For a crossover, I once rewrote The Land Before Time VII on this premise: the USS Enterprise is tasked with bringing a group of paleontologists back in time (since everyone knows the Enterprise is capable of that) to observe dinosaurs. The only way to do this without violating the prime directive, of course, is to go down looking like dinosaurs. Hilarity ensues when Kirk and Uhura are sent down to earth as Rainbow Faces, trying to monitor Littlefoot and his friends. Obviously Kirk narrowly avoids giving away their true identities, thanks to Uhura's swift actions on several occasions. In all, I just wanted to write a funny "behind the scenes" story about the Rainbow Faces and their origins, and Star Trek just seemed like the... logical crossover. Unfortunately, the manuscript has long since been destroyed. Sorry

Welcome back to the forums Fyn!

Tell me everything you did! I would like to know if you don't mind.

Alright, then I'll start from square one: BCT is divided into first and second "Beast". The first section is held in the Cadet Area, which is basically the campus. It focuses on military studies, conditioning, drill and ceremonies, knowledge memorization, and lots of yelling. Lots of it. Second BCT is held out in the Jack's Valley training complex. Basically, it's living in a tent for a little under two weeks, doing lots of intense exercise and going through several courses (google "Assault Course USAFA" for a good idea). It is nothing if not intense. I just got back from BCT 2, and tomorrow, I get to pin on my shoulder boards and become a member of the Cadet Wing! Needless to say, I'm pretty excited. Now that I'm back, I plan on continuing on my latest fanfic, "Let Your Heart Guide You," which is up on the site right now.

So, this is my "mega project," for 2012-2013. It's going to document the friendship that formed between Littlefoot and Fyn in their preteen years under immense challenges and hardship. I purposefully held off writing any farther than the prologue until BCT's conclusion, so I could get a feel for what seemingly impossible challenges are really like. Hopefully, I can draw on my experiences from this summer to create a realistic story. This one's going to be long, too. Expect about 5000-8000 words per chapter, and several chapters long. This will be more of a "book-length" story. Anyway, I present for your reading pleasure, "Let Your Heart Guide You." Feel free to comment between chapters if you so wish, and please remember that this is a Littlefoot/Fyn story. Other characters may not get as much representation as they are considered secondary in this story.

Summary: A story of how Littlefoot and Fyn's unshakeable friendship was set in stone. Following his twelfth Star Day, Fyn must undergo a challenge greater than anything he's ever faced, but when an unforeseen catastrophe ravages the Great Valley, a dinosaur very close to him is gravely wounded. Running out of time to get a herd of dinosaurs out of the Great Valley, Fyn, the herd's newly appointed deputy, is forced to make a decision and accept a responsibility that will impact both himself and Littlefoot tremendously and change their lives forever.

Granted, but you'll never actually be able to close them.

My gosh, I love this story! I think perhaps my favorite thing you did was actually get the Egg-Stealers' dialect right, which shows amazing attention to detail. Well-written, well-developed, and I can't wait for more!

I know you're heading off for 6 weeks, and I'm late to the party, but welcome to the GoF! Hope you enjoy you're stay!

I've skimmed through your stuff on FF.net before, so I kind of already knew about you.

Cool! Thanks for dropping by to say "hi!"

The story is done, but the characters live on...

Thanks for reading, and goodbye!

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.

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.

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.