Scene: A dense, dark forest in the middle of the night. A very young green longneck is meandering through it, looking scared and lost.

Longneck: "Oh, where am I now?"

Some bushes close to him rustle.

Longneck: "What was that!?"

The little longneck walks up to the foliage to inspect it.

Longneck: "Is anyone in there?"

No one replies, so the apatosaurus walk off. In front of his path, a single white feather slowly flutters down, and rest just in front of him.

Longneck: "Hmm, that's weird. Don't know of anything with white feathers like that."

A white blur rushes past him, startling him.

Longneck: "Ahh!"

The child starts running now, not in any specific direction, but just to get away from his unknown stalker. Suddenly, the ground gives way below. He's fallen into a trap.

Longneck: "Gah! What in the world have I gotten myself into!?"

The longneck feels something jump onto his back. He's too frightened to look up behind himself.

Longneck: "Wh... Who are you?"

???: (laughs) "You're out way past your bedtime, huh, little guy? Eh, probably should have listened to you're mother. Oh, well..."

The longneck finally gets the courage to look behind himself. He sees a fast biter, covered in feather, and completely white, except for his red eyes, and some red around his smiling jaws.

???: "Let's start with the left eye."



Past-O-Rama Episode 35 - Valley of the Dead

Sometimes, scary stories can lead to something even more frightening!

Scene: A small geothermal vent in the Great Valley, at night. Cera, Ducky, Spike and Petrie are gathered around in a small circle. Spike has dozed off, while the swimmer and flyer both have their ears covered, trying to not hear anymore of Cera's scary story.

Cera: "And the next morning, when his parents finally tracked down where the dumb little flathead had wandered off to, The only thing they saw was one of the trees, where that fast biter had decorated the branches in his..."

Petrie: "Shutup! Shutup! Petrie no wanna hear anymore!"

Ducky: "Yes, I do not feel so well. You do not want me to lose my dinner, Cera!"

Cera: "Hmpth! What a bunch of babies!"

Ducky: "Maybe you should tell your scary story to Chomper. He might like it better."

Cera: "Well, he ain't here, is he? I think he's still not feeling too well."

Ducky: "Hmm, I wonder if it was something he ate?"

Petrie: "You mean his uncle?" (Shivers)

Ducky: "Petrie! I already do not feel good! Urg!"

The little swimmer gets up, and runs off behind some foliage. Spike noticed his big sister is gone, and wonders off after her as well.

Topsy: "And what are you little fellas up to?"

Mr. Threehorn is standing behind Cera, looking at her lack of an audience.

Petrie: "Listening to a scary story... And Petrie not like scary stories!"

Topsy: "Ah, and it sounded like some stupid little hatchling tale to me!"

Cera: "...daaad, why you have to ruin our fun?"

Topsy: "Fun? Hmpth! This little get together is deader than the last sharptooth that messed with me!"

Topsy: "NO, no. What you all need is an actual scary story!"

Petrie: Oh no, me take no more!"

Cera: "Hmpth! Weakling."

Ducky begrudgingly makes her way back to the group.

Ducky: "Please do not make it another story of sharpteeth playing head ball. My tummy can not take anymore of that, no!"

Topsy: "No, I won't have anything nasty like that. You can't really be scared if your hurling everywhere, anyway. No, no. I'm just gonna give you tykes an actual scary story!"

The elder Threehorn clears his throat, ready to address the younglings.

Topsy: "Now, do any of you hatchlings know the mystery of the strange creature that wanders in the night, spewing strange things, and talking to himself?"

Cera: "You mean the Professor, dad?"

Topsy: "What? No, the other one! Mr. Thicknose!"

Cera: "Oh, okay. Suddenly so much less interested in this now."

Topsy: "Just shutup girl, and let me continue!"

The old threehorn clears his throat, before turning to the rest of the kids, and speaking in a more hushed voice.

Topsy: "So, do you all know the story about Mr. Thicknose's past?"

Ducky: "Um... he said he always liked to tell stories, yup yup yup."

Topsy: "I'm sure he did."

Cera: "I don't really remember anything. You'd have to ask Littlefoot, the crazy longneck that always listens to the crazy thinknose."

Topsy: "I'll just save you the time, then. He wasn't part of our herd originally. He... was already in this great valley when we first made it here."

Petrie: "Wait, other dinosaurs here before us?"

Topsy: "A great land for threehorns! And other leafeaters, I guess. Though, When we found him, in this wondrous paradise, he was talking to skeletons!"

Everyone else gasps.

Topsy: "They looked like other Thicknoses. His family, perhaps? His herd? No one knew, he would never tell us anything about it, but we would always find him talking to those bones. He seemed to be telling the dead stories.

