."

"I know you will," Ruby said, moving up next to Chomper, "your parents knew you could, too."

Chomper couldn't help but smile again. His family, despite being Sharpteeth, had cared for him well.

"Well," he said to Ruby, "we should probably head down there." He gestured towards the dinosaurs waking up.

"Yes, let's not waste any time."

As the two began to move towards the gathering dinosaurs, Chomper took one last look at his home. The cave that he and his friends had discovered so long ago was now empty, as if no one had ever lived there. He forced himself to look away. Somebody would put it to good use, he hoped.

...

As he neared the dinosaurs gathering in the Valley for another fine, warm day, Chomper began to look for Grandpa Longneck. Other dinosaurs greeted him and bid him a good day as he passed, and he returned their sentiments as he always did. Finally, he spotted Littlefoot's grandfather. He was grazing near a stand of tall trees with Grandma Longneck. Chomper made a beeline for him. As he approached, the great Longneck turned to acknowledge him.

"Fine day to you, Chomper."

"And you as well, sir."

The Longneck spoke as he continued to chew. "What brings you here today?"

Chomper became serious. "I have something important I need to speak to you about."

Grandpa Longneck swallowed. "I'm listening."

Chomper began. "I can't stay in the Great Valley."

"Why not?" the Longneck cut him off, "there's plenty of room to go around."

"I know, and I really do appreciate that you've been able to provide all of this for me, but that's not the problem."

Word of Chomper's imminent departure had obviously spread, because other dinosaurs were starting to gather around.

"Then what is the problem?"

Chomper took a deep breath. "Remember the attack yesterday?"

Grandpa Longneck nodded.

"It wasn't a Fast Biter. It was me."

Gasps and exclamations of surprise were heard from the crowd. No one could believe what they had just heard.

"Chomper, there's no reason to blame yourself for-" the old Longneck began.

"I'm telling you the truth. It was me that attacked the Threehorn. In a short time, no one here will be safe."

Grandpa Longneck thought about what Chomper had said. Finally, he spoke again.

"I think we all need an explanation," he said simply.

Chomper began, telling everyone exactly how his surprise at being confronted by the Threehorn had triggered an uncontrollable urge to attack, how his parents had informed Ruby of the inevitability of this, and how his instincts could take over at any time. When he was done, everyone stared in silence. It was hard to take in; everyone knew Chomper to be kind and eager. Now, all of a sudden, they were supposed to believe he could turn on them all just as easily? Chomper glanced around, nervously. Disapproval could be seen starting to show on several of the faces near him. Finally, a familiar voice broke the silence.

"You- you monster!" Chomper whipped around to face the source. Several dinosaurs parted to reveal the Threehorn who had been attacked the previous day, standing in a rage.

"We trusted you, allowed you to share the benefits of this valley, and for what? So you could just turn on us in the end. I always knew never to trust a Sharptooth."

"But I tried to apologize-" Chomper started.

"Apologize? This is beyond apology." The Threehorn stepped forward. "You come here and take advantage of the security of this Valley, you even befriend some of us, and now you lie to us and let us down. You are not one of us. You are a Sharptooth, and can never be trusted. I look forward to seeing you leave."

The words cut deeply, and Chomper could feel emotion welling up inside of himself. Just the other day, this dinosaur had personally thanked him. Now, he had broken Chomper down. As the Threehorn turned his back on Chomper, something happened. Inside of Chomper's mind, some new thought emerged: enemy, challenger and a second thought: intimidate. Anyone observing closely would have seen Chomper's pupils constrict, and heard his breathing rate increase. Something was forming, deep in Chomper's lungs. Chomper's consciousness tried to contain it, but it was fighting a losing battle, and as what started to become a low growl rose to Chomper's throat, he realized that he actually wanted to release this feeling. He breathed deeply, and exhaled, the released air culminating in an earsplitting roar, that shook the very bones of those nearby. Everyone was startled by this outburst, and those nearby took defensive positions. He roared again, panting. In his mind, he felt good. Never before had he felt this... alive. Suddenly, a familiar voice snapped him back to reality.

"Chomper, stop! I know you can hear me."

Chomper shook his head. What had happened? Everyone around him looked ready for a fight. He saw Littlefoot, who had called him, approaching through the crowd to stand by his side.

"Grandpa," Littlefoot said, "it's not his fault. He... can't control himself."

Even Grandpa Longneck's tail was raised, prepared to defend himself. "I understand, Littlefoot," he said, "but Chomper is right. He can't stay here. It's not a decision I want to make, but it's one I must make. Chomper," he said, now addressing the Sharptooth, "On this day, you must leave the Great Valley. Unfortunately, if all you say is true, there is nothing else that can be done. I believe I speak for everyone when I say the luck of the Great Valley goes with you."

At his words, grumbles of dissent were heard. Chomper looked around uneasily. It was amazing how quickly friends could become enemies. Suddenly, the rest of Chomper's friends appeared from the crowd.

"You're not going alone," Fyn said from the front of the group, "we're going with you."

"What?" Chomper hadn't expected this.

"It's true," Littlefoot confirmed. We all talked about it before you woke up."

"Guys," Chomper said, "it's dangerous enough being around me now. You're suggesting traveling with me into the Mysterious beyond, far away from anyone who can protect you."

"We know that," Cera said, "but it's not like we haven't been in grave danger before."

Littlefoot looked at his grandfather. His face was expressionless.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Littlefoot said.

The old Longneck sighed, "Littlefoot, what you are suggesting is very dangerous. I shouldn't let you go," he glanced at Chomper, "but Chomper is your friend, and you're old enough to handle a journey into the Mysterious Beyond. I suppose, in this case, I can let you leave, but promise me that you and your friends will do nothing unnecessary that might endanger yourselves."

"You have my word," Littlefoot said.

"What is this?"

Littlefoot looked over at Fyn, who cringed at the voice that had just spoken. Labon stepped forward and confronted his son.

"You were planning on leaving for the Mysterious Beyond without telling us first?"

Fyn looked up to see his father in front of him and his mother, Keva, approaching. "I've done it before!" he said, "and I'm old enough now to watch out for myself."

"That may be, but it doesn't change the fact that-" he stopped, and his face lost its expression of discontent. "Oh, who am I kidding. I would have done the same at your age. It's not like I didn't know what you guys were planning from the start."

Fyn was surprised. "You knew all this time?"

"Of course I did. I've learned a thing or two over the seasons watching out for you and your sisters."

"Then I can go?"

"Yes, it's fine with us," Keva said, "Chomper's known all of you for a while. It's better if you are there with him for his journey."

Chomper, meanwhile, was overwhelmed by everything he'd just heard. Despite his outburst, despite the potential threat he presented, every single one of his friends had willingly volunteered to help him. At that point, he knew he couldn't let them down. He would hold his end of the bargain. He'd fight his instincts until he could fight no more. For them. For his friends.

Fyn approached him. "Well, Chomper, we'd better get moving if we want to cover ground before the Bright Circle leaves the sky."

Chomper nodded. It was finally time to go.

"One more thing," Labon said, addressing everyone, "may the Bright Circle always guide your paths, all of you."

Fyn's spirit was lifted by the words; his father had recited an old Fin-Neck parting phrase, wishing him and his friends luck. He couldn't let Chomper or his father down now for sure. Chomper, too, was comforted by the phrase, even though its full meaning was unclear to him. All he knew was that the Great Valley hadn't given up on him. They trusted him. As they began to move out, Chomper took one last long look at the place he had called home for so long. He would miss it, but he hoped above all else that he could stay in control of himself long enough for his friends to return to it.

…

Soon, the eight friends found themselves at the passageway out of the Great Valley behind the thundering falls. They said their last goodbyes, and stepped into the cave. Fyn recalled how he'd come to the Great Valley through this very entrance, and marveled at how much had changed since then: how much he and his friends had grown, how he had come to meet Chomper and Ruby, and now this. He didn't know much about Sharpteeth, but he hoped that Chomper would be able to retain some memory of his friends. He thought back to his migration to the Great Valley, after his old home had become hostile and uninhabitable. He felt that Chomper was going through much of the same feelings he had dealt with during his journey. Fyn resolved that no matter what might happen, he would ensure that Chomper would find a home, and he knew all of his friends were thinking the same. Before long, the dinosaurs found themselves nearing the cave's opening. Fyn could see the light and the brush and boulders outside grow clearer the closer they came. Soon, they were crossing the border into the unknown: they had entered the Mysterious Beyond. Whatever followed would rest solely on their shoulders, now.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 4: The Shortcut

Upon leaving the Great Valley, it was quickly decided that Fyn should lead the way out of the Mountains that Burn; after all, they were following the route his herd had taken to enter the Valley. In general, everyone was content with this choice, but Cera, as always, disagreed.

"I still don't see why Fyn gets to lead here," she said to Ducky at the back of the pack.

"He's the only one that knows where we're going right now. He's been here before, he has."

"Well I still think it's a bad idea."

Fyn, of course, heard every word, but he'd learned long ago to just let Cera rant. It was safer for everyone. Instead of replying to her snide comments, he decided to check on Chomper. He slowed his pace and fell back to him.

"Hey, Chomper. How are you feeling so far?"

Chomper grinned slightly. "Better. I was a bit upset at leaving the Valley, but I love adventuring, so for now, I'm feeling pretty good."

"Great," Fyn said, "just let me know if you need anything. By the way," he added almost as an afterthought, "where do you plan to go?"

Chomper thought about this for a moment. "Probably to the Big Water, where my parents live."

"The Big Water?" Fyn said, "I've never been there before. How do we get there?"

"I know how," said Littlefoot, approaching from behind. "If you don't mind, Fyn, I can get us the rest of the way there once we're out of the Mountains that Burn."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Fyn agreed.

They walked on in silence a little longer, then Fyn spoke again.

"So Chomper, what are your parents like?"

"Well, I haven't seen them in a while, but they're really nice; not your average Sharpteeth. They became friends with Littlefoot and the gang when they helped save my life."

"Do you think they'll be fine with me?" Fyn asked, "After all, I wasn't there when any of this happened."

"Oh, I think they'll like you just fine. I just might have to explain you to them first."

"Right," Fyn agreed. After a moment, he had another question.

"Will you miss the Great Valley?"

This time, Chomper answered without any hesitation. "Absolutely. It was my second home, but I'm also glad I'll be able to see my parents again," he paused, then added, "even if I don't remember them."

Fyn nodded, then decided to get his bearings. He began to survey the land in front and to the sides of him.

As he looked around, he could see that the nearby mountains were beginning to grow smaller. Good, they were almost out.

"Petrie," he called back to the Flyer perched between Spike's plates, "can you fly up and see what's ahead of us?"

"Sure, that no problem for me," he piped back immediately. With a rush of air, he opened his wings and soared into the sky. Everyone watched as he glided through the canyon above their heads, riding the wind. Before long, he circled back down, perching on Spike again. The Spiketail didn't seem to mind.

"Well, what did you see?" Fyn asked.

"Me saw that this canyon go on for a little longer, but there a shortcut coming up."

"A shortcut?" Fyn asked, "What kind of shortcut?"

"Oh no," Cera said, barging up to Fyn, "I've been through plenty of so-called 'shortcuts' before, and I have no doubt this one's any different."

"What do you mean?"

"Every time someone says 'shortcut' and I listen to them, I end up plunging into some river, or dodging boulders, or dangling off of some ledge. I like living, so no thanks."

"Maybe we should at least look at it," Ducky said.

"Yeah," Petrie agreed, "it not look too bad."

"Let's ask Spike," Ruby said. "Spike," she addressed the Spiketail, "what do you think?"

Spike seemed to think about it, then nodded his head and hummed.

"He says yes!" Ducky said.

"Oh fine," Cera grumbled, "we'll look at it."

As they set off again, Fyn kept his eyes sharp, looking for Petrie's shortcut. It wasn't long before he saw something: a crack in the canyon walls leading outside.

"That must be it," he called, "follow me."

As they reached the crack and turned the corner, they saw the path fully. It was completely clear, only sand covered it. Fyn was amazed; he'd expected something more challenging.

"How about that, Cera?" he asked.

"We'll see," she replied. The dinosaurs began to move onto the path. The sand was soft and warm, and felt good on their feet. Fyn, especially, was enjoying it. He'd been accustomed to living in a warm climate, and any source of warmth was a comfort to him.

"Not so bad, is it?" he asked.

As they moved farther, Fyn could feel something strange: his feet seemed to be moving deeper and deeper into the sand with each step, and the ground underneath was starting to feel wet.

"Hold on," he said, "wait a moment."

Everyone stopped. They were noticing the same thing. Fyn tried to lift his feet clear, and couldn't. Something was gripping them. Suddenly, a terrible thought crossed his mind. "Sinking Sand!" he yelled.

"I told you!" Cera roared, struggling with her footing. Ducky began to panic, Petrie was trying to coax Spike onwards, Littlefoot was trying to free his front feet, and Chomper had lifted Ruby clear and allowed her to sit on his back. Fyn tried to think of what the other dinosaurs in the Great Valley had said about getting out of situations with Sinking Sand.

"Littlefoot!" he called, "do you remember how to get out of this?"

Littlefoot began to think. Meanwhile, the sand was making sucking noises. All of the dinosaurs were sinking faster, now. Suddenly, Littlefoot remembered.

"Everyone, stop moving and spread yourselves out. Try to stay close to someone in front of you."

Everyone began to pair up. Fyn and Littlefoot were at the front, spreading their limbs out. Once everyone was in a single-file line, Littlefoot spoke again. "Now at the same time, push through with all of your strength."

Everyone positioned themselves accordingly.

"Now!" Littlefoot said.

Everyone pushed, and the chain of dinosaurs began to move sluggishly forward. It was slow going at first, but soon they were making progress.

"Keep it up," Fyn said, "I think we're close, now."

Of all of the dinosaurs, it was perhaps Cera who was doing the most work. She pushed with all of her strength, as well as the fury of once again being proven right.

"I'm not dying here!," Ducky heard her say, "And most certainly not because of some cloud-brained Flyer's instructions!"

Fyn laughed in spite of himself. He could hear her words just as clearly. He didn't know why, this was a life-or-death situation after all, but Cera's rage could be funny in the darkest times. Then Fyn caught himself; he'd pay for that laugh later, and the vengeance of Cera was swift and painful. He heard an exasperated groan from the back of the line where she was, and suddenly everyone in the line jerked forward rapidly. Fyn flew out of the Sinking Sand, getting a faceful of gritty Drylands sand instead. He didn't have to guess to figure out who had shoved everyone. He could see Cera bringing up the rear, and the look she was shooting him confirmed his suspicions. He got up out of the sand and shook himself clean; he probably deserved that.

Everyone else was climbing out slowly, and soon they were all clear.

"Never again," Cera growled at Petrie as she dragged herself free of the ooze, "never again." The Flyer seemed to shrink to half of his size under her withering stare. Satisfied, Cera walked away.

