Chapter 7: The Unknown
Littlefoot felt light on his eyelids and when this happened he knew the bright circle was rising but something felt different about it when he opened his eyes. All he saw was white and he could barely see a few feet in front of him but in this place it didn’t seem to matter. He stood up and looked down at his front feet to see more white. To make more things confusing, it looked like he was standing on nothing at all. He lifted his left foot up, bent his head down, looked at the underside of his foot and then placed his foot back down. Despite seeing nothing there he could feel something solid and warm beneath him.
Before he could even move, an odd sound started off all around the ëwhite land’ which Littlefoot called it in his thoughts.
“Wow! that sound is nice…” Littlefoot hummed sweetly as he stood listening to it and more sounds started to join in mixing together. Littlefoot felt himself swaying side to side on the spot feeling relaxed. Very relaxed. This went on for four minutes and then stopped at a calm, die down.
“Hey don’t go! I like the sound!” Littlefoot called finally pulling himself together and ran forwards trying to find where the sound was before it totally went. Littlefoot came to a stop hearing nothing now but his own footsteps. Littlefoot hung his head low with a disappointed look on his face.
Suddenly, the sound started up again and Littlefoot lifted his head to look for where it was coming from, but it was very hard to pinpoint it exactly as it approached from all angles. Littlefoot spun around in a circle on the spot but saw nothing but white in every direction. Soon, this changed when he heard something. Something like,
“Singing?” Littlefoot asked himself dumbfounded and he turned to face the sound. His eyes went wide at what he saw in the distance. It was something white from bottom to almost top, with peachy like colour bits on two sides and on top.
“What type of dinosaur is that?” Littlefoot asked himself and started walking towards the weird creature. As he got closer he heard the words more clearer.
“Live your story
Faith, hope and glory
Hold to the truth
In your heart.” The creature sung in a sweet tone which Littlefoot came closer too.
“Wow, that voice is mixing with the sound, it making me feel something strange inside.”
“Welcome,” the voice said changing from singing to talking seeing Littlefoot in front of it, “I have been expecting you.” Littlefoot looked at this weird dinosaur in shock and backed away now feeling very scared.
“Y-y-y-y… you were?” Littlefoot asked nervously.
“Yes and don’t feel scared child. This is a realm between dreams and reality,” it said in a gentle voice and floated down to him. He closed his eyes in fear but felt something touch the underside on his face. He opened his eyes again see the creature’s face near his.
“I am an Angel and from the voice you can tell which one I am,” it pulled its hand away and stood up looking at him. The sound in the background still echoing all around them.
“You’re a girl!” Littlefoot blurted out, “But you don’t look nothing like us, maybe because your… An-h-al?” Littlefoot try to say angel but came out a bit wrong. He looked at her.
“Angels have many forms, some human, some dinosaurs and some even animals from different times of this world. This place has no time,” she spoke to him, “But what I told you here half of it you will not remember when you wake up.”
“What? Why?” Littlefoot asked trying to know why he wouldn’t remember what she told him.
“It is a rule… you know what rules is with your family right? Rules here say you have to forget what I say to you, but this can be searched,” she said stepping back a few steps and noticing Littlefoot looking rather downhearted now.
“Now listen to what I have to say.” Littlefoot looked at her and gave a nod.
“A world of two is lined together. Each passing day, two will meet as two worlds become known to each other,” she said to Littlefoot and started to sing the song from start to end. Each minute Littlefoot started to feel sleepier and sleepier until soon, he found it very hard to keep awake. He laid on the floor and curled up with his tail wrapped around near his face. He slowly closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep as the brightness in his eyes fading to the reddish orange he saw inside his eyelids to a darkness.
“Littlefoot…” a voice said.
“Littlefoot dear. Wake up,” another voice said.
“Come on Littlefoot, it is morning and the Bright Circle is rising above the Great Wall already.” Littlefoot finally opened his eyes to see his Grandpa, the last one to speak, and his Grandma beside him with both heads right close to Littlefoot. Littlefoot stood up and yawned as he stretched out his muscles from his tail to his legs, neck and head. “Morning Grandpa, morning Grandma!” Littlefoot smiled looking at his grandparents.
“Did you have a nice sleep dear?” Grandma asked giving a small rub with her head against Littlefoot’s.
“Yes Grandma! I feel great! Can I go play?” Littlefoot asked feeling fully awake now.
“What’s the rush Littlefoot? Have something to eat first then you can go play,” Grandpa said with a small laugh and rubbing his head against Littlefoot’s gently.
“Ok Grandpa,” Littlefoot smiles and they sent off to some nearby Tree-star trees.
“Hey Grandpa. Did you notice something missing in the night sky yesterday?” Littlefoot asked looking up at Grandpa as they walked.
“Now that you mention it, the Bright Lights over to the right of Threehorn Peak didn’t appear,” Grandpa replied seeing the slightly concerned look on Littlefoot’s face, Grandpa forced a smile and laughed a bit, “No need to worry Littlefoot. Maybe it was time for the Bright Lights to move on.”