Cera: "Talking to skeletons? Kinda stupid, if you ask me."

Topsy: "Yes, little one. Very unusual. We knew almost nothing about the old dinosaur. All that we knew, was he was probably out of his mind! So, we did the sensible thing any group of dinosaurs would do, and got rid of all those bones. I'm not one to believe in curses, but we took all of those bones to a place that was surely cursed. The valley of the dead!"

Cera: "Valley of the Dead? Actually sounds interesting!"

Topsy: "A barren valley of nothing much to eat, about a day's journey from here, following the setting of the bright circle. We thought we had finally put the whole ordeal behind us with that.

Cera: "...And here comes the but.."

Topsy "I said shut up, Cera! Anyway, The crazy old dinosaur would tell stories, but we just ignored him at first. Some of our group would tell us about what he was doing, wandering in the black of nigth, telling his stories to anyone who couldn't get any sleep."

Ducky: "Oh, I like stories when I am trying to get to sleep, yup!"

Petrie: "Yeah, just not scary ones!" (He shivers)

Topsy: "The thing is, the ones he did talk to in the middle of the night, end up gone, never to be seen again."

Petrie shivers again, and every else looks scared, even Cera a little bit.

Topsy: "Is it some curse the old one places on them? Do they learn something they're not supposed to know, and have to be taken out for it? What about those skeletons? Did he cause whatever happened to them? Dooming them to a resting place where they can never get away from his stories? To this day, no one knows why it happens. But mark my words.

The kids are shaking in fear.

Topsy: "Some say you can still hear him, wondering around in the night. Talking to himself? Talking to spirits? To the mountains? the Sky? Who even knows at this point! All I can tell you, is don't listen to the strange storyteller, or you might just end up disappearing into the darkness forever!"

The kids scream. Tria comes up to her made, motioning him to come back a little ways and have a talk."

Tria: "Topsy? Honey? What's with that whole scary story? Sounds nothing like you, to believe in that stuff."

Topsy: "Oh, I don't believe any of that dung! Made it all up. I just love scaring the kids, is all!"

Tria: "You know how curious those kids are!

Topsy: "It's fine Tria. They oughta know better, now that I';ve scared em like that!"

Tria: "Well, just look behind you."

Tops looks back at where all the scary stories were being told. All the kids are gone.

Topsy: "...oh."

Scene: The Longneck nest.

The only one at the nest is Littlefoot, Finally having fallen asleep, when his fastrunner friend wakes him up with a yell of frustration.

Ruby "I'm getting sick of this! This little biter here is making me so sick!"

Ruby walks up to the longneck nest, with Chomper following close behind her. A large leaf is wrapped around her tail.

Littlefoot: "Hey Ruby! What's wrong?"

Ruby: "Oh, mommy and daddy biter said this might be a little annoying. A LITTLE annoying, they said to me!?"

Littlefoot: "Um, Ruby?"

Ruby: "I'm sick of this for tonight. You take care of Mr. won't stop biting things, Littlefoot!"

Littlefoot: "Take care of Chomper? Why?"

Ruby walks off, not even acknowledging the longneck's question.

Littlefoot: "That's... weird. Wonder what is on her tail..."

Littlefoot: "Ow!"

The longneck looks behind him to see Chomper's jaws on his tail.

Littlefoot: "I'm still not dead, Chomper!"

Chomper: "Ah. that feels better."

Littlefoot: "What is it this time, Chomper?"

Chomper: "it's my teeth, Littlefoot. They hurt so much!"

Littlefoot: "If you're teeth hurt, then why are you biting things?"

Chomper: "I'm not biting. It's called teething, I think. It's what my mommy calls it. My teeth start to hurt really bad, and I just need something soft to teeth on."

Littlefoot: "Well, can you find something else soft then, please? I do kind of like having a tail!"

Chomper: "No, not really. Nothing else is really soft, just meat... er, dinosaurs. I mean, I can't just teeth on rocks or dirt or grass or anything like that.

Littlefoot: "Doesn't mean you get to make me feel bad, too!"

A little ways from the young ones, Bron comes walking up to Grandma Longneck, looking concerned."

Bron: "Hey, old one?"

Grandma Longneck: "I wish you'd just call me

Grandma Longneck: "What's wrong?"

Bron: "I'm kind of worried tonight. I just saw Chomper with Littlefoot in our nest. He was kind of... biting my son's tail. He's making me pretty uncomfortable. Maybe I should go and...

Grandma Longneck: "Don't worry, Bron. I'll check up on those two, and see what is up."