Fyn looked at the horizon. The Bright Circle was starting to set. "We need to find a place to rest," he said, "we won't have much more light."

"Not here," Chomper said, sniffing the air with a concerned expression.

"Why not?" Ducky asked.

"I don't know," the Sharptooth responded, "but something just doesn't seem right."

Ruby also sniffed around. "I think he's right," she said, "we shouldn't stay here if we can stay somewhere else."

"Then let's trust Chomper and keep moving," Littlefoot said, "we can stop a little farther ahead." The dinosaurs all agreed and kept moving.

They were not the only ones.

…

As it turned out, Chomper had good reason to suggest traveling farther. Back at the Sinking Sand, others had been watching the dinosaurs' struggles with anticipation, waiting for them to succumb. When they didn't the watchers were sorely disappointed; they would have to wait longer for a meal. As the dinosaurs left the Sinking Sand behind, the mysterious observers revealed themselves. One by one, they came out of hiding, from the shadows, behind dunes, around rocks. Slowly, they became visible. They looked much like normal Fast Biters, and from a distance, one could be forgiven for thinking they were, but these creatures were different. They stood at the height of a fully-grown Spiketail, and the inner finger on each hand held a long, sharp claw, much like those found on the toes of smaller Fast Biters. They were a slightly dark green in color, with a single blue stripe running from head to tail, and as the last rays of the Bright Circle left the sky, their eyes glowed, reflecting whatever light was left.

Their leader hopped down from his perch on top of a nearby boulder and sniffed at the tracks made by the dinosaurs who had just left, committing the scent to memory. The herd had a Sharptooth with them, and would be impossible to take without the element of surprise, but given enough time, the leader felt, something could change, and when it did, the Fast Claws would be ready. Slowly, they edged into the night, all but disappearing into the shadows. Soon, they would feast.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 5: Confrontation

Shortly after the Night Circle had risen, Littlefoot had ordered everyone to stop near a cluster of rocks, for shelter from the wind. They had entered what Fyn had called the Drylands, and as he'd explained, the wind was anything but relenting. Now, all was calm, and the dinosaurs were huddled together under a large rock.

"Look," Ruby said, pointing to the sky. The others followed her gesture. A white light streaked across the sky. Soon, another followed it, followed by two more, and then many more.

"Wow," Ducky said, "it's beautiful."

Chomper nodded. Ruby wondered what he was thinking when he looked at the stars. "How sad it would be," she thought, "to look up there knowing that you might never even care about sights like that again." She moved closer to Chomper, the Sharptooth she had cared for since childhood. Her task would not be an easy one: getting Chomper to trust her again after... whatever was going to happen happened, in order to be a voice of reason for him. Goodness knows, he might need one. She sighed. Being a caretaker was hard. Chomper sensed her distress.

"Don't worry about me," he said, softly, "I'm fine tonight. You need a chance to relax. Look at the stars with us."

More streaks of light were flying through the sky. Ruby looked at them. Right now, she felt just like one of them, being pushed towards an uncertain future too fast to do anything but hold on, yet Chomper's words comforted her. Tonight, at least, she could be content soaking in the beauty above her.

As she watched, she could hear Littlefoot speaking to Fyn.

"-once, one of those landed in the Great Valley. Some Rainbow Faces told us it was a Stone of Cold Fire."

"A what?"

"A Stone of Cold Fire. It's a falling rock that's cold instead of burning, and they told us that some said they were powerful."

"Powerful? Really? Was your stone powerful, then?"

"Nope. Nothing at all happened, but it sure was a sight to see."

Ruby smiled. Her friends could always be counted on to share the most interesting stories. They continued to watch the sky until the last of the lights was gone. Then, everyone began to settle in.

"Move in as far under the rocks as you can," Fyn said, "I see Skywater headed this way." Everyone moved in tighter, for shelter. Off in the distance, Ruby could see Sky Fire striking the ground, and the faint booming roar that accompanied it. She enjoyed the sounds; they helped her sleep. Chomper, too, seemed calmed by the sounds.

Ruby laid down, ready to sleep. Everyone else was doing the same. Thunderous snores confirmed that Spike had already done so. Ruby yawned and stretched, then finally settled in.

"Sleep well, Chomper," she said.

"You too."

Everyone fell asleep immediately. The day had been long and tiring for all of them.

…

Chomper awoke to the sight and sounds of Sky Fire striking all around, and Skywater falling on him. Fyn had been right about the approaching storm after all. Everyone was getting drenched, but nowhere nearly as badly as they would have if they'd slept outside of their meager shelter. None of this concerned Chomper, however. His stomach growled with hunger. He hadn't eaten in a while, and his last meal had consisted of Ground Crawlers; not very filling. He stood, and decided to search for something. Sky Fire flashed, briefly illuminating his slumbering friends. Suddenly, an idea formed deep within the recesses of his mind. It started with a single word: food. Chomper's mouth began to salivate, and again, his pupils constricted.

Food, his mind repeated. There was enough food here to satisfy him. The Longneck alone would last days. Slowly, as if in a trance, he moved towards Littlefoot, sleeping on without a care. One quick bite would be all. The Longneck would feel nothing, and Chomper could finally be satisfied. He hesitated.

"Why am I stopping?" he questioned himself, "this is food, and I'm hungry." Suddenly, the Sky Fire flashed again, once again revealing Littlefoot. With the roar that accompanied it, Chomper came back to reality. He suddenly realized what he was doing: his jaws were encircling Littlefoot's neck. What had he done? He began to breathe quickly, panicking. He had to get away before his instincts took over again. Starting to sob, he ran out of the shelter and into the Skywater.

Immediately, the shock of the cold water reverted his mind to its new state.

"Go back!" he told himself, "satisfy your hunger." He began to move back towards the cave.

"No!" he yelled aloud, fighting off the voice in his head. He ran to a rocky outcropping farther away. He'd almost made it before he reverted again. The booming roar following the Sky Fire sounded again, and he met it, challenging it with a roar that reverberated through the night. He snapped back to his usual self, and began to climb the outcropping, putting as much distance between himself and his friends as possible. At the top, he began to change back again.

"Stop!" he yelled, "Not now! Not while I'm here!"

His mind was silent. No thoughts of violence stirred. He was beginning to think he'd beaten himself, when the most terrifying aspect of his mind revealed itself. Whether from stress, hunger, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, or some combination of all four, Chomper could swear he was seeing a reflection of himself forming in front of his eyes. It wasn't exactly the same, however. Its yellow eyes burned, as if with the fire from the Smoking Mountain. It growled, and Chomper stepped back, but for every step he took, the apparition matched it.

"Who- who are you?" he stammered.

"I am you," the mysterious Sharptooth replied. When he spoke, Chomper could feel his own mouth moving, but the words were not his. The stranger also spoke in Sharptooth, which Chomper understood clearly. Suddenly, a realisation hit him.

"This is me after I... change." he thought.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he said.

"I'm doing nothing," he replied, "I am you. You are doing this."

"You lie!" Chomper yelled. "If I could control this, I would!"

"You can't stop me any more than you can stop the Bright Circle from rising each day."
"I can if I fight," Chomper said, recalling how he had narrowly avoided attacking his friend, "I know I can beat you!"

His reflection grinned. "You don't understand, do you? I don't need to fight you. Every day, you fight me. I'm a natural part of you. The longer you fight, the more weary you will become, until one day, you won't be able stop me. I will become you completely, and you will be the Sharptooth you were meant to be," he paused, "or rather, the Sharptooth we were meant to be."

"No!" Chomper cried, "I'll never be like you! I'll remember my friends! I'll be free of you!"

"Oh really?" he replied, "again, you forget that we are one and the same. I am Chomper. You, Chomper, are me. I am simply your best hope of survival. Embrace me, embrace your instincts, and survive."

"Not until I have to," Chomper replied.

Suddenly, he roared again as the Sky Fire struck.

"You cannot defy yourself!"

"I can!"

"In the end, you will only fail. Nothing but death awaits a Sharptooth that cannot hunt for himself!"

He started to roar again, but Chomper caught himself. He shook his head, and the figure before him suddenly became three, then two. When they settled back into one again, the figure was fading from view.

"Fight all you want," he said, "No matter what happens, we will be one soon."
He disappeared, and a shudder racked Chomper's body from head to tail. He fell down, panting, and stayed lying on the hard, wet stone, tears streaming down his face from exertion and the shock of what had just happened. He fell into an exhausted sleep, and his last conscious thoughts were: "was this a dream, or did I really see myself?" He never answered his own question. Skywater beat down on his sleeping body, washing away the tears as the troubled Sharptooth slumbered on.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 6: Conflict

When the Bright Circle rose, Ruby was the first to wake. Groggily, she looked around. Cera had flipped over in the night, and had obviously rolled out of the shelter of the rocks; she was soaked with Skywater, and would undoubtedly be furious when she woke up. Ducky, Spike, and Petrie were all huddled together in a bundle of spikes, plates, and wings, and Littlefoot and Fyn were grouped farther away, sleeping back-to-back. From his position, Fyn had obviously been using his sail to keep the Skywater off of Littlefoot. Seeing them made Ruby happy. Out of everyone, Fyn and Littlefoot had known each other the shortest, with the exception of herself, yet they had quickly become best friends. Fyn had often told them stories about how other Longnecks had looked down on Fin-Necks in other places, and Ruby was happy to see that in the Great Valley, the two could easily put aside their differences.

As she looked around, she felt something was missing. What? She looked around, then realized what was wrong: Chomper was missing!

"Not again," she groaned. She began to frantically search around the rock they'd used for shelter during the Skywater storm. Chomper was nowhere in sight. She became frantic. The sounds of her searching quickly woke Littlefoot and Fyn. As she raced around the rock for the third time, she nearly ran into a very confused and sleepy Littlefoot.

"Ruby?" he asked, yawning, "what's the matter?"

"Look!" she said in reply, pointing to where Chomper had been sleeping. It took a moment for the problem to register; Littlefoot was still waking up, but as he realized what had happened, his eyes widened.

"Oh no," he breathed.

"What's wrong?" Fyn asked, almost tripping over Spike's tail on the way over.

"Chomper's gone," Littlefoot said.

"Again? Why can't we ever keep track of him?"

"I don't know," Ruby said, "he was right next to me last night. I never heard him leave."

"Well, that's understandable," Fyn said, "you wouldn't have with all of the Sky Fire around. Don't blame yourself. Let's just take this easy and see if we can find some sign of where he went."

The three dinosaurs split up and began to scour the earth, looking for evidence of Chomper's presence. Before long, Cera was awake. She grumbled, shaking herself dry.

"Alright, who pushed me?" she shouted, waking everyone else up.

"Pushed you?" Littlefoot said nearby, "I don't think anyone did."

"Well someone must have. How else would I end up down here?"

Littlefoot thought briefly. "Maybe you rolled?"

"Yes," Ruby agreed, "that's what it looks like to me."

"Impossible," Cera said, "Threehorns never roll in their-" before she could say "sleep," she noticed the wet sand packed down in a suspiciously Threehorn-shaped path leading to her. She blushed. "Fine, I rolled. So what?" She began to shake the wet sand and water off of herself, then stopped. "By the way, where's Chomper, and who walked through here last night?"

"What do you mean 'who walked through here?'," Fyn asked.

"Well look at these footprints," Cera said, "I didn't make them, and I bet none of you did." She shrugged. "Oh well, it looks like you've got Chomper out following them already, so I guess there's no problem."

Littlefoot looked at the ground near Cera. The tracks were Sharptooth-shaped, and started right where Cera's rolling-path ended. Perhaps...

Soon, Littlefoot put the clues together. "It all makes sense now!" he said, "Cera must have rolled over the tracks close to us last night. That's why we couldn't find any, so all we need to do is follow these, and we should find Chomper. Thank you, Cera. I would have never found those tracks without you! You've just helped us find out where Chomper is!"

"I did?" she asked, confused. "I mean of course I did. Threehorns have a natural sense for things like this."

"Hold on," Petrie said, flying up to Littlefoot and hovering, "what make you so sure those not other Sharptooth footprints?"

"I'm not sure, Petrie," Littlefoot said, "but this is our best chance so far. I'm following them. Who's with me?"

Everyone stepped forward. Nobody was about to miss a chance to stretch out and get ready for the walk they knew would be coming later.

"All right," Littlefoot said, "that was easier than I thought it would be."

…

The tracks led out farther into the Drylands. As the group followed them, Littlefoot's thoughts turned ominous. The tracks were erratic, traveling side-to-side, and sometimes in circles, almost as if Chomper hadn't been able to make up his mind which way to go. Before long, the tracks grew farther apart. According to Fyn, the length of the tracks meant Chomper had started running. What had Chomper been doing? Finally, the path began to straighten, leading towards a large rock outcropping.

"He must be up there," Ducky said.

"Come on!" Ruby called, scrambling up the rocks.

Everyone hurried after her. As they came closer to the top, they could see something blue. A few steps more confirmed it was Chomper, lying still on the stone.

"Oh no!" Ruby said, racing to Chomper's head. He was still breathing, she noted, and was relieved.

"Time to wake up," she said to the sleeping Sharptooth.

"I'll never give in!" he yelled. Chomper's eyes opened wide suddenly, and he gasped, startling Ruby. He began to look around wildly, then he calmed when he saw his friends.

"Oh, thank goodness it's just you," he said.

"What do mean 'just us'?" Cera asked, "of course it's us."

"It's just- I thought that- never mind." Chomper was silent for a few moments, then addressed Littlefoot.

"Thanks for what you've done, but this has gone on for long enough," he said, quietly.

"Chomper? What are you talking about?" Littlefoot asked, warily.

"Last night, when I woke up, I didn't see you as one of my friends. I saw you as a source of food."

"What?" Cera was shocked.

"I tried to fight it-"

"You did fight it," Littlefoot said, "and you won. I'm proof of that."

"Yes," said Chomper, "I did win... this time. But what about next time? Or the time after that? I can't keep myself contained forever!"

He walked over to Fyn.

"I can't put any of you in danger any longer, and as long as I'm alive, that's not possible."

"Chomper, what are you talking about?" Ruby asked, suddenly worried.

Chomper rested his neck on the tip of Fyn's tail. "I'm done. You'll all be better off this way. Fyn, I've seen you swing this tail. No doubt it wouldn't take much to finish me."

Fyn looked at Chomper. The Sharptooth was right. The thin, bony tip could easily sever tree limbs. He knew; he'd seen his father do it. The skin protecting a Sharptooth's neck was frail by comparison. Suddenly, he knew exactly what Chomper wanted.

"Do it," Chomper said, seeing the hesitation in Fyn's eyes, "do it before I turn on all of you."

"No," Fyn said.

"Do it!" Chomper roared.

