Actually, they were probably going to crush him flat. Anyway, from this episode, we can see that Ali is no longer frightened of others, but that she is gullible and probably not too smart (she actually believed Rhette!) I suppose being shut away inside a paranoid, closed off, migratory herd can't be too good for one's mental development; just look at migratory people today. One feature of migratory tribes in Africa is a decided primitivism and lack of exposure to outside ideas, largely manifested through superstition and a lack of examination. Another feature is great obidience to an archaic (usually family-based) system. The Old One is probably the mother, grandmother, aunt, great aunt, older sister, and maybe even great-grandmother (probably not) to much, if not all of the herd. And she is obeyed without question. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone in that herd was a member of an extended family, with the exception of any newcomers, which probably constitute a small percentage of the population, and only with the Old One's approval. I wouldn't be surpised if intermarriages quickly began between old and integrated herd members in order to form a primitive, non-civil form of tribal social cohesion. I suppose this gives variety to the group's familes:
Littlefoot: Grandparents. Dead mother, Father is leader of distant herd.
Ducky: Mother and siblings, including adopted brother Spike.
Spike: Adopted by mother of other species.
Petrie: Mother and siblings.
Cera: Father, Stepmother, Half-Sister; also has nephew and niece; had other siblings and mother, but they are lost and presumed dead.
Chomper: Mother and Father; separated from them; lives with Ruby.
Ruby: Mother, Father, two younger siblings; separated from them; possibly deceased?
Ali: Last we saw (lbt IV), she lived with her mother, she probably has many members of her extended family with her, but any exact relationship is unconfirmed.
Rhette: Don't know, probably some family in the herd. Is it just me, or does his French name seem like a blow to the courage of French people, in that he acts brave and yet is willing to surrender/run away at the slightest sign of danger? ("cheese-eating surrender monkeys.")