“Yeah, that must be why Grandpa. I wonder when they will be back?” Littlefoot said with curiosity.
“Who knows Littlefoot. We’ll just have to wait and see,” Grandma spoke to Littlefoot as she grabbed a few tree-stars with her mouth and put them down in front of him. “Now eat up, Littlefoot.”
“Ok Grandma!” Littlefoot chirped happily as he started to eat his tree-stars. While he did, Grandpa and Grandma looked at each other.
“Grandma I think we shouldn’t worry Littlefoot why these Bright Lights just yet,” Grandpa whispered to Grandma just out of earshot of Littlefoot.
“I have to agree. This is something we shouldn’t trouble Littlefoot with,” Grandma replied in an equal tone, “Littlefoot?” Grandma lowers her head to him.
“Yes Grandma?” Littlefoot said after finishing the last tree-star.
“You can go and play now,” Littlefoot smiled at those words from his grandmother.
Littlefoot jumped up on his hind legs putting his front feet on the side of Grandma’s face and then licks her.
“Thanks Grandma! I will see you later!” Littlefoot said before running off and disappearing from sight.
Grandma and Grandpa rub necks with a smile,
“That’s our Littlefoot,” Grandpa laughed and Grandma joined in laughing softly.
Littlefoot raced towards the Thundering Falls to see if he could catch Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike down by the falls with their parents. Littlefoot felt something came to contact with his left front foot, which made him stumble and roll forwards before coming to a stop at the base of a tree, upside down with his hind legs in the air and tail. He pushed himself over to the side and stood up on his feet feeling a bit sore on the left front foot. Littlefoot shook his left front foot a bit to get rid of the soreness “Ow that smarts…” Littlefoot winced but paused when he saw a small, straight cut across the lower part of his left front leg with some blood seeping out of it but not much to go down further on his scaly foot. Littlefoot looked shocked at the clear, straight, small cut.
“OW, OW, OW, OW, OW!” Littlefoot cried out lifting his foot off the ground now noticing the pain from the cut but stopped moaning about the pain when he noticed something shiny with a small bit of red on the end of it.
“Was this what did this to my leg?” Littlefoot said in some pain and slowly walked over to it flinching every time he put pressure on his injured leg. Littlefoot carefully approached it and looked closer at it. The shiny thing showed a reflection of his face. “Wow! I can see myself in it. It’s like water but… whatever it is, it definitely is not water,” he said to himself. Littlefoot looked at it greatly interested and totally forgetting about the cut. Littlefoot looked at the edge with the blood on it, he noticed it was a sharp, straight edge that now explained the straight cut on his leg. He noticed it was also partial buried in the ground which explained why it didn’t look like it was alive. Lucky for Littlefoot it was in at such a depth that it didn’t move a it would have cut deeper into his skin and insides of his leg.
Littlefoot then turn when a familiar voice called out to him.
“Littlefoot! Are you ok!?” It was Cera’s voice followed by a few, loud, heavy steps meaning Cera’s dad was close behind her. They were heading straight for him.
Cera and her dad stopped a few feet away and looked at Littlefoot.
“Yeah I’m okay Cera,” Littlefoot replied getting a bit nervous with the way her dad was looking at him.
Cera’s dad noticed the straight cut on Littlefoot’s leg “How did you do that Littlefoot?” Mr Threehorn asked in an even tone.
“Erm… I was running and… erm, tripped over this thing… it’s really sharp and shiny with the Bright Circle in view and… I can see myself in it,” Littlefoot stuttered trying to place the words together as he told Mr Threehorn about the object sticking out of the ground.
“Daddy, what do you think it is?” Cera came closer to it now taking notice of the shiny object.
“Whatever it is, it’s new to me. This thing is like the water showing our reflection but it’s not water or the solid water when it very cold,” Cera’s dad said looking at the object just as confused as the children, “But this thing is dangerous. If it cut Littlefoot’s leg like that, none of you kids must touch it!” he barked raising his tone at them.
“Sure Daddy…” Cera replied cringing at the power of his voice.
“Yes sir…” Littlefoot said nodding to Mr Threehorn.
“Good. Now go play, I will inform the grown-ups about this,” Mr Threehorn looked at them and they ran off not wanting to argue with him. Mr Threehorn stood watching them go off and out of sight.
Cera and Littlefoot backtracked to where the shiny thing was and hid behind a large log looking out for Cera’s dad. Sure enough, he was standing there right near the shiny object which was dug into the soft earth.
“Cera, what’s the matter with your Dad?” Littlefoot asked looking at Cera.
“He trying to keep me safe and watching over me every single minute of the day… gah! I am not a baby!” Cera raised her voice in anger but just out of earshot of her dad nearby.
“Grandma and Grandpa have been asking me to come home as soon as the Bright Circle starts to disappear behind the Great Wall,” Littlefoot replied in an equal account to the days after the large flying rock came.