Fyn whipped his tail back and lowered it to the ground. "Never. You can't give up on yourself, Chomper. You're stronger than that."

Chomper was weeping. What had he done? Immediately, Ruby was at his side, doing her best to comfort him.

"Chomper, what's wrong? What else happened last night?"

Chomper sniffed. "I'm sorry, everyone, and I especially apologize to you, Littlefoot."

"It's fine, Chomper. I don't think there ever was any real danger," Littlefoot replied.

"There wasn't?"

"No. You've known us for so long, now, that to suddenly try to hurt us is beyond what you can do."

"Thanks," Chomper said, "I guess I never really thought about that before."

"It's alright," Littlefoot said, "Ruby's right, though, tell us what happened."

Chomper told them of how he'd woken up and spared Littlefoot's life by fighting his own consciousness. He spoke of running away, all the while combating his other personality, until finally, on this outcropping, he had faced an illusion of himself, and what it had told him.

"He said- I mean I said, that someday I wouldn't be able to stop myself. I would become vicious, just like all the other Sharpteeth."

"It sounds like a walking sleep story," Ducky said.

"A what?" Ruby asked.

"A walking sleep story. Spike used to get them. It's where you have a sleep story, but you walk around while you are having it."

"Another kind of sleep story?" Cera was unimpressed. "Only hatchlings get those."

"Chomper does not look like a hatchling to me," Ducky observed.

"You're missing the point," Cera said.

Chomper, meanwhile, had perked up. He smelled something familiar, but he couldn't place where he had smelled it before.

"Guys," he said, "does anything seem strange to you?"

The others looked around. "No," Littlefoot said, "why do you ask?"

Chomper resumed sniffing. There was something about that smell... He let his eyes wander, trying to pinpoint the source of the scent. Then he saw something. On the horizon were small silhouettes, moving quickly in his direction. They looked almost like Sharpteeth.

"Chomper?" Fyn said.

"I think we need to move,"Chomper replied.

"Why?"

"Look."

Fyn followed Chomper's gaze to the figures. He squinted, trying to make out their shape.

"Fast Biters?" he asked, "I don't think they'll be much of a problem. They wouldn't dare try to attack with you around."

"I don't think they're Fast Biters. They don't smell right."

"I think we should listen to him," Littlefoot said, "if he's right, and they're some kind of Sharptooth we've never seen before, we shouldn't stick around to find out what they can do."

"Let's try to get to that," Fyn said, gesturing towards a small canyon close by, "maybe we can lose them in there."

They set off for the canyon, with Chomper glancing anxiously behind him. The fact that he couldn't tell exactly what was following them worried him. Before long, they were in the canyon.

"Can you see them?" Cera asked.

Chomper poked his head around some of the boulders at the canyon's entrance. Nothing was in sight.

"I don't see anything. They're gone."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well," Littlefoot said, we might as well continue through here, just to be sure."

They set off through the canyon. It was eerily quiet, and Chomper was still restless. The figures he'd seen had disappeared too quickly. Why hadn't they followed them in?

"We're almost out, by the looks of it," Littlefoot said. the canyon walls were getting shorter, and the ground was sloping up; just one more turn to go, it seemed. Suddenly, as they rounded the corner, the smell was back, almost overpowering to Chomper. Where was it coming from? He looked around, trying to find its origin. Then he realized what had happened: they had done exactly what the hunters wanted. It was an ambush. As he watched, several large dinosaurs appeared on the edges of the canyon, near the exit. They jumped down, blocking it. Chomper looked at them closely; he'd never seen their kind before: dark green with a blue stripe running from nose to tail. The long claw, so much like the single claw on each foot of a Fast Biter, left no doubt in his mind. They were Sharpteeth, and probably some kind of large Fast Biter.

"Not good," Ruby said, as the creatures advanced.

"What do you mean?" Fyn asked.

"I know what these are."

"Do tell," Cera said.

"When I was living with my family, we called them Fast Claws."

"What they do?" Petrie asked, teeth chattering.

"Let's not find out."

"Hold on," Chomper said, stepping forward, "maybe I can reason with them." He began to speak in Sharptooth to the Fast Claws.

"Let us pass."

The leader raised its head. Instead of a blue stripe, like everyone else, it's stripe was a golden yellow, distinguishing it. It hissed. The Sharptooth was speaking. It was time to reply.

"This is our territory. No one passes through."

"Liar," Chomper responded, "I smelled you back in the Mountains that Burn. You've been following us."

The leader of the Fast Claws snorted. "Maybe we have. What does it matter to you? All we want are the Leaf Eaters."

"Well if that's what you want, then you can think again."

"Why not assist us? We could split the kill."

"Thanks, but no thanks. They're my friends."

The leader seemed to laugh, a terrible barking noise. "Amusing, but you will just die alongside them."

"We'll see about that," Chomper said.

The Fast Claws began to approach, moving more quickly now.

"What did you tell them, 'easy food here'?" Cera asked.

"Not exactly," Chomper said, "just get ready for a fight."

Cera groaned, "why can't these things ever be easy?"

The first Fast Claw jumped, landing on Cera's frill. She flung it off, sending it into two more behind it; the fight had started.

"Chomper, stay back," Littlefoot said, "we can't risk you losing control. No offense." He gave an approaching Fast Claw a push, sending it back.

"I understand," Chomper said, falling back.

Fyn, Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike had formed a wall in the canyon. Littlefoot and Fyn were clearing Fast Claws left and right with their tails. The spines on Spike's tail were frightening enough to deter any predators, and he was swishing it from side-to-side effectively. Cera, meanwhile, was putting her horns and armored frill to good use, tossing the predators in the air everywhere. Chomper, Ruby, Ducky, and Petrie were well-protected. Their friends in the front were doing an outstanding job, but as they looked on, they could see the front line weakening.

"All right, Chomper," Fyn said, swinging his tail through the air with a crack and sending a Fast Claw into the canyon wall, "maybe one roar wouldn't hurt right now."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he replied.

"It's all we've got."

"But what if I start and I can't stop myself from attacking you, too?"

"Well the way I see it, there are more of them than us. They'll break through soon. What do we have to lose?"

"Alright," Chomper said, "if you think it'll work..."

He inhaled, then threw back his head with a resounding roar. Instantly, every Fast Claw froze. The sound was terrifying, and they retreated. Their leader had time to send a withering glare their way before he, too, turned tail and ran.

"Yes!" Ruby said, "you did it! You controlled yourself, Chomper!"

"I did?" After the roar, he'd gritted his teeth and squinted his eyes shut, to make sure nothing would happen. Now he opened his eyes warily and relaxed his jaw. "I did!"

Everyone laughed. The threat was gone, and they could continue.

"We showed them," Cera said.

"Well, don't count your hatchlings before they hatch," Ruby said, "if I know Fast Claws, and trust me, I do, then I can guarantee they'll be back."

"Maybe so," Cera agreed, "but not today."

Everyone was overjoyed with their victory that day, and as the Bright Circle climbed into its highest point in the sky, all of them left the canyon in high spirits, ready to take on the next leg of their journey.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 7: Reunion

The small herd walked onwards, through the wind-driven sand swirling through the air. All of them had been laughing and joking for most of the day, and for good reason: they'd just fought off an entire pack of Fast Claws. Even Chomper, now on a full stomach, was happy. The gang had decided to let him... nourish himself on a Fast Claw that had died in the attack. Obviously, no one had stuck around to watch. Still, the decision had obviously paid off. Chomper's lapses into his vicious self had all but disappeared. Now, he and his friends were discussing their victory.

"I threw at least four of them," Cera said, "not counting the other two I knocked over."

"Yeah, but I hit five," Fyn said, "and I'll bet I scared off more by cracking my tail."

"Well," Littlefoot said, "that may be, but I knocked down a whole line of them!"

Spike, of course, said nothing.

"Well," Fyn said, "I think Chomper really gets the credit here. He scared all of them off."

"Yes," Ducky said, "hooray for Chomper!"

"It's funny, though," Chomper said, "with all of my experience in the Mysterious Beyond, I've never seen Sharpteeth like that before."

"What about you, Ruby?" Cera asked, "you said you knew about the Fast Claws."

"I do know about them," Ruby said, "and I'll tell you everything I know if you want to listen."

"Sure," Fyn said, "if we tangle with them again, we need to know what we're dealing with."

"Alright, then. The Fast Claws are big Fast Biters with a long claw on each hand. They're mean, too. In fact, before Red Claw showed up-"

"Red Claw?" Fyn interrupted, "who's that?"

"He's a Sharptooth. Long story," Littlefoot said, "remind me later and I'll tell you." He turned to Ruby. "Go on."

"Before Red Claw, the Fast Claws were the biggest danger my family and other Fastrunners faced. They would attack at night, scattering us and going after anybody who was separated. We never saw them coming. Finally, we began to learn where to hide, but by that time, they'd done their damage. Red Claw finally appeared and scared them all off. We never knew where they went to, but I guess we found out today."

"Yeah," Fyn said, "I guess so."

They walked onwards. The Bright Circle was lowering in the sky. Daylight hadn't left yet, but soon it would start to fade. As they moved farther and farther into the Drylands, Ruby could see Fyn closely observing something in the sand.

"What are you looking at, Fyn?" she asked.

"Not sure yet," he said, then resumed staring at the sand.

Ruby shrugged and continued walking. Fyn's observations were causing him to lag behind, but at the present, there was no danger, so no one said anything. Chomper, meanwhile, kept himself busy by watching the occasional Flyer overhead. They circled silently and majestically in the sky, riding the air as Petrie did from time to time.

"These Drylands really are a neat place," he said aloud.

"Only if you don't mind all the sand," Cera grumbled.

"Yes, but just look at everything. It's so quiet out here."

"Oh believe me," Cera said, "I've had plenty of experience with places that are quiet. You know what always happens in them?"

"I can't really say I do," Chomper replied.

"You get attacked! There's always something that just loves to hang out in quiet spots, and when that something gets hungry, I'm always the food."

Chomper felt he understood Cera's point. It seemed that whenever they were in the Mysterious Beyond, she got the worst of whatever bad thing should befall the friends. It was almost funny; almost meaning not funny enough to risk life and limb over laughing aloud. Chomper, instead, smiled to himself, making sure to turn his head away, of course. As he did, he saw Fyn checking the sand. He fell back to join him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Hm," was his only response.

Chomper waited a little longer, then tried again. "Could you tell me what you're doing?"

Fyn looked up. "What? Oh, just... searching." Suddenly, the Fin-Neck stopped.

"Everyone," he said, "hold on. I found something."

All of the dinosaurs gathered around Fyn. His attention was focused on a slight, almost symmetrical depression in the ground.

"I think there are other dinosaurs in this area."

"That can't be," Cera said, "I haven't seen anyone."

"There are tracks here," Fyn said.

"Where? All I see is sand."

Fyn craned his neck down until his head was close to the sand. Then, he drew air into his lungs and blew the sand away. Beneath, forming the depression, was a footprint.

"Where did you learn that?" Ruby asked.

"My father taught me."

Chomper was amazed. "Can you show me how to do that?"

"Sure," Fyn said, "just bring your head down, almost touching the ground." Chomper did as he was told.

"Now, see that dip over there?" Chomper looked in the direction Fyn had just indicated. There was a small depression in the ground in front of the footprint.

"Yep," he answered.

"Great. Now go blow the sand off of it."

Chomper inhaled, as Fyn had, and let fly with a blast of air from his nostrils. The sand swirled up into his face, and he shook his head to keep it out of his eyes. When the sand settled, another footprint was revealed.

"Out in the Drylands, the sand covers tracks quickly," Fyn explained to everyone, "but they're usually not very old when they look like this. These ones look fresh," he looked to Chomper. "Can you smell them? You might be able to find out who they belong to."

Chomper sniffed one of the prints. "Longneck," he said.

"Interesting," Littlefoot said, "there must be a herd around."

"You mean like them?" Cera asked, nodding towards what looked like a large group of dinosaurs making their way across the Drylands in the distance. Littlefoot saw them, too. The sight was majestic, with billowing sand kicked up by the herd silhouetting against the fading light of day.

"Yeah," Littlefoot said, "something like that. Maybe we can go see if they know a quicker way to the Big Water." He suddenly realized Chomper was standing behind him. He turned around. "Chomper," he hesitated, "maybe you should hide. I don't think they'll take to a Sharptooth very kindly."

"Alright," he said, moving off towards some dunes, "I'll meet you later."

They split, Chomper going one way, and everyone else moving the other way. Littlefoot squinted at the herd ahead. There was something vaguely familiar about it. He looked at the leader. From what he could see, the leader was a Longneck just like himself. Behind him was a huge, green Longneck, bringing up the front of the herd. Suddenly, the memory locked into place. He felt a burst of excitement; he knew who these dinosaurs were.

"Everyone," he said, "it's my dad and Shorty!"

Everyone's eyes lit up. Familiar faces at last! Littlefoot broke into a run. As he neared the herd, Bron's head turned to acknowledge the newcomer. When he saw who it was, he began to grin.

"Littlefoot!" he said, "I never expected to see you out here! And your friends as well... I can't believe it."

"Me neither, dad," Littlefoot said.

"It's great to see you guys again," Shorty said, towering above Bron and looking anything but short.

"Shorty?" Cera said, "I don't think your name fits you anymore."

The enormous Longneck smiled. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

"Hold on one moment," Bron said, "I'll tell everyone we're resting here tonight."

He bellowed to the herd; the signal to stop. Everyone began to disband and choose a comfortable spot to rest.

"Now," Bron said, "we have to talk. There's so much for me to tell you."

"Me too," Littlefoot said.

"Who's this?" Shorty asked, indicating Fyn as Littlefoot and his father moved off to talk.

"I'm Fyn," the Fin-Neck responded, "pleased to meet you."

Shorty dipped his head, "and you, too."

"So what do you do in this herd?"

Shorty blushed, humbly. "Actually, Bron's training me to take over as leader soon."

"No way!" Fyn said, "my dad's training me to do the same thing!"

"What a neat coincidence," Shorty laughed. "Come on," he said to the dinosaurs around him, "I'll take you to meet everyone in the herd."

As they moved into the herd, Littlefoot and his father were deep in conversation.

"So how are your grandparents?" Bron asked.

"Fine," Littlefoot answered, "still doing everything they can to help everyone in the Great Valley."

"That sounds just like them," Bron said with a smile.

"Yep, they were great when they welcomed in Fyn's herd."

"Oh really?" Bron looked over at Fyn, "That's him, I take it?"

"Yes. Did you know he actually led his herd to the Valley himself?"

"I did," Bron said, "very impressive. I spoke to his father when I was in the Valley, but I never saw Fyn."

"Oh, that's right. When you visited, he was being a bit shy. I think he just wasn't sure about being around Chomper and Ruby."

Bron nodded, "well, I can understand that. Everyone's shy sometimes."