Bron: "Alright, I guess."

The elderly longneck walks off from her son-in-law.

Grandma Longneck: "I guess now is as good a time as any for him to learn."

------------------------------<Commercial Break>--------------------------------

Littlefoot: "Could you please stop, Chomper!"

Chomper: "No, I can't! they still hurt so much!

The little sharptooth reaches down to Littlefoot's tail again, but he misses it. Littlefoot pulls his tail away from the teething biter, and brings it back, smacking him in the face, hard. The Sharptooth falls back, but doesn't get back up. Instead, he just rolls over on his belly, crying.

Littlefoot: "Serves you right!"

Grandma Longneck: "Oh dear!"

Littlefoot's Grandma comes out of where she was hiding to see what is the matter.

Grandma Longnenck: "Oh, you poor, poor thing!"

Littlefoot: "Grandma! Yeah, my tail hurts real bad now! He keeps on..."

The elderly longneck ignores Littlefoot, and instead gently sticks her tail under Chomper, and lifts his head up towards hers.

Grandma Longneck: "What's wrong, little one?"

Chomper: "My teeth hurt really bad. And... and he hit me!"

Littlefoot: "Hey, Grandma! I'm over here!"

Grandma Longneck: "Littlefoot! How could you! Smacking a little one when he's already in pain!"

Littlefoot: (Annoyed) "Grandma! He's a sharptooth, and he was hurting me!"

Grandma Longneck: "Would You listen to yourself, grandson! This is your friend here, and he's hurting! Like Ruby let me know earlier, Chomper's teeth are really hurting, and he doesn't have his parents around to look after him. He needs someone to look after him. Make sure he's being taken care of!"

Chomper: "Ow! OOOW! They hurt so much now!"

Grandma Longneck: "Oh... Oh dear! You better starts teething on something, then! Here, this will help you feel better!"

She picks up Littlefoot's tail, and drops it in front of Chomper, who quickly starts teething on it again.

Scene: The Mysterious Beyond, just outside of the Great Valley.

Part of the gang have started their journey. Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike are heading to the Valley of the Dead, along with the Professor.

Cera: "Can't wait to get there, and see if my daddy was pulling our legs, or not! What do you think we'll find there?"

Professor: "A bunch of bones??? I mean, that's all I can think of from that stupid story your dad apparently told."

Ducky: "I do not want to see, no! Can we just go back?"

Professor: "I'm not usually the type of guy to dig up dead stuff to look at, That's more my pet's fortay,  but I guess I have to make an exception for you guys!"

Petrie: "Chomper probably like it much more. He does seem... weird like that."

Professor: "You guys still talking about that little... get together?"

Ducky: "I cannot forget about it..."

Cera: "Yeah, can't ever unsee that sharptooth funeral."

Professor: "Look, I'm sure you guys still find it disturbing, but you have to understand how they live. They usually have a hard time finding food, and... Huh, where was I going with this?"

Cera:

Professor: "Well, it's better that they eat something that's already dead, than to have to kill something first. Would you have wanted them to go out and hunt that day, then?"

Cera: "Well, no, but..."

Professor: "They kind of see it as their way of giving back. They go through life eating others, but they know they'll probably be eaten, too, someday. Kind of keeps you from thinking your above it all, I guess.

Petrie: "Me guess so."

Decky: "This is a very nice talk, friends, but can we stop it now?"

Cera: "Yeah, kinda don't wanna think about it anymore for awhile.

Professor: "...fine."

The old man looks up, and scans the horizon.

Professor: "Well, that mountain might be a good place to look. Kinda matches what Topsy said, I guess."

Cera: "Let's go, then!"

------------------------------<Commercial Break>--------------------------------

Scene: "Back at the longneck nest."

Chomper has settled down mostly, and is laying against Grandma's tail, with Littlefoot's tail still in his mouth. The little longneck still looks annoyed.

Littlefoot: "...Are you done yet?"

Grandma Longneck: "Sounds like it's time for a story, to ease the little guy."

Grandma Longneck: "A long time ago, before we even came to this valley, Our herd was still out in the Mysterious Beyond, in search of the fabled Great Valley. A place said to hold more food than you could possibly imaging, and surrounded in high walls, to keep the dreaded sharpteeth at bay!"

She suddenly looks down at Chomper, whose just staring up at her.

Grandma Longneck: "Well, the bad sharpteeth, anyway. One night, we decided to stop the trek for awhile, and rest. Littlefoot was sleeping on my back that night, and he wasn't doing too well."

Chomper: "What was wrong?"

Littlefoot covers his head with both of his front legs.