“It’s been a long time since that has happened,” Cera snapped in an angry tone, “Every time something odd happens, they all treat us like babies again! Well I am sick of it!” Cera continued talking to Littlefoot about the problems, she had and guessing what problems her friends had as well.
“But Cera… our parents are just worried for our safety…” Littlefoot try to give a reason for the adults’ actions.
“Whatever Littlefoot, the grownups are so… Grrraaahhh!” Cera stamped her front foot on the ground in frustration.
“Hey! Your dad is gone,” Littlefoot announced as he looked back at where the shiny thing was and saw Mr Threehorn was no longer there. A good time for changing the subject.
As Cera and Littlefoot walked back up to it, Cera walked into the path of the reflection the shiny object gave but approached at such an angle that the glare from the sun bounced off its surface and hit her in the eyes. She closed them and backed off.
“What was that!?” Cera said trying to shake of the circles she now saw in front of her vision and couldn’t get rid of them, “Gah! What did that thing do!? I see small Bright Circle everywhere I look!” Cera shouted in utter rage.
“Huh?” Littlefoot looked over at Cera a bit confused, “Cera that only happens if you look at Bright Circle when it’s high in the sky.”
“Yeah I know!” Cera snapped, “That thing shined some of the Bright Light into my eyes!” Cera angrily said to Littlefoot.
Littlefoot went over to it and looked over to a shadowy part of a tree to see a half-light bit on the tree.
“You’re right Cera, look!”
Cera looked and saw it with a smile.
“Told you so!” Cera said proudly.
Littlefoot was about to say something else but noticed Cera’s dad coming back with the adults.
“Cera! Your dad! He’s coming back!” Littlefoot warned. Suddenly, the others appeared from behind them.
“Hi, hi, hi!” Ducky called out riding on Spike up to Littlefoot and Cera.
“Hi Littlefoot, hi Cera! What you doing?” Petrie asked flying up to them just ahead of Ducky and Spike.
Cera looked and saw their grandparents and parents coming up to where she and Littlefoot stood by the shiny thing. Ducky, Petrie and Spike arrived up to them first. “What bad timing you three…” Cera grunted.
“Why?” Petrie asked as he landed on top of Littlefoot’s back.
“Yeah why Cera? What is wrong with us coming to you?” Ducky asked the second question straight after Petrie.
“That’s why!” Cera barked glancing behind her. The others looked in Cera’s direction. The grownups stopped only about ten feet away looking at the children by the shiny object in the ground.
“Didn’t I tell you two to go and play!? Now you have brought your other friends to show them that, that thing!” Mr Threehorn said looking very displeased with Cera.
“Mr Threehorn, please calm yourself,” Grandpa said but Mr Threehorn snorted and looked the other way. Grandpa turned his attention to Littlefoot and noticed the injury on his leg.
“Now Littlefoot, how did you hurt yourself?” Grandpa asked in a steady tone.
Littlefoot looked at his Grandpa.
“I was running to meet the others when I tripped on this shiny thing in the ground,” Littlefoot told Grandpa. Grandpa bent his head down and had a look for himself.
“This is a unusual thing. It looks smooth on the surface, giving a reflection and it is sharp on the edges. You’re lucky Littlefoot, you could have been hurt far worse than just that little cut on your leg,” Grandpa said raising his head and looked at Mr Threehorn, “It was a wise decision to tell the children to avoid this thing my friend. This little thing looks harmless but it is very sharp on the edges so…” Grandpa looked over at the children.
“Children, I want you to keep away from anything that look like this,” he said to them and they all nodded in agreement, “Now that is settled, you all may go and play, but stay close to home,” They all nodded again and ran off.
“Look Longneck what do we do with it!?” Mr Threehorn hit it with he’s front horn and it smashed to pieces.
“I think you just solved that problem,” Grandpa laughed.
Mr Threehorn made a small hole, using he’s front horn and pushed the pieces in it with his horn. He covered up the pieces.
“There. Now no one else can be hurt by that thing,” Mr Threehorn said with pride and walked off. The other grownups went on their way soon afterwards.
Grandpa looked at the ground where Mr Threehorn made sure that the many pieces of the shiny thing was buried deep, safe from any more harm.
“In just one changed season, so much has changed,” Grandpa said looking over to Grandma.
“I know dear, but… oh my!” Grandma noticed something odd just out of view beyond the leaves and branches in the way.
Grandpa looked at the direction narrowing his eyes a bit.
“I can see why you’re worried.” They both started to move around the tree to see what it is. Soon as they passed the tree, what they had seen come into view was not there anymore.
“That’s odd,” Grandpa continued.
“Indeed, it was over this way and now it’s gone…” Grandma said giving a concerned look.
“Whatever it was it not there now, we shouldn’t let it worry us Grandma,” Grandpa said looking at Grandma with a convincing smile.
“I agree. I guess it was just another unknown that we will never know about,” Grandma smiled back and both turned away heading back to their home.