"You know," Littlefoot said, "there's still plenty of room for you and your herd in the Great Valley if you-"

"Sharptooth!" someone yelled. Littlefoot and Bron snapped their heads up, looking for trouble.

"There!" Bron said, "on that ridge!"

Littlefoot looked. A Sharptooth was indeed approaching the herd. Strangely, though, it didn't seem to be attacking.

Bron raced towards the threat, and Littlefoot followed. Something didn't seem right. They ran until Littlefoot was panting, but once they were between every last member of the herd and the Sharptooth, Bron planted himself, settling into a defensive stance. Suddenly, Littlefoot recognized the Sharptooth.

"Stop!" he said. The entire herd was standing up behind them, preparing for an attack.

"I said stop!"

"Littlefoot," Bron said, "that's a Sharptooth! What are you doing?"

"That's not just a Sharptooth, dad, that's Chomper!"

Recognition crossed over the Longneck's face, and something else, too. Disappointment?

"Everyone stand down," he said, addressing the herd, "the Sharptooth is a friend."

He looked back at Littlefoot. "We will talk about this. Now." His voice had lost its friendliness. Littlefoot followed him back to where they'd been speaking.

"I thought you understood Chomper was different!"

"I did. Before he was almost as big as you. Look at him now! If he wanted to, he could take any one of us down."

"Is that you talking, or your fear?"

"You know very well what I think of Sharpteeth. I lost my wife to one."

"I know," said Littlefoot, "she was my mother, as well."

"Then you have to understand why I'm concerned! I can't lose you, too. Not to another Sharptooth."

Littlefoot looked back at Chomper. His friends had met him, and were bringing him towards the herd. As he moved through the dinosaurs, most recoiled from him; they knew no better. Others were curiously greeting him, and examining him. They had probably never seen a Sharptooth up close, before.

"Littlefoot," Bron said, "I need to know the truth. Why are you out here with Chomper?"

Littlefoot sighed. "It's a long story."

"I have time."

Littlefoot told his father of Chomper's problems, and how they had left the Great Valley to find him a home, hopefully with his parents. Bron listened until his story was finished, expressing no emotion. By now, the Bright Circle had set completely.

"Chomper's parents are at the Big Water," Littlefoot concluded. "All I ask is that if you know a faster way to the Big Water, please tell us. I don't know how much more time we have."

Bron sized up his son, seeing how he'd grown over the seasons. The last time he'd seen him, Littlefoot had been much smaller. Seeing him now was still a surprise to Bron. It took a while before he spoke again.

"You've grown," he said, "in more ways than one. Perhaps you've grown wiser than me. You risked your life to help a friend; a friend who, until recently, might not have had any hope. I've been blinded for so long by this... hatred of Sharpteeth, that I've forgotten that they're not all bad." He paused to take a deep breath before going on. "When I first met Chomper, I felt the same way as I do now, but in time, I came to see that he was good. With my herd, I've seen so many Sharptooth attacks, so much despair at the hands of Sharpteeth, that I was sure Chomper would turn on you eventually. I forgot about his true nature: his kindness and selflessness."

"It's understandable," Littlefoot said, "after everything you've been through."

"No it's not," Bron sighed, "I need to put my past behind me. Can you ever forgive me for what I've said?"

"Of course," Littlefoot said, "everyone makes mistakes."

"Even dads?"

"Even dads."

The two soon made amends and began to discuss travel to the Big Water. Chomper, meanwhile, had been listening closely behind a nearby dune. The conversation had him thinking: was his life really as bad as he'd thought? When Littlefoot defended him, he'd felt a sort of rush inside: his friends still cared about him, and when Bron finally apologized, and remembered Chomper for the dinosaur he truly was, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Now, he knew he wouldn't be abandoned. He knew he could sleep contentedly tonight, with the knowledge that he was no longer considered a threat. Silently, he crept away to where everyone else was sleeping. It was time to rest.

…

The next morning, Bron woke the herd early. So early, in fact, that the Bright Circle hadn't even risen. Littlefoot, Fyn, and Shorty were all around him immediately, wondering why he'd made the wakeup call.

"Both of our herds have long journeys ahead, it seems," was Bron's only reply.

Both Fyn and Littlefoot were unsure what to make of this, but instead of asking for clarification, they decided to go about rousing their group from slumber. Everyone had slept well, and for once, Cera was in a good mood, even going as far as to thank Littlefoot for waking her up with everyone else! Today was the day, Littlefoot knew. Bron had told him last night that they'd be at the Big Water before the Bright Circle fell again. Littlefoot hoped he was right. The sounds of Bron's herd on the move reminded Littlefoot that he had one thing left to do. Moving over to his father with Fyn and Chomper following, he spoke.

"Thanks again for helping us. I hope we can meet again soon."

"Sooner than you think," Bron said, winking at his son. Littlefoot was puzzled, but moved aside without question.

Fyn stepped forward. "I've heard a lot about you, sir. It's an honor to meet you."

"Please, spare me formalities. Just call me Bron, and I'm just as glad to have met you."

Finally, it was Chomper's turn. Bashfully, he approached the herd leader. "I- I just wanted to thank you. With me acting the way I am, you took a risk letting us stay with you. I hope we weren't any trouble."

"No trouble at all," Bron said, shaking his head, "Littlefoot told me about you last night, and you've earned my trust. From now on, you can count on me as a friend."

Chomper smiled, "really?"

"Absolutely. Even if you remember nothing else when you change, try to hold on to that thought."

The two herds, one small and one large, were preparing to go their separate ways when Littlefoot remembered what he'd wanted to tell Bron the previous night. He stopped and turned around.

"Dad!" he called.

"Yes, son?"

"Last night I meant to tell you- there's always a place for you and your herd in the Great Valley."

Bron chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Littlefoot asked.

"You have no idea."

"I would if you told me."

When his laughter started to die down, Bron finally spoke. "Where do you think we're going?" He began to walk away, with Shorty close behind.

Littlefoot contemplated his father's last statement. Then it hit him: the Great Valley! That's where they were headed!

Bron was already out of earshot, but Littlefoot tried to call to him anyway.

"Are you going to the Great Valley?"

As expected, he received no answer, but as Bron disappeared into the distance, Littlefoot could swear he turned his head back and smiled.

It was all the answer Littlefoot needed as he turned to his friends to start the day.

The journey was almost over.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 8: Homecoming

Chomper was looking forward to the day ahead. He and his friends had just left Bron's herd on the final leg of their journey to the Big Water, and they would arrive soon. He couldn't wait to see his parents again; it had been so long since they'd last been together. Ruby, he noticed, was excited as well, but was trying to conceal it. In all, he could say that now was the high point of this adventure. The Bright Circle was burning clearly, without a single cloud in the sky, and the warm climate only improved his mood more.

"What's with the grin?" Cera asked, moving alongside Chomper.

Chomper realized that he'd been smiling as he thought, for no apparent reason. "I'm not sure," he said. "Today just feels good."

Cera rolled her eyes at the sentimental thought, and ducked back to chat with Ruby. Meanwhile, Fyn and Littlefoot were having their own conversation up front.

"So what were you and your dad talking about last night?" Fyn asked, "if you don't mind telling me, that is."

"Not at all," Littlefoot said. "We were actually talking about Chomper." At the mention of his name, the blue Sharptooth looked up.

"What did he have to say?" he asked.

"Nothing but good. He's glad that you've proven that Sharpteeth aren't all cruel, and I think he respects you for keeping yourself under control for so long."

"Wow," Chomper said, awed. He had always honored Bron, whom he'd heard much about from Littlefoot. Receiving praise from Bron was the highest honor he could think of.

"Yeah," Littlefoot said, "I think he really likes you."

A faint smell wafted through the air in front of Chomper's nostrils. It smelled familiar, like his childhood. He inhaled more deeply, recognizing the scent almost instantly. It was the smell of the Big Water. They were almost there.

"Littlefoot," he turned to his friend, "can you smell that?"

Littlefoot sniffed, "I don't smell anything."

Then Chomper remembered that his friends' noses weren't quite as keen as his.

"I smell the Big Water," he explained, "we should be seeing it soon."

Everyone was starting to sense the familiarity of the place, with the exception of Fyn. They had been here before, when the Great Valley had been devastated by an invasion of Swarming Leaf Gobblers. As they walked on, the sand transitioned to hard earth, baked into dryness by the Bright Circle. Before long, Ducky spotted something in the ground.

"Look at this!" She said, excitedly.

Littlefoot came over to see what she was talking about. The Swimmer was pointing to a path of small indents in the earth.

"What are they?" Cera asked, coming closer.

"They look like tracks," Ruby said.

"Those aren't just tracks," Littlefoot said, "those are our tracks, from the last time we came here."

"Makes sense," Fyn said, "the Drylands can preserve tracks in spots like this for seasons."

"No way," Cera said, awestruck. She placed her foot next to an identically-shaped hole.

"Was I ever that... tiny?" she asked.

"We all were," Ducky said, examining her tracks.

"Well this is perfect," Littlefoot said.

"What do you mean?" Fyn asked.

"We can follow these tracks all the way to Chomper's parents. This is the way we went when we found them."

Ruby shuddered. Being so close to her home seemed so surreal. How many seasons had it been since she'd set foot on this ground? She couldn't even remember. Her thoughts were interrupted by Littlefoot's call for everyone to follow the footprints. They were on the move again, and it wasn't long before Petrie spotted something else familiar.

"Green food ahead!" he yelled, pointing. Unfortunately, he was hovering at the time, and plummeted right onto the top of Littlefoot's head when he raised his hand.

"Oof. That hurt. Good thing you have nice flat head."

"Let's not start this again," Littlefoot said. He looked to where Petrie had been pointing. Sure enough, he could see lush vegetation. In fact, it was exactly the place where everyone who had migrated from the Great Valley had stayed.

As they moved farther, following the tracks, the smell of the Big Water became stronger, until everyone could smell it. It wasn't long before they saw it: a huge expanse of endless blue before them, stretching to the horizon and probably beyond. Fyn was speechless. Cera couldn't resist a jibe.

"Fast Biter got your tongue?"

Fyn wasn't even listening. Cera decided to leave him to his fascination; the Big Water really was a sight to see for the first time. Eventually, Fyn pulled himself away from the sight.

"That's all... water?"

"Yep, it sure is," Chomper said. "See that land over there?" he gestured towards an island sticking out of the water farther away, "that's where my home is."

"Wow," Fyn said, "what a place to live!" He ran to the water for a drink. Littlefoot caught him just as he was bending his head down to sip.

"Hold on, there! Don't drink that."

"Why not?" Fyn asked, in surprise.

"Trust me. It's... different. There's plenty of good water in the trees over there." He nodded towards a lush stand of trees close by, "come on."

They began to move towards the trees. "There are all sorts of dinosaurs living here," Littlefoot said, "I can't wait to talk to them."

Something huge and white gleamed in the Bright Circle's light by the trees. Ducky saw it first, squinting to make out its shape. It was Cera, however, who recognized it first.

"Bones," she whispered, "from the swimming Sharptooth, by the looks of it."

"You're right," Littlefoot said, also examining the massive form.

"But swimming Sharpteeth stay in the Big Water," Chomper said, "why did this one come up on land?"

"I don't know," Cera said, "but let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps."

As they entered the trees, though, the only sound that greeted them was the rustling of the wind from the Big Water through the trees. Littlefoot looked at the ground. It was covered in sand.

"That's strange," he said, "I don't remember sand being in here last time."

They moved on, looking for the sanctuary's inhabitants. So far, none had been found. Chomper felt uneasy; his stomach felt like it was sinking lower to the ground the farther they went. Where was everyone? Suddenly, he tripped over something. He barely managed to catch himself before falling.

"Are you all right?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah," Chomper said, "I think so, but I tripped."

He looked back at the ground where he had just stepped. It was covered in sand, but a gleaming white bone protruded from it.

"That must be what tripped me," he said. "I wonder what else is buried with that bone."

He nudged the sand carefully, and almost immediately, it began to slide away, revealing what was underneath. Ducky saw it and gasped: it was a complete Swimmer skeleton.

"What?" Chomper said, "another skeleton? This doesn't make sense."

"Guys," Fyn called from another part of the forest, "that's not the only one."

The friends ran to Fyn, who was standing at the edge of a clearing. It had obviously once been lush and green, but now it was covered in sand. Everywhere, they could see bones and skeletons of all sorts of dinosaurs.

"They're fresh," he said, "whatever occured here happened within this season."

Chomper was the last to see them, and when he did, he began to panic. Something terrible had happened here. He had to get to his home immediately.

"I need to go," he said hurriedly. He ran away from the clearing as fast as he could.

"Go where?" Littlefoot asked, but Chomper was long gone.

"Wait up, Chomper!" Ruby called, but Chomper didn't slow at all. Instead, he ran out of the trees and found the path connecting his island to the mainland. When he reached it, he stopped.

"Wait," Ruby said, appearing out of the forest with her friends close behind, "wait for us."

Chomper turned. "I can't wait. Not anymore. I never should have left in the first place."

"None of this is your fault," Fyn said.

Chomper's eyes flicked from the his friends to the island and back. He was feeling the onset of another attack. He put all of his internal energy into quelling it, and the feelings disappeared, but a sudden hatred still lingered.

"You're right," he said, "It's not my fault. Red Claw did this."

"What?" Cera said. "We haven't even seen Red Claw for seasons now. There's no way he could have done any of this."

"How would you know? You weren't here when he first came. He meant to wipe us all out completely. I should have been there..."

"Slow down, Chomper," Ruby said, "you're not thinking clearly. Red Claw couldn't have done this. All the damage is too recent. Fyn said so."

Her efforts were honest, but Chomper was not in a position to listen. Instead, he turned back to the island, and began to run the length of the path. Even the calls of his friends to stop couldn't halt him now. He had to know.

…

From the start, Littlefoot knew that they didn't have a chance of catching Chomper. Sharpteeth were too fast. He watched as Chomper disappeared into the forest, hoping that the Sharptooth might find something, some sign that all was not lost. He and his friends were still crossing the path over the Big Water, and Littlefoot knew that at this point, if Chomper did not find something to satisfy his need to know the truth, anything could happen. When they set foot on the island, Littlefoot spoke.

"Guys, somewhere inside those trees, Chomper needs us. Now more than ever. I don't know if he's become vicious or not, but I do know that he needs our help. I'm aware that going after him is dangerous, and I won't blame you if you don't want to come, but I'm going in. If you're coming with me, make your choice now."

Without hesitation, everyone stepped forward and joined Littlefoot. His spirits rose. He knew that his friends wouldn't hesitate to help Chomper, but he was still moved, all the same.

"Alright then," he said, "let's do this, for better or worse." They moved silently into the foliage, unsure of what they would find ahead.