Grandma Longneck: "Oh, he was having some stomach troubles. His mother thought it was something he ate, but we never really found out. Anyway, he was asleep on my back, and I was about to enter some sleep story myself when..."

Littlefoot: "Grandma, don't..."

Grandma Longneck: "He... had a big accident."

Chomper: "What? He threw up?"

Grandma Longneck: "...Actually, it was coming out of both ends."

Chomper: "Ew!!!"

The little sharptooth started laughing, and Littlefoot started groaning, trying to stick his head in some nearby ferns in almost a futile attempt to disapear.

grandma Longneck: "And I couldn't really do anything about it, either. We weren't near any streams or ponds or anything. Just had to go on with that smell all over my back for a couple days."

Chomper: "Were you... mad?"

Grandma Longneck: "I had no reason to be angry, young one. Infact, I was deeply worried for Littlefoot. I'm greatful he kept himself together long enough for us to find some water for him.

The old longneck brings her head down to look at both of youngsters, as she brings her tail down to gently work Littlefoot's head from the foliage.

Grandma Longneck: "When you're taking care of a little one, You have to stop thinking about yourself, and think of your little one. Caretaking isn't easy, but It's rewarding, to see someone grow, and be a better dinosaur."

Scene, a small, barren valley between high rocky walls. On one end end of the valley is a gap in the wall, with a big drop. This is a small valley dug out of the top of a mountain range. The excibition crew is slowly working their way down a steep incline of loose rocks.

Professor: "'Valley of the dead' certainly describes this place pretty well. Can't even count how many different skeletons are down there.

Ducky: "Can we go back? I do not like this place. no no no."

Petrie: "Petrie agree. Me thinks bad things happen here."

Spike nods in agreement.

Cera: "Aww, lighten up, babies. I don't see anything around here that can hurt us."

Professor: "Yeah, and whatever happened, happened years ago, from how most of these scelectons look. We took the time to come here. Mind as well look around."

The human takes another look around the the base of the valley.

Professor: "Kind of reminds me of Death Valley, Actually"

Ducky: "What is death valley? Some place from where you are from?"

Professor: "Well, yes, but it's also the place you guys call home."

Cera: "What in the tarpit are you on about?"

Professor: "It's what Shartpeeth call the Great Valley, at least that's what your little meat-eating friend told me."

Cera: "Sharpteeth are that scared of our home?"

Professor: "You guys have made quite a reputation for yourselves. Sharptooth scary stories about the Valley are pretty scary, I hear. Usually involving some sharptooth kids making their way into the 'idealic land of plenty', and in their greed trying to take from the fat prey."

A tail whacks the human in the face.

Cera: "Shutup, We're not fat!"

Professor: "Hey, I"m just retelling the story, you can go whack some sharpteeth in the face later for it, if you're really feeling up to it... Anyway, The kids try to find some food in their greed, and they end up as little red spots on the valley walls."

Ducky: "Professor! Do not say such things. That sounds awful, no no no.!"

Professor: "'You can come in the valley any time you like, but you can never leave!' That's how they usually end their stories."

They're all at the bottom of the incline by now. The dinosaurs and their human companion make their way over to look at some of the bones.

Cera: "What's all here?"

Professor: "Not really sure, gang. Here, maybe this thing here my brother gave me will help."

Ducky:"How?"

The professor bends down, with his backpack on the ground, digging thrugh it."

Professor: "Ah, here it is!"

He finally pulls out a book. It reads 'Paleontology for Dummies' on the front cover, with a graphic at the lower right of the cover, the top half of a velociraptor skeleton in a similar pose of an actual 'for Dummies' book.

Professor: "Well, a book is kinda like a portable... Ruby or a Thicknose or something in a way. It just holds information about some topic, or maybe a story or something, that you can look back to later. It's a way we can keep knowledge, so that other people can know it later.

Petrie: "Don't tell Ruby you have another Ruby. She not like that!"

Ducky: "Oh, I think that she would like it.

Professor: "Now, let's see again... Ah, yes. We have some Spinosaurus, Iganosaurus, Saurolophus and a couple of what looks like young Triceratops over there. Strange, there's no adult threehorn bones here, just the little ones."

petrie: "Oh, poor things."

Ducky: "Poor everything that is here, oh no no no."

Cera: "Dumb dinosaurs died, probably from being dumb. What else is new?"

Ducky: "Cera! that is not a nice thing to say!"

Cera: "Well, I never knew any of these dinosaurs, did I? Maybe if they knew me, they'd have a little threehorn sense, and not be a pile of bones now!"

Professor: "And... nope. No Pachyrhinosaurus's here."

