Chapter 6: Conflict

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

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

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

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

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

"Oh no," he breathed.

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

"Chomper's gone," Littlefoot said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Littlefoot thought briefly. "Maybe you rolled?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

…

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

"He must be up there," Ducky said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What?" Cera was shocked.

"I tried to fight it-"

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

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

He walked over to Fyn.

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

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

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

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

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

"No," Fyn said.

"Do it!" Chomper roared