…

Chomper stumbled and staggered ahead, not minding his step and often breaking through walls of vegetation altogether. He had seen no sign of his parents, but that fact alone meant nothing. He'd know for sure when he reached his old nest. There were no bones in this forest, he noted, only the occasional Sharptooth track, but the ground looked worn away, as if some giant Sharptooth had taken the island in its jaws and torn the top layer of earth away. Like the mainland, Chomper found his home was also eerily quiet. It troubled him.

He stopped, trying to remember where to go from his position. He'd come to a dead end, his path blocked by a towering cliff. He racked his brain. The spot was familiar... Then he remembered: it was here that he'd run into Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, Cera, and Spike for the first time since he'd left the Great Valley with his parents. They'd been running from him because they'd believed he was a bigger Sharptooth. The memories made him forget his current predicament, and he smiled. If only he could go back to those simpler times.

Chomper snapped back into focus: he had a truth to discover, and until he found it, he would be distracted no longer. With his back turned to the cliff, he turned to the right, picking up the trail to his nest by memory. He was close, now; just a little farther to go.

…

The gang entered the trees and picked up Chomper's trail very quickly. The sand on the forest floor preserved Chomper's tracks perfectly. As Ruby feared, so far no one seemed to be on the island. The dinosaurs began to follow their friend's tracks, hoping beyond all hope that they could reach their friend in time to prevent a disaster.

…

Chomper could smell his nest. He thought he'd forgotten what home smelled like, but he found that the scent quickly returned to him. He considered calling out to his parents, but decided against it. Instead, he thought, he'd surprise them, arriving unannounced. Perhaps they would even be impressed by how sneaky he had become. He could see some of the nest through the foliage ahead. He tensed his leg muscles, getting ready to spring. He released, and bounded through the bushes into the nest.

"I'm home!" he yelled.

No welcomed him. In fact, no one was there. Chomper stopped in the middle of the clearing, smelling the air and looking for any sign that someone was present. The only evidence that anyone had been there at all was more Sharptooth footprints in the sand. Chomper's parents, it seemed, had vanished without a trace. At first, Chomper was struck by disbelief. How had all of this happened here as well as on the mainland? Then, he felt the fury he had tried suppressing earlier rising to his throat, in the form of a low, guttural growl.

"Red Claw," he thought, "it was Red Claw who did this, who took my parents away from me, and who destroyed my home."In anger and pain, he roared to the sky. The transformation into his new self was happening again, but this time, instead of fighting it, Chomper embraced it, feeling his raw emotion giving his body more strength. He began to pace his nest, resuming his search for his kin in an even more frenzied state. Off in the trees, a twig snapped. It was barely perceptible, but Chomper had detected it. Clearly, whoever had caused all of this destruction was near, and it was time for the dinosaur responsible to face the fury of a raging Sharptooth. He crouched low and slunk back into the trees, concealing himself in the dark, cool shadows.

…

The gang stepped into the clearing where Chomper's nest was. Littlefoot called out, but recieved no response. The nest was littered with broken branches, and sand was everywhere. The dinosaurs decided to split up, and began to search the area. Littlefoot moved towards Chomper's old nest, where he immediately made an interesting discovery: a strange, star-shaped creature amidst the debris.

"Ruby," he called, "have you seen one of these before?"

Ruby hurried over and looked at the creature. "Why, yes. It's a Waterstar. They live in the Big Water."

"Then what's it doing up here?"

Ruby shrugged. Sometimes they get washed onto the land by the Big Water, but never this far."

"Strange." Littlefoot muttered. As he bent down to examine the Waterstar again, he was startled by the noise of breaking branches. He looked up; Chomper had entered the nest.

"Thank goodness you're here, Chomper, we were getting worried!" Ducky said, running over to the motionless Sharptooth. Then, Littlefoot saw his eyes, most specifically, the constricted pupils.

"Ducky, get back here," he said.

"What? Why?" she asked, "I do not-" then she saw Chomper's eyes and blank expression and understood.

"Oh no."

Chomper faced the Swimmer and parted his jaws in a snarl, revealing deadly teeth the size of some of Fyn's smaller spines.

…

Chomper didn't know why these Leaf Eaters seemed to know him, and he didn't care. All he wanted at this point was vengeance. He took a step towards the Swimmer, who had begun to back away. She turned and ran back to the others, who began to form a defensive position. Fine, then. They wanted a fight, and they would get one.

Chomper lunged towards the dinosaurs, all thoughts of friendship gone.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 9: Face to Face

Littlefoot was unprepared for Chomper's sudden attack. With a swiftness that seemed unbelievable for a Sharptooth of his size, he rammed Littlefoot into the ground. Before he could act, Fyn was there, cracking his tail near Chomper's nose. The Sharptooth retreated a few steps as Littlefoot got to his feet.

"We can't hurt him," he said, "Chomper's still our friend."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Cera said, preparing for another attack.

"Let's try to lose him in the trees."

"That won't work," Fyn said, "he knows the land better than us. He'll catch us in no time."

"For now, it's our only option," Littlefoot said, "I'm not fighting unless we have no other choice."

"Then we do it your way," Fyn said, "but if he attacks again, I won't hesitate to stop him."

Chomper, meanwhile, was growing bolder. Fyn's tail had turned him away, but he was edging closer and closer to the group, testing them.

"Petrie," Littlefoot said to the Flyer on his back, "try to distract him."
"Oh yes, right away," the Flyer said enthusiastically. He took off and headed straight for Chomper's face. Chomper had not expected such a swift attack from the Flyer, and he recoiled. The involuntary reaction was exactly what Littlefoot needed.

"Now!" he said, and they fell back into the trees.

Chomper shook his head, and the Flyer retreated into the forest. Immediately, Chomper gave chase.

Littlefoot and his friends weren't far from the nest when they heard the sounds of Chomper's pursuit. They were running as fast as they could, but certainly nowhere near as quickly as Chomper was gaining on them. The run was starting to tire them, as well.

"We can't keep this up," Fyn said, panting, "we need to get to the path to the mainland."

"Agreed," Littlefoot said. Behind them, Chomper had picked up their scent and was still following. The sounds of his pursuit were both awe-inspiring and terrifying. As they raced through the undergrowth, they heard his breathing and roars, and felt the ground tremble at each of his steps. The experience was made even more traumatic by the fact that Chomper had only recently been their friend. Now he was trying to attack them.

The gang burst out of the forest and onto the sand bordering the island. Cera spotted the path over the water first.

"Let's go!" she yelled, scrambling for the rocks; the others followed. They had only just climbed onto the path when Chomper crashed through the trees, still following.

"Cera," Littlefoot yelled to the Threehorn, who was edging along the path, "a little faster, please."

Cera began to speed up when she discovered who was chasing them. Littlefoot, meanwhile, turned his back to his friends to confront Chomper, who had just stepped onto the path. Littlefoot shook his head from side to side, bellowing and trying to confuse Chomper, or at least delay him. Suddenly, he sensed someone behind him. It was Fyn.

"You don't have to do this alone," he said, "I've got your back."

Littlefoot nodded. He was backing up slowly as Chomper moved forward. Fyn quickly followed suit. The path began to widen, and Fyn found space next to Littlefoot. He moved to it. Chomper still delayed his attack, waiting, it seemed, for some kind of slip-up. The waves from the Big Water, meanwhile, had begun to grow larger. As they impacted the sides of the path, they threw spray up into both Littlefoot's and Fyn's faces. Fyn glanced back to see how everyone else was faring. They were almost across. Good. Suddenly, a wave hit the path next to him, blinding both himself and Littlefoot with water. Chomper saw his advantage. He bounded forward, and the two Longnecks saw him just in time to counter his attack. They sidestepped in opposite directions, and Chomper flew past, his feet trying to grip the slippery stones to change direction. When he finally gained his balance, he turned for another attack. He lunged forward, snapping at Littlefoot's neck and missing. Fyn stepped around him, and Littlefoot shifted to the side, forcing the Sharptooth to overshoot again, his jaws closing with a sound loud enough to rival the Sky Fire.

"Littlefoot," Fyn said, "I know he's our friend, but we have to stop him somehow."

"I know," Littlefoot said, with a sudden gasp of pain. Fyn looked at his friend, and saw the cause. Chomper hadn't entirely missed him. While Chomper's jaws had failed to meet Littlefoot's skin, one of the claws on his feet had gashed Littlefoot's back leg. The water being thrown into the air by the waves was mixing with the wound, making the pain more severe.

"Come on," Fyn said, supporting his friend, "we stand a better chance on solid ground."

He and Littlefoot continued their retreat. Chomper had backed off, now more wary of his adversaries. On land, he believed, the fight would be different.

Fyn snapped his tail in Chomper's direction, in an attempt to delay him more. They were close to the mainland, now. Finally, they made it, but as soon as they stepped off of the path, Chomper charged straight for Ducky.

"Here he comes!" Cera said, "out of the way!"

Ducky moved out of the way. Chomper couldn't change direction quickly enough, and slid on the sand, missing the swimmer. He decided to try for a slower target, selecting Cera. The Threehorn had her head lowered, displaying her dangerous horns, but Chomper had an idea. He roared and charged ahead, straight for her, hoping to force her to flinch, opening her up for attack. The Threehorn didn't budge, and Chomper stopped directly in front of her, roaring in her face in frustration.

"I guess that stubbornness pays off," she said.

Littlefoot came out of nowhere, running straight into Chomper from the side, and almost knocking him off balance. The Sharptooth growled, looking for the Fastrunner and the Swimmer, the easy targets. They, of course, were far away, being shielded by the Spiketail. He'd just have to settle for one of the Longnecks.

Littlefoot ducked as Chomper suddenly swiveled his head and lunged for him. The Sharptooth's tail caught him in the front legs, and he fell. Immediately, Fyn was supporting again, until Chomper managed to duck under his swinging tail and shove him aside. Now Littlefoot was the focus again, as he tried to swing his tail into Chomper. He missed, but swung again in the opposite direction, landing his tail across Chomper's face. The massive dinosaur stumbled back, stunned, then surged forward again. The battle was becoming harder. Littlefoot was beginning to grow weaker; the pain in his leg was worse, now, with sand accumulating in his wound, and to make matters worse, night had fallen, restricting vision. Fyn joined Littlefoot, rearing back and kicking Chomper away again with his front legs, and Cera pushed him back even farther. Nothing seemed to have an effect, though. Ruby watched on, from behind Spike. Chomper, she knew, would outlast all of them in a fight eventually. Something had to be done. Suddenly, she had a plan. She spoke to Petrie. Initially, the Flyer had no idea what Ruby had planned, but as the idea formed, it began to make sense. Ruby, having informed Petrie of what was to come, stood up, peeking over Spike.

"Littlefoot!" she called, hoping that Chomper, in his current state of mind, couldn't translate Leaf Eater, "I know what to do!"

"Great. Let's hear your plan," Littlefoot groaned, trying to avoid Chomper's jaws.

"When Petrie distracts Chomper, bring him to the ground and keep him there."

"Sounds risky," Fyn said, "why?"

"No time to explain. Just do it."

Littlefoot shoved Chomper away again, "ready when you are."

"Now," Ruby said to Petrie. For the second time that day, the Flyer lifted off of the ground and swooped towards Chomper, but this time, the Sharptooth was ready, not even flinching when Petrie swooped up in front of his face. Petrie pulled up, silhouetted against the Night Circle. It was time for a more drastic plan of action. He dove for Chomper's snout, landing on it and digging his feet in. Chomper howled, flinging his head back and throwing off Petrie, who tumbled through the air, regaining control right before plummeting into the sand. Littlefoot saw this, and he and Fyn stuck their tails in front of Chomper's feet, sweeping them back violently and forcing him to fall. At the same time, Cera jumped onto Chomper's back, and was quickly followed by Fyn and Littlefoot, who took over the task of pinning him to the ground. Chomper struggled violently, and roared, trying to snap at the Longnecks who had tricked him, but they remained out of reach. It was all up to Ruby, now.

Ruby stepped out from behind Spike. This was the risky part of the plan. She moved slowly toward Chomper. At the sight of her, the Sharptooth shivered and roared loudly, trying to scare her off. Still, she advanced until she was right in front of him.

"Chomper?" she said, "it's me, Ruby." Chomper growled low in response.

"Ruby," the Fastrunner repeated, speaking Sharptooth. At the sound, everyone's jaw dropped. Until now, they had been completely unaware that she knew the language.

"Friend?" Chomper responded, "Sharptooth?"

 "Yes, I am a friend, and everyone else here is, too."

 "You're a liar," the Sharptooth replied, grunting, "they destroyed everything here, along with Red Claw."

"You are wrong. You're scared and confused, and you need answers. We can find them together if you come back to us."

 "There's nothing to find. I have no idea what you're talking about. These... Leaf Eaters," he snorted in disgust, "have never been my friends."

"And that's where you're wrong," Ruby replied. "Come back to us, Chomper. Come back to me, come back to Littlefoot, who raised you as a hatchling. Come back to Cera, who taught you everything you've ever known about being tough. Come back to Ducky, the Swimmer you could always count on for a smile. Come back to Petrie, your friend who soars through the sky without a care. Come back to Spike, the caring Spiketail who will always follow you. Come back to Fyn, who would stay by your side to protect you no matter the odds, and come back to me, Chomper. I, Ruby, who always have been, and always will be, your friend." Ruby concluded by touching her beak to Chomper's muzzle, slowly. The great dinosaur almost purred, accepting the gesture. Suddenly, another shudder racked his body, and his tension released. Ruby saw his pupils return to normal.

"We can let him go now," she said. Littlefoot and Fyn nodded, still awestruck by the conversation she'd just had. They released Chomper, who stood up, breathing shakily.

"I had a sleep story," he said, slowly, "it was terrible. I attacked-"

He looked around. At the sand, the stars, his friends, and at the blood on Littlefoot's leg. The horror of what he had done dawned on him.

"No," he said, softly, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

"It was beyond your control," Ruby said.

"And it's over, now," Fyn added.

"Maybe for now," Chomper said, "but I don't think next time I'll be quite as lucky. I didn't even fight it this time."

"What's past is past." Littlefoot said, "we should all try to get some sleep now. We can try to determine what happened here in the morning." Murmurs and yawns of agreement were heard from everyone. It wasn't very long before everyone fell into an exhausted state of sleep. As Chomper dozed off, he considered just how lucky he was to have friends who, immediately after fighting with him, would still make amends afterwards. He hoped, as he slept, that some part of them would always remain in his mind.

…

The Bright Circle was already high before Fyn woke up, exhausted from the battle the night before. He stretched and looked at everyone else. Evidently, he was the first to wake up. He decided to walk down to the water. Even if it was unfit to drink, he reasoned, it should still be fine to bathe in. He waded into the water, feeling its coldness lapping at his feet. Before long, his body was completely submerged. Only his head and neck were above water. He sighed. Sheer bliss. Nothing could be more relaxing. As he continued to stand, he felt something brush against his foot. He looked down, but couldn't see far enough into the water to tell what it was. Dismissing it as a rock, he went back to his business.