Petrie: "What that?"

Professor: "It's what Mr.Thicknose is... I think? It's kinda hard to tell. Never even heard of that word before until now."

Petrie: "So, big scary story not true?"

Cera: "Yeah, I knew he was trying to pull our legs. My dad is great at many things, but telling lies ain't one of em. Unless you're gullible, of course, like Chomper with that stupid, falling apart a tooth at a time story!"

Ducky: "You do not have to be so mean to Chomper all the time, Cera."

Cera: "Hmpth! I know he cares about us, or whatever. Still doesn't mean he ain't gullible!"

Professor: "Well, is there anything else you guys wanna see?"

Petrie: "Not really. Scary stories make petrie tired."

Spike is already climbing back up the rock slide.

Ducky: "I think my brother has the right idea. Let us go back then, yup."

Scene: Back at the Longneck nest.

Chomper has fallen asleep at Littlefoot's side, while the little longneck is still talking to his grandmother.

Grandma Longneck: "He is cute when he's asleep, isn't he?"

Littlefoot: "Yeah, I guess so."

Grandma Longneck: "I don't wanna sound mean, or anything, but I am kinda getting a kick out of knowing Sharptooth parents have to know what sharp teeth feel like. Must be real nice, now that's he's asleep, and not biting that tail anymore."

Littlefoot: "It's called Teething, Grandma. But yup, it's pretty nice!"

Grandma Longneck: "Well, you sound like you can take care of things form here. I'll see you tomorrow, Littlefoot. Right now, I just have the sudden urge to go relax."

She get's up, and walks away from

Scene: The bubbling Mud. Ruby is laying down on her back in it, with little more than her head sticking out of the warm mud bath.

Ruby: "Ah, this bubbling mud is so nice. So nice to be in this bubbling mud, instead of looking after chompy, for once."

The ground starts to shake, sending ripples through the mud.

Ruby: "Odd, I didn't know this bubbling mud messaged you too. I should come here more of... AHH!"

A tsunami of mud engulfs the little fast runner. After she finally pops here head out of the mess, she starts spitting mud out of her mouth, and looking around, confused.

Grandma Longneck: "You're not the only one that needs to relax tonight, missy!"

END





...





Petrie: "Ooh, it was scary! All of the bones everywhere! Me wonder what happen... anyway, Petrie fly off to nest now. Goodnight, uncle!"

Pterano: "Goodnight, Petrie."

The old flyer walks out to a cliff face, facing the Great Valley.

Pterano: "...Why? WHY must this continue to haunt me? I... I didn't mean to lead them all astray. It all happened so fast, and there wasn't anything I could do and..."

The old flyer starts breaking out in tears.

Pterano: "I... didn't mean to hurt anyone!"



EDIT: Thanks to Rhombus for letting me at least reverence some things in his 'The Seven Hunters' fanficion series. I was so rushed the day I posted this, I forget to include this here.

^Yeah, can't go wrong with more friends!

...Mmm, friends...

Omnomnom/10

^Don't think it's this character, but kinda makes me think of Fawful. "I HAVE FURY!!!"

9/10

Like when Nintendo DMCA'd AM2R, before releasing their own Metroid 2 remake, Doesn't look good when Blizzard shut down the biggest fan-run classic WoW server, with hundreds of thousands of members, about a year ago, before announcing their own.

Even more weird when at last years blizzcon, when a developer was asked about closing the server, he said "fans don't know what they want."

I'm sure this renewal of vanilla WoW will be very popular and get many old players to at least come back and try it again, like what happened when Oldschool Runescape came back out a few years ago, but this still smells shitty to me.

Heal Chomper
Hurt Doc

Littlefoot: 24
Cera: 21
Ducky: 26
Petrie: 20
Spike: 21
Chomper: 18 (+1)
Ruby: 25
Ali: 23
Guido: 15
Mo: 14
Mama Swimmer: 6
Mama Flyer: 6
Pterano: 11
Sierra: 5
Strut: 2
Mr. Thicknose: 12
Littlefoot's Mother: 13
Shorty: 18
Doc: 3 (-1)

I still would have hoped you could continue to play civ games, but more casually, but if that's the way you feel, I won't be able to stop you. I would have loved to be able to play a game with you sometime, but oh well.

Anyway, congrats on doing almost everything in the game.  I'll never 'complete' a Civ game like that.

Are there any other games that you enjoy?

Thank you so much for this! I was rushing this morning to try to finish my prompt, before I read this.

Have you read any LBT fanfiction? Is there any you like, if you have?

6,517

Happy birthday, Ducky!

Don't let the sharpteeth bite.