Suddenly the water in front of him exploded upwards in a tremendous splash, caused by some humongous dark shape breaching the surface. Fyn was completely unprepared, and let out a surprised yelp, quickly backpedaling towards shore. He prided himself on not being scared easily, but in this situation, his fear had definitely gotten the best of him. As he watched, the figure slammed back into the water, submerging again. He began to back up again, anxiously watching the water around him. All was still. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hi there!"

"Aah!" Fyn yelled, surprised again. The voice had spoken right next to his head, and he'd never even seen its owner coming. Fyn backed away and turned his head. The owner of the voice was green, and had a long neck, like his, as well as a kind, pleasant smile.

"Who are you?" Fyn asked.

The creature fully extended its neck, which made it tower above Fyn.

"My name's Elsie," it said, "what's yours?"

[Fyn16]

Chapter 10: Reflection

Fyn looked up in awe at the towering sea creature before him. "E- Elsie, you said?"

"Yep," Ducky's voice sounded from behind, "that's her name."

"Oh," the creature remarked, "I remember you. Ducky, was it?"

"Yep, yep, yep, that's me." Fyn turned to see the Swimmer standing behind him. Would the surprises ever end today?

"Ducky, yes, that's it. I remember now. How are you?" She paused, "and where are your friends? Weren't there five of you?"

"Yes, but there are eight now. Chomper, Ruby, and Fyn joined us."

"So that's the Fin Neck's name: Fyn." Elsie playfully batted her eyes at the Longneck, "it's a very handsome name for a Longneck such as yourself."

"Oh, well... thanks!" Fyn said bashfully.

"You're quite welcome." Suddenly, her expression changed from one of enthusiasm to one of complete seriousness. She turned to Ducky.

"You said that Chomper and Ruby are with you?"

"Right over there," Ducky replied, pointing to the rest of the sleeping dinosaurs.

"Good," Elsie said, "I need to speak with them urgently."

"Why?"

Elsie frowned slightly. "Well, it's not really for me to say right now. I really need to wait for Chomper and Ruby."

"Fair enough," said Fyn. Elsie's expression brightened again.

"Now, Fyn," she said, "I've never met a Fin-Neck before. Do you suppose you could tell me a little about yourself?"

Fyn and Elsie began to chat as everyone else began to wake up. Elsie was clearly very curious about him, because, as she said, she'd only heard about Fin Necks. She'd never actually seen one. Littlefoot saw them talking away as he woke up and smiled.

"Looks like Fyn found Elsie," he said to the rest of the waking dinosaurs. Cera's face began to take on a greenish hue as she recalled the ride Elsie had once given them. Moving around in the Big Water made her sick.

"Elsie?" Chomper said, waking up, "where?"

"Over there, talking to Fyn," Littlefoot said, gesturing.

"Finally," Chomper said, "I can get an answer."

"An answer to what?" Ruby said, yawning.

"An answer about what happened here." Chomper straightened up, stretched, and began to move to where Elsie was floating. Everyone else followed.

"-and that's why Fin Necks have spines and sails on our necks," Fyn said, as the rest of the gang drew near.

"How fascinating!" Elsie said, "and most impressive." She took note of the rest of the dinosaurs coming to join them.

"I remember all of you," she said, "I helped you back to your families many seasons ago."

"You did," Littlefoot agreed, "and now one of us is here to ask for your help again."

Chomper stepped forward, and again, Elsie's face grew solemn. "I see, and I think I know exactly he wants."

"What happened here?" Chomper asked, "I need to know."

"Yes," Littlefoot said, "whatever happened, it looks like it must have been terrible."

Elsie sighed and shook her head. "Yes, terrible, although I'm not sure that word is strong enough. It was a disaster." She looked to Chomper, "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes," the Sharptooth answered without a trace of doubt.

"Very well, then," she began slowly.

"Not long ago, everything here was fine. The waters were peaceful, everyone living among the trees had plenty to eat, and the Sharpteeth on the island, including your parents," she nodded to Chomper, "kept to themselves and lived well."

"But what happened?" Chomper asked.

"I'm getting there," Elsie said. "One day, early this season, I was swimming deep out into the Big Water, to get away for a while. While I was out there, I felt a Watershake."

"A Watershake?" Petrie asked, "what that?"

"It's much like what you land-dwellers call an Earthshake, only it happens underwater. They're rare, but when they do happen, terrible things can follow. I've seen entire islands just disappear because of the enormous waves they make, and I knew the same thing could happen here. I immediately traveled back, to warn everyone. Unfortunately, everyone on the mainland thought I was a crazy sea-dweller. None of them listened to me. My luck wasn't much better on the island, either. Everyone there thought there was nothing to worry about, with the exception of two Sharpteeth: Chomper's parents."

Everyone was listening intently now.

"They tried to make everyone else see sense, and they called a meeting of every Sharptooth on the island. Obviously, not everyone came. Many Sharpteeth are too proud to listen to one another, even in a time of crisis. Even those who did come were still hard to convince that the possibility of danger was real, but," she addressed Chomper, "your parents' words seemed to hold a lot of weight. Eventually, they managed to convince several of the Sharpteeth to leave. They stayed behind to make sure that everyone who was going had the chance to get off the island safely."

"So they all left?" Cera asked.

"Not... exactly," Elsie said, hanging her head, "there was another Watershake; this time much stronger. I came up to the surface to see what was happening, and that was when I saw the first sign of what was coming: the water near the land was receding, falling back out to the middle of the Big Water, leaving more sand exposed. The dinosaurs living in the forest on the land were curious, and some came out to investigate. They had no idea of what was to come. We had no idea... Almost all of the dinosaurs leaving for the mainland were on the path over the water when the first wave hit," her voice began to choke; the words were hard for her. "It came from out of nowhere, and it was enormous, bigger than any dinosaur. Someone had said it looked like a mountain because of its size. I'm not familiar with mountains, so I'll assume you know what I mean."

Everyone understood perfectly, but a wave of that size? They had never experienced anything like that before.

"Those on the path never stood a chance. First, they were there, and then before you could blink, they were gone, just swept away. I never saw any of them again. Behind them, the island was pounded, too, but at first, its rocky walls saved it. Then the second wave hit, bigger than the first. It caught me and tossed me towards the land. I was completely helpless. I managed to get one last look at the island as the water carried me away; it was completely covered in water. Trees were falling, Sharpteeth were being carried out to sea, and huge pieces of land were just being ripped away. As I approached the land, I knew the forest stood no chance. I was thrown onto the sand, next to it, and my head hit a rock. My vision went dark, but before it did, I saw the water ravage the forest. I don't believe anyone in there survived."

Chomper was in shock, as was Ruby. The rest were still awestruck by what they had just heard. Two waves did all of this?

"What about my parents?" Chomper said, "were they washed away, too?"

"No," Elsie said, "in fact, it was they who saved my life. When I awoke, I was dry from laying under the Bright Circle for so long, and I was weak. I knew that if I couldn't get back to the Big Water, I would die. I barely had enough strength left to do so, but I called out for someone to help me. I'd nearly given up when Chomper's parents appeared. They seemed tired and worn, but they helped me, pushed me back into the water. When I spoke to them, they said that they'd managed to find high ground on the island, with a small number of others. No one else made it."

"But I don't understand," Chomper said, "if they survived, then where are they now?"

"They stayed behind on the island for a while, probably waiting for you. They knew you would be returning sometime soon, something about this ordeal that every Sharptooth goes through. Anyway, they left recently. The island couldn't sustain them any longer."

"They're gone?" Chomper couldn't believe it. His parents had left. Suddenly, he knew exactly what he had to do.

"Thanks for letting me know, Elsie," he said, "you've always been a great friend to my family and me."

"I'm happy to help in any way I can. Just let me know if there's anything else you need. Now, it's time for me to get back to the Big Water. It calls to me."

"Goodbye," everyone said, as the great swimming Longneck dove into the water silently, leaving barely a ripple on the surface.

Chomper was quiet for a moment before finally speaking.

"I'm not sure I have any other option. I have to look for my parents."

"We could help you," Littlefoot offered.

"Thanks, but no. The longer you stay with me, the more danger you'll be in. I need to go alone from here on out."

Littlefoot considered Chomper's choice. "I understand, but spend one more day with us at least. We need some time to say goodbye."

"What will we do?"

"How about 'Kick the Seed?'" Ducky said.

Chomper's face lit up. "Kick the Seed" was his favorite game. Then he looked around at his friends. Everyone had definitely outgrown the traditional seed.

"Where are we going to find a seed big enough?"

"Right here," Petrie responded in a strained voice from above. He was carrying some kind of fruit. If nothing else, it looked like a seed. It was big, brown, round, and hard.

"That'll work," Fyn said, "let's get teams decided."

the dinosaurs split up into their respective teams; Chomper, Littlefoot, Ducky, and Spike on one side, and Fyn, Cera, Ruby, and Petrie on the other. Before long, their game had begun. They smiled and laughed as they weaved around each other, trying to score with the fruit. It was just like when they were younger, and the happy memories made Chomper forget about the difficulties he had to face. Today was a day to spend with his friends, and he wouldn't waste it.

The game was soon tied up, with both sides having achieved a score of 3 each. Littlefoot put the fruit in play, passing it to Chomper, who moved up towards the other side's goal. Fyn blocked him, but Chomper managed to get a pass to Littlefoot. Littlefoot, in turn, passed the fruit to Ducky, who tossed it up into the air over Cera's head. It seemed that Ruby, the goalkeeper, would catch it, but from out of nowhere, Chomper appeared and hit the fruit with his head, sending it past the goal line. His team cheered for him, and the other side acknowledged his victory as well. They'd been playing for so long, that none of them had noticed that the Bright Circle was now setting.

"What should we do now?" Littlefoot asked.

"Isn't it getting a bit late?" Chomper responded.

"Not for this occasion," Fyn said, "come on, let's explore a bit."

They all walked the length of the land bordering the Big Water, silhouetted majestically against the setting Bright Circle: the herd of friends, so unique and yet so alike at the same time. They explored long into the night, finding small treasures that the Big Water had given up. Petrie had a close encounter with a swimming Sharptooth when he flew too low over the water, but he escaped without harm, and everyone laughed about it afterwards. Finally, they came back to the edge of the forest at the water's edge.

"Good night, everyone," Ruby said. Everyone responded in kind as they settled in to slumber. Littlefoot lay still on the sand, unable to fall asleep.

"Littlefoot, you awake?" he heard Chomper say.

"Yeah, I can't sleep."

"Me neither." There was silence for a few moments before Chomper spoke again.

"Littlefoot?"

"Hm?"

"Promise you and your friends will never forget me."

"Of course I'll promise. Even if you're not here with us, you'll always be with us, in some way. I'm not really sure how it works, but it does."

"Who told you that?"

"My mother," Littlefoot answered, yawning.

"I would have loved to meet her," Chomper said.

"Yes, I think you would have, and I think she would have dreamed of the chance to actually talk to a Sharptooth. You see, deep down, I think she felt that none of us are really all that different."

"I like her already."

"Yeah," Littlefoot said, "she was the best mother I could hope for. Anyway, you need to sleep, so you can find your parents tomorrow."

"Alright," Chomper said, "goodnight, Littlefoot."

"Goodnight."

And for once, Chomper's mind was at peace.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 11: Parting

Not much was said when everyone awoke the next day. A crisp breeze blowing in from the Big Water reminded them all that the Cold-Time would be coming soon. Fyn shivered; cold climates were not agreeable with him, and the Great Valley could get very chilly during the Cold-Time. He'd put up with it as always, he supposed, but a little warmth from the Bright Circle never hurt anyone.

As he rolled to his feet, he could see that everyone else was already awake, but no one was speaking. He saw Chomper and Ruby standing at the water's edge, looking out to the horizon. Littlefoot was grazing over at the trees, Petrie was soaring, as was his daily routine, and Ducky, Spike, and Cera were simply huddled together farther away. Fyn decided to speak with Chomper. He approached from behind.

"Cold today, isn't it?" he asked, mentally reprimanding himself immediately after. This was not a time for small talk. This was serious.

"Yeah," Ruby responded.

"I guess that's not what I meant to say," Fyn said. "What I really mean is- how are you feeling?"

"I don't know what to feel," said Chomper, "I'll be on my way to find my parents soon, but it just feels so abrupt. I mean, I have to say goodbye to all of you today."

Fyn nodded. Leaving the grove, his old home, had been similar, but all his friends had come with him. Chomper's dilemma was much trickier.

"Well," he said, "goodbye doesn't have to be forever. I'm confident that somewhere inside, some memory of us will remain with you. Maybe if you really work at that memory, bring it up each day, you might remember all of us, and if that day comes, we will be more than happy to have you in the Great Valley again. Of course," he added, "we may have to sneak you in, this time."

Chomper grinned. "Good luck with that. You stand out like the Bright Circle at night!"

"What? No I don't."

"Oh yes you do."

"Alright, fine. I do. But it doesn't mean we couldn't get you in if we wanted to."

"You know what? I'll remember that. That's a promise."

"Great!" Fyn said. He looked over at Ruby, still staring out into the Big Water.

"What about Ruby?" he asked, "what's she going to do when this is all over?"

"She's trying to make up her mind. At this point, she can either go with me or all of you. It's a hard choice."

"I don't doubt it," Fyn said, feeling sorry for the Fastrunner. She shouldn't have been forced to make such decisions now, he thought. Then he caught himself. Ruby was older than he was, practically a full adult. She was making choices that she would have to face for the rest of her life on a daily basis now. Maybe she was prepared.

"Well," Chomper said, "I think it's time."

Fyn nodded. He knew his friend would be fine in the Mysterious Beyond, but with Chomper and possibly Ruby gone, there would be a hole in his life that would take time to fill.

"But," he reassured himself, "in the Drylands, every hole fills in time." He thought back to his friends finding their old tracks. "And sometimes, only sometimes, we come back to those holes." Would he ever see Chomper again? He knew he couldn't rule out the possibility. He didn't know if they would even meet as friend or foe if they did find each other again, but he knew he would be prepared to meet his old friend once more if the occasion arose.

Chomper walked back towards the Drylands, stopping at the sand's border. Everyone saw him, and began to gather near him. When everyone was present, he spoke.

"Guys, I don't really know how to start this. I- I'm really terrible at saying stuff like what I'm about to say, but I'll try anyway. You've all given me more than any Sharptooth can ask for. I've been fortunate enough to live in the Great Valley for most of my life; most Sharpteeth can't count themselves as lucky. At my age, the ones that survive have already had their share of trying not to be eaten. I've lived a life of safety and freedom because of how much all of you have been there for me, and I can't thank you enough. Even though our paths may never cross again, I hope you will always remember me for who I am, just as I will try to remember all of you."

He then approached his friends and spoke to each one in turn, starting with Ducky and Spike.

"Ducky and Spike," he began, "where would any of us be without your friendship? You two were the first of us to prove that any dinosaur can get along with another, no matter what kind they are. Your loyalty to each other and to the rest of us is so incredible, I've never seen anything like it in my life. You've shown everyone that, even though we may be different, we can all live together peacefully, and I thank you for that."

"Petrie," he said, moving on, "it's your bold spirit that inspired me to stay strong when I lived in the Mysterious Beyond and faced dangers every day. You came to this group of friends as a Faller, and rose to become a Flyer, as I'm told."

Petrie blushed, recalling how he'd met Littlefoot by falling out of a tree.

"You overcame your fears on every adventure we've ever been on, and I don't think a braver Flyer exists anywhere in the world. You've helped us out of a lot of tough spots, and we owe it all to your unfailing courage."

He moved on to Cera. "Cera, it's you I have to thank for every bit of determination I've ever had. No matter what may happen, you've always pushed through the challenges to accomplish whatever task you may face. You don't give up, and even when everything seems bleak, you're still there, pushing us through, sometimes all by yourself. It takes a really tough dinosaur to do that. It takes a real Threehorn, in fact, to do that. Thank you. From all of us."

Cera pawed the ground bashfully. "Thank you, Chomper. No one's ever said anything quite like that about me before."

Chomper continued to Fyn. "You were the last of us to join this group. Before you arrived in the Great Valley, everyone thought that no one else could possibly join this circle of friends. They were wrong. When you arrived, everyone was impressed with your accomplishments. Not every dinosaur can lead a herd through the Mysterious Beyond to the Great Valley, let alone as a kid."

Fyn, ever humble, opened his mouth to counter, but Chomper silenced him.

"Don't even try to pretend you didn't. Sure, it wasn't the whole Mysterious Beyond, but the fact remains, you did do it. But that's not what drew everyone to you. I think what really impressed everyone was your kindness, your ability to listen to someone's problems and know exactly what to say, and your fierce devotion to your friends. It took a lot of trust to befriend Ruby and me when we showed up, but you were able to do it, even after seeing firsthand what Sharpteeth could do outside of the Great Valley. I'm happy to call myself your friend."

Fyn dipped his head, and Chomper finally arrived at Littlefoot.

"Littlefoot, where do I begin? I've known you for as long as I can remember. You've been almost like a dad to me. In fact, when I first hatched, you were my dad until I found my parents. You and your grandparents have always been like my second family. I've looked up to you for so long, and you've never let me down. Ever. You drive us all to be better, to just keep going, because the Great Valley could be right over those rocks. You have heart, something that's not always easy to find outside the Great Valley. I call you a friend and a brother, because you've always treated me like an equal, even though I'm so much different from you. You are the face I remember the most. You are my strongest memory, and I will hold onto that memory forever, if I can. Thank you for always being there for me."

When he reached Ruby, whose back was turned, there was a tear in Chomper's eye. The others had often used the term "Sharptooth Tears" before to describe a fake display of grief. Now, they were seeing them for real, and the true meaning was obviously different, and much deeper.

"Ruby," Chomper sniffed, "you're my caretaker. You were given the position and bound to it until I became an adult. Now, that time has come. Your responsibilities are no longer the same. You are free to become who you really want to be."

Ruby turned her head, slowly. "I already am who I want to be... because of you. I thought I knew everything there was to know about life, then I met you. Turns out, I barely knew anything. You showed me what life is really all about: friendship, adventure, happiness... you showed me everything. She turned completely, addressing everyone.

"I've made my decision. All of you," she gestured, "have been great friends to me; the best I've ever had, in fact. This might look like an end, but it's actually a beginning for all of us. Like Chomper said, I can't thank you enough. I love being with all of you, but-" she sighed, "I can't leave Chomper. We've shared so much of our lives together, and I'm his best chance of remembering everything he ever was." She strode up to Littlefoot, small compared to the Longneck. How things had changed.

"Today, I leave, but I believe, in my heart, that we'll see each other again someday. Maybe not soon, but someday." She backed away, to Chomper's side. "We'll be safe in the Mysterious Beyond, and we'll both settle down once Chomper's found his family. Until then," she said, looking up at her childhood friend, "I'll just keep doing what I've always done: keeping you out of trouble."

Chomper smiled, and his shimmering eyes seemed to brighten. He'd been completely in shock over what Ruby had said. He'd expected her to go with the others. Now, however, he felt more comfortable knowing that she'd be beside him for better or worse.

"Well," he said, "I guess this is it. I'll miss you all."

"Goodbye everyone," Ruby said.

"Goodbye," Petrie responded.

"Yes, goodbye," Ducky followed.

"Maybe I'll see you around sometime," Cera said.

"May the Bright Circle always guide your path," Fyn spoke.

"Wander far," Littlefoot said, "and always return safely." He paused, "my mother used to say that to others who ventured out on their own from our herd."

No one had heard him use the phrase before, and they reasoned he must have been saving it for an occasion like this. It surprised everyone, but not nearly as much as what came next.

"Chomper," Spike said. It was the second time in his life that he'd ever uttered a word. Everyone was astounded.

"Thank you," Chomper responded, turning towards the Big Water.

"Time to go," he said, stepping away, "remember us."

"We will, Chomper," Littlefoot said, watching his friend walk away, tears clouding his vision, "we all will." They watched Ruby and Chomper until they were out of sight. When they were, the parting cut like a Fast Biter's claw. No one could speak; the experience was too surreal. They simply stood, listening to the sound of the nearby waves lapping at the sand. Finally, Fyn spoke.

"We'd better get moving. We have a lot of ground to cover."

Nobody else spoke. Instead, they all simply nodded, turning back towards the Great Valley and beginning their journey home.

…

Chomper and Ruby walked in silence, each deep in thought. Chomper was trying to pick up the scent of his parent's trail. Every so often, he thought he could smell it, only to have the scent disappear. It frustrated him. He tried harder, taking in more air with each sniff. Suddenly, a familiar and pungent odor met his nose. He recoiled, taken aback by its sudden strength.

"Hold on, Ruby," he said, "I smell something." He began to follow the scent, with Ruby right behind. It became stronger until it was almost unbearable. When Chomper found the source, he suddenly became frozen with dread; footprints, somewhat smaller than his, and definitely not his kind. Something else had made these, and with the smell, there was no mistaking... his friends were in danger.

His head snapped back, and Chomper roared into the sky. His moment of change was finally coming, and he embraced it. Ruby stepped back, out of eyesight. Chomper could feel his heart beating faster, as rage boiled in his veins. He no longer held any thought of his friends, but knew that the source of the tracks in front of him was a threat in some way. It had to be dealt with. While Chomper roared and pawed at the ground on the outside, his former self, meanwhile, was fighting a battle within his own mind. In his mind, Chomper was trying to hold onto something: a memory of an old, familiar face. It appeared in his mind's eye as a ball of blue light, like a flying rock. His old self was reaching out, trying to grab it with his jaws as he struggled to keep from falling back into a black abyss, which pulled and tugged at him like Sinking Sand. As he watched, flashes of his former life disappeared into nothing before him, but they were of no consequence. All he had to do was ride out this change and grab onto the memory. It was so close now, just a little farther away. In his mind, he stretched out to grab it, the one action that might save it from destruction. He opened his jaws wide; the memory came closer still. With all of his remaining mental energy, Chomper bit down, and all was dark.

…

The Bright Circle had just begun its journey down to the horizon when Littlefoot and his friends arrived at a small, rocky plain, close to where they had met Bron's herd. All of them felt tired, with the day's events hanging over them with their own exhausting weight. As they moved, Littlefoot could see something positioned in the middle of their path, straight ahead. He was unsure what it was, initially, but it looked like a dark green rock from a distance. Then the "rock" stood up, and Littlefoot thought his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Fyn," he said, "did that rock just move?"

"Yeah, I thought I was seeing things, but I guess not."

"So I'm not the only one who saw it," Littlefoot thought to himself, "but if it wasn't a rock, then what was it?"

He thought hard, trying to find an answer, when the answer suddenly hit him. Before he could say "Fast Claw," however, several had already moved out from behind nearby cover and surrounded them, their physical presence made even more terrifying by their sheer size- Ducky's height. Littlefoot could see the leader approaching, the one with the golden-yellow stripe. It hissed, menacingly, and Littlefoot could see its powerful legs tense. He knew what would come next. He could see everyone getting ready for the attack that rhey felt sure was imminent. Before he could fully prepare himself, though, the leader sprang, claws gleaming in the Bright Circle's light.

[Fyn16]

Chapter 12: Where Paths Diverge

Littlefoot didn't move quickly enough. The leader caught him just above his right shoulder, his claws digging in for grip. Littlefoot howled in pain and shook him off. The Sharptooth tumbled to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. It got back to its feet and began to circle its pack.

"We need to break through them," Fyn said, "or they'll just close in and take us all."

"Leave that to me," Cera said, snorting and pawing the ground. She lunged forward, horns bared. A brief expression of surprise registered on the face of the Sharpteeth in front of her before they were flung bodily into the air. Some landed without injury. Others weren't so lucky. The rest of the gang followed right behind Cera, taking advantage of the confusion she'd caused. The Sharpteeth tried to close the gap in the line, but Petrie appeared, swooping down on them from above and keeping them occupied.

"Good," Littlefoot panted, "now we have time. Ducky, you-" A screech sounded, and a Fast Claw pounced onto Ducky, dragging her to the ground. She looked up just in time to see its snarling face, saliva dripping from its jaws. She shrieked, kicking her strong Swimmer's legs deep into the beast's stomach. It howled as it fell back, nursing its injured ribs.

"Good one, Ducky," Cera said, astounded, "I didn't know you had it in you!"

There was no time to respond, however. The Fast Claws had regrouped, and were forcing the gang backwards. Fyn saw one suddenly dart forward and attempt to grab his leg. He dodged it, and kicked it squarely in the face with his front leg, forcing it back, but two more followed it, one leaping onto his side. Its sharp claws dug into his skin with excruciating agony, and its weight alone nearly crushed him to the ground. He clenched his teeth, fighting the pain, and struggled for balance, swinging the Sharptooth around and trying to force it off. Finally, he tried one last desperate act. He rose up and fell over onto his side, crushing the Sharptooth beneath him. The action forced the claws deeper into his side, but when he stood back up, his foe was lying dazed, imprinted into the ground. Fyn resumed fighting.

Littlefoot and Spike were having a tough time themselves. Spike's tail swung furiously, injuring Sharpteeth and knocking them over. One, however, managed to avoid it and bite down on one of the plates on his back. Littlefoot saw it, and rushed to help, nearly trampling a second Fast Claw. He knocked the Sharptooth away with his tail, diverting its attention to himself. Without warning, the Fast Claw leaped for his face, and Littlefoot barely had time to raise his head out of harm's way. The dinosaur missed, and Littlefoot saw his chance, hitting it a second time with his tail. This time, the hit sent the Fast Claw sailing into a nearby boulder, which it hit with a sickening crunch. Littlefoot barely had time to enjoy his victory, however, when three more attacked from out of nowhere, slamming into his chest at full speed and forcing him into a wall. Littlefoot heard something crack. He coughed, and tasted blood. Something in his chest hurt, and these Sharpteeth weren't about to walk away from what they'd just done. He saw them get to their feet, readying for another attack.

"Alright," he said, "now this gets serious." He shunted one of the Sharpteeth to the side, dispatching the other with his tail. He looked over at Cera, holding off no less than five of the creatures, and at Fyn, in the same predicament. Suddenly, he realized what was happening: the Fast Claws were driving them apart, cutting them off from one another to bring them down more easily.

"Everyone!" he yelled above the sounds of fighting, "try to stay together! If we-"

He was cut off, nearly knocked down again by another Fast Claw. Something would need to happen soon if they wanted any chance of winning this fight.

Fyn had become a target. His orange skin stood out amongst the shadowy rocks, but he preferred it that way: less Sharpteeth for his friends to have to deal with. He judged the distance he was from everyone else; finally far enough away to do some real damage. He bashed an approaching Fast Claw. Now was the time for action. He raised his tail, cracking it as he did, with a sound like Sky Fire. Then he brought it down into three Fast Claws nearby. They recoiled from the shock, screeching in pain at the scars the tail had given them. Before Fyn could ready his tail again, another Fast Claw rose up in front of him, coming halfway up his neck in height. This was a big one, and it was trying to intimidate him. Fyn rocked back onto his hind legs, towering above the Sharptooth. He drove himself forward, pushing the Sharptooth away. When he landed, he swung his tail again, driving even more Sharpteeth back. As more still came, he realized that they would need a miracle, and soon, if they were going to come out of this alive.

Petrie was doing his best to distract the hungry Fast Claws from his friends. When they began to stop paying attention to him, Petrie upped the ante, diving low to grab rocks and dropping them onto the Sharpteeth from above. He was getting their attention again, and he'd even managed to knock one flat with a well-placed drop to the head. He flew high, surveying the battle. One Fast Claw was sneaking up behind Ducky. He dove straight for it, aiming for the face. He ran squarely into it, catching it by surprise and forcing it to fall over backwards. Unfortunately, the Sharptooth's tail swung wildly, catching Petrie and throwing him high into the air. Petrie struggled to regain control, tumbling like a leaf in a fast wind. When he finally recovered himself, he stopped to look at what was going on. There were at least twenty Sharpteeth, he counted, and outside of this rocky area, only sand was present. There was no one in the immediate vicinity who could help. How would his friends survive this? He shook his head, clearing the thought, and dove back into the fight.

Littlefoot and Cera were fighting side by side, swinging at Fast Claws left and right. They were backed up into a corner formed by a rock wall. Fyn was being forced into the same area from the side, along with Ducky and Spike. Petrie was still in the air, but Littlefoot was unsure about how long he'd be able to stay up. The Flyer already looked tired. Littlefoot himself was nearly out of breath, and the pain in his chest was only being made worse by the fighting. He wasn't sure they could keep this up for much longer.

"They're changing tactics," Fyn said, throwing a Sharptooth off of his back.

"Huh?" Littlefoot said, his speech dulled by fatigue and pain, "They are? How?"

"They're trying to drive us into this corner," he gasped, cringing as another Fast Claw sunk its teeth into his leg. He drove it away with a bellow. "I don't know why, and there's not really much we can do about it."

"We'll outlast them," Littlefoot said, "for our families back in the Great Valley. We will return."

"For once, I'm actually listening to you," Cera said.

Ducky was trying her best to stay behind Spike, but she soon found the two of them right next to Littlefoot and Cera, trapped. They were doing an excellent job of keeping the Fast Claws at bay, but Ducky knew they couldn't hold out for long. Fyn, too, fell into the group shortly.

"Why?" Cera asked, "I've never seen Sharpteeth do this before. They can't hope to take us down if we're all together."

Fyn was fighting hard beside his friends. The tip of his tail was covered in blood, and he didn't know whether it was his or the Fast Claws'. It didn't matter, he knew, somehow the Sharpteeth had to be stopped. Suddenly, he heard a sound from above. It was the sound of pebbles being pushed over a ledge. Fyn looked up and immediately understood the Fast Claws' plan. At the top of the rock wall were several more of them. They had divided their attackers, sending a few up above the action. No one noticed, he reasoned, because of the battle.

"They're above us!" He yelled. As soon as everyone looked up, the dinosaurs' world became a whirlwind of teeth, claws, and skin. The Fast Claws jumped down, instantly pinning everyone to the ground. Fyn pushed himself back up, throwing some of them into the air, but others followed, bringing him down again. Littlefoot kicked out with his powerful legs, sending Sharpteeth flying, but when one was lost, another took its place. Cera was helpless on her back; her horns couldn't reach her assailants, and her frill was unable to protect her. As she looked to the sky, she could see the Fast Claws, screeching in her face, and beyond them, Petrie, circling above. When the first Sharptooth's claw scratched across her unprotected underbelly, Cera bleated loudly, and her vision blurred and swam in and out of focus. The pain was unendurable. Through the haze, she could see Petrie opening and closing his mouth, as if he was saying something, but she couldn't tell what. Her sight was going dark now, as the Fast Claws fought over her. Finally, one stepped onto her belly. Its weight forced the air from her lungs, and she watched as it opened its mouth full of sharp teeth, preparing for the killing strike to her neck.

"So this is how it ends," she thought, "here, in some forgotten part of the Mysterious Beyond at the claws of these... things." Despite her thoughts, she was starting to accept what was about to happen. Suddenly, the ground began to shake.

"Odd," Cera thought, "is this what dying feels like?" The shaking was getting more intense. As the Fast Claw darted forward for the final bite, Cera closed her eyes and suddenly felt the weight lift from her chest. Had she died? She opened her eyes. All of the Fast Claws around her had stopped, and the one that had tried to finish her was... flying? It seemed to be hovering over her. When her vision cleared, she saw what had really happened.

"Chomper!" Littlefoot cried, under a mound of Fast Claws.

Cera's savior was, in fact, Chomper. The great Sharptooth was holding the struggling Fast Claw aloft with his jaws; no small feat considering the creature's size. As she watched, Chomper threw the Fast Claw away, as if it weighed nothing more than a leaf. As the Sharpteeth around her began to scatter, Cera shakily got to her feet, watching her friends nearby do the same. Some of the Fast Claws, whether out of foolishness or a desire to impress their leader, attacked Chomper. It would be their final mistake. Cera watched in awe as the Sharptooth lifted another Fast Claw from the ground by its midsection. He bit down, and the dinosaur went limp. He then dropped the lifeless Fast Claw and roared threateningly at the others. Their miracle had arrived. At that moment, Cera lost consciousness and fell to the ground, her world going dark.

…

Chomper had followed the scent trail to the Fast Claws, knowing nothing other than that some part of him knew they had to be stopped or destroyed. When he arrived, he found the creatures attacking a small group of Leaf Eaters. They were of no concern to him at the moment, however. He reasoned that if he wanted to save them for later, they would cause no trouble in their weakened state. He charged in headlong, decimating the numbers of the Fast Claws. The Leaf Eaters, he noticed, seemed to recognize him for some reason. He only thought about this briefly, however, as he fought off the menace. Whether they recognized him or not wasn't his concern. As he attacked, the Fast Claws all began to retreat, finally falling back until none but the wounded, dead and dying remained. Chomper let out a roar of dominance, challenging any to take him on. For a few moments, there was silence, but it was broken by a single screeching call. Chomper hadn't expected an answer, and was surprised.

From out of the Fast Claws stepped their leader, untouched by battle. Its golden-yellow stripe glistening in the Bright Circle's light. Chomper growled low. This was to be his challenger. Before it advanced any farther, however, the Fast Claw spoke in the Sharptooth tongue.

"You had the chance to kill them all once before. Why make the same mistake twice? Help us destroy them, and you will have your fill. If you deny us, you will realize your consequences as you lay dying on the sand."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chomper answered, "I've never seen these Leaf Eaters before."

The Fast Claw snapped its jaws. "It matters not. Either join us or die."

Chomper snarled. "I'll never join you. Those Leaf Eaters are mine to do with as I please, and you can't stop me!"

"Well," the Fast Claw said, "we'll see about that, won't we?"

The two began circling each other, with the Drylands and the fading Bright Circle as their background. The other Fast Claws pulled into a circle around them. The tradition of a challenge was an old and familiar concept to them. The victor would stay and enjoy the kill, while any of the loser's comrades would be forced away, to find prey elsewhere. Still, the two circled, each waiting for the other to move. Finally, Chomper took a step towards the Fast Claw leader, testing it. The Fast Claw responded by roaring and extending its hands outward, revealing its two long, deadly claws, and the smaller, but no less dangerous claws adjacent. Chomper rushed forward, hoping to quickly grab onto the Fast Claw, as he'd done before. His opponent, however, was much more nimble than its pack mates had been. It sidestepped, out of reach of the massive Sharptooth's jaws, and raked its claws down its opponent's back. Chomper howled, and butted the Fast Claw with his head. The force of the blow staggered the creature, but it shook itself, and sprang back into action. The fight had truly begun.

Again, Chomper tried to bite down on the Fast Claw, but this time his opponent had a different plan. Instead of sidestepping, the Sharptooth took a step back, and as Chomper's jaws closed on the empty space where it once stood, the Fast Claw jumped forward, latching its claws onto the sides of Chomper's head. Chomper roared furiously, shaking from side to side. The Fast Claw couldn't hold on, and fell away, sliding to a halt farther away. It panted. Finally, it had found a worthy opponent.

…

The gang watched, too exhausted from their previous fight to move. Cera was unconscious, and in bad condition, but Littlefoot had managed to stop the flow of blood from her wound with his tail. Now, he was applying all the pressure he could, to ensure that the wound stayed closed. They all viewed the battle in awe.

"This is what Chomper was capable of all along," Littlefoot said. "I can't believe I ever worried about him going out into the Mysterious Beyond."

"He definitely could have beaten us back at the Big Water," Fyn agreed, "some part of him must have been holding back."

Cera groaned, moving again for the first time in a while.

"Finally," Littlefoot breathed. Ducky instantly moved to Cera, nearly planting her face right in the middle of the Threehorn's. Cera awoke to the image of a Swimmer plastered across her vision.

"Eek!" she shrieked. Everyone began to laugh.

"Not funny," Cera mumbled, "I just wasn't expecting her, that's all."

She slowly craned her head forward.

"Try not to move too much," Littlefoot said, "you're hurt."

"Don't worry about it," Cera said, wincing, "what's going on over there?" She nodded towards Chomper, who was still in the thick of battle.

"Chomper saved us, he did, yep yep yep," Ducky said. "Now, he's fighting the leader of the Fast Claws."

"Wow," Cera said, impressed by Chomper's skill, "I didn't know he had moves like that."

"None of us did," Fyn said. Cera's attention focused towards the fight. This would be interesting.

…

Chomper and the Fast Claw leader broke away from each other again, resuming their circling walk, each bearing scars inflicted by the other. Chomper was getting tired. Whatever strategy this dinosaur was using to weaken him, it was working. He was breathing hard, and he could taste blood, his blood, running into his mouth from the claw marks on the sides of his face. If he couldn't end the fight soon, he would tire and fall. Again, he charged forward, and again, the Fast Claw dodged him, lashing out. Chomper suddenly recalled what his opponent had done at the beginning of the fight. The scratches on the sides of his face were a testament to that particular maneuver. Could he count on his opponent to make the same move again? It was a risk, he decided, that he was willing to take. He opened his jaws wide and rushed forward, moving to attack the Fast Claw. Like the last time, his opponent stepped backwards, then latched onto his face, screeching, its claws digging into Chomper's still fresh wounds. This time, however, instead of trying to shake the attacker off, Chomper had a different plan.

Summoning his remaining strength, he lifted his head and his assailant aloft, then brought both down, smashing the Fast Claw into the hard Dryland ground, cracking the dried dirt. His head rang from the impact, but Chomper shook it off. His next attack had to be quick and committed. Before the Fast Claw could move again, Chomper's jaws closed around its neck. He gave his head a short, sudden twist, and the Fast Claw's neck emitted a sharp "crack." His opponent lay still. The battle was over. Chomper placed his foot on the body of the Fast Claw leader, raised his head to the sky and setting Bright Circle, and let out a terrible and loud roar. The other Fast Claws scattered, fleeing to places unknown. Satisfied, Chomper relaxed, stepping off of his former opponent and moving toward the Leaf Eaters. His appetite would soon be satisfied.

…

The gang watched as Chomper defeated the Fast Claw leader, and silently cheered when the fight had been won. Then they saw Chomper begin to approach. Cera was in no position to move, and nobody was about to leave her. Even if all of them had been able to run, they would never have been able to escape Chomper. They watched, helplessly, as Chomper neared. Then, Littlefoot stood up.

…

Chomper saw the Leaf Eaters, helpless and wounded, lying together. This would be an easy meal. Then one of them stood. Chomper was confused. Was it trying to fight? He growled, to try to subdue the Longneck. It didn't work. The Longneck, in fact, actually took a step towards him. As he came closer, something about him unnerved Chomper. He couldn't tell why, but some part of him seemed to believe that this creature was why he'd come here to fight the Fast Claws. Had he come here to help these Leaf Eaters? Why? He was troubled and hungry, but decided not to advance any further. After all, there were plenty of Fast Claws left lying around to eat.

…

Littlefoot watched, scarcely daring to breathe, as his old friend backed away. Did he recognize him? Littlefoot couldn't tell for certain. All he knew was that for the moment, he and his friends were safe. He moved back to them. He'd taken his tail off of Cera's belly when he'd stepped forward, and it seemed the bleeding had stopped. They could finally begin walking again. He watched as Chomper began to feed on the dead Fast Claws. The Circle of Life had a purpose for everyone, he knew, and Chomper was simply following his. The fact no longer troubled Littlefoot.

"I think it's time we moved on," Cera said, getting to her feet.

"Yeah," Littlefoot agreed, whispering, but let's keep it quiet."

They all stood up, and began to start walking away, when Chomper turned to face them. He began walking in their direction, stopping right in front of Littlefoot. Had he changed his mind about leaving them alone? If he had, Littlefoot knew, he and his friends would make an easy meal. The Sharptooth stared into Littlefoot's eyes, seeming to penetrate through them and into his very heart and soul. It almost seemed like Chomper was searching for something; an answer, perhaps. Then Littlefoot saw something in his eyes. It was very faint. A glimmer of recognition, perhaps?

The Sharptooth turned away, back to his meal, leaving Littlefoot to speculate. The Longneck watched him go, until another figure caught his eye. It was a Fastrunner, standing on top of the rock wall where Littlefoot and his friends had been trapped. For a moment, Littlefoot's and the Fastrunner's gazes met, and he knew instantly who it was: Ruby. She had stayed faithful to her promise to always be a companion to Chomper. Littlefoot nodded to her, and she nodded back, and in that instant, Littlefoot knew that all would be well. Suddenly, he remembered Bron, and where he had been headed. He turned back to his friends.

"Ready for a new adventure?" he asked. "The Great Valley is just a little farther away."

"I'm in," Fyn said.

"Me too," Ducky joined in.

"And always me," Petrie said, settling on Littlefoot's head.

Cera groaned, "Fine, but the next person who says 'shortcut' gets the horns!"

Everyone laughed as they walked towards home, into the night, and onwards to a new adventure and a new life. They had lost a dear friend, but as they all knew, nothing had to be forever. Maybe Chomper would come back, someday, and if he did, they would all welcome him back as warmly as ever before.

Until then, however, they were prepared to face a new part of life, maturity, with all of their courage and memories of Chomper backing them. Tomorrow, they knew, a new day would dawn, and they would welcome it, and embrace it, as Chomper had finally embraced his future. Their next stage of life had begun.

[Fyn16]

Epilogue

Chomper studied his companion carefully. The little pink Fastrunner who called herself Ruby had braved quite a lot to try to win his friendship. Things hadn't exactly started well, but since she'd managed to avoid being eaten the four times he tried, Chomper had felt that she would make a fine friend She obviously wasn't afraid of much, and she spoke Sharptooth, so Chomper was fine with her company. She spoke to him as if she already knew him, trying to tell him about his past, which he was also alright with; Chomper couldn't remember anything about his past, save for one thing. He wasn't even sure what it was, though he suspected it was some kind of memory, but somewhere, deep within the recesses of his brain, he knew it existed. He would need to dig deep into his mind to discover it, he knew, but perhaps someday, with Ruby's help, he'd know the truth. Until then, he would continue to search for his parents: the one goal that had remained clear in his mind throughout the transformation into the Sharptooth he was now.

He and Ruby had returned to the part of the Drylands near the Big Water where he'd first scented his parents. The smell was much fainter, now, but it was definitely present. Out of the corner of his eye, Chomper noticed something: depressions in the ground, evenly spaced. He moved over to them, and Ruby followed, silently, waiting to see if Chomper remembered what to do next. As she watched, Chomper lowered his head to ground level, and blew the sand out of the depression with one quick snort. Underneath the sand was a Sharptooth footprint. Chomper knew the print; one of his parents had made it. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.

"How did I know how to do that?" he asked himself, "I've never tracked anything that way before..."

Again, some part of his mind seemed to insist that he'd learned the trick from someone. If only he could remember who. He shook his head and began to follow what he now knew were his parents' tracks. He would find his parents, and when he did, he thought, he would try to solve this mystery.

Behind him, Ruby smiled. There was hope for Chomper, after all. It was a small start, she knew, but then again, everything started small, didn't it? Yes, she reasoned, Chomper's knowledge of his past just needed time to grow. One day, like a great tree, it would bloom, and perhaps, just perhaps, she thought, he might remember.

She walked on, following her friend and companion. Someday, maybe, things could be the same again. Until then, she would remain by Chomper's side, as she had always done, proud to be his friend, as she knew she always would be.

[Fyn16]

The story is done, but the characters live on...

Thanks for reading, and goodbye!

[Mumbling]

This wonderful piece of work has been submitted to the fanfiction awards 2012. If you're reading this fanfiction, please cast your vote and review here!

[Littlefoot1616]

Read your story Fyn and gotta say it was pretty good! Nice job on the plot, characters and drama in the story. I stuck a review for your fanfic in this year's Fanfiction Awards so check it out there for the full break down.

Just wanted to congratulate you on a great piece of fanfic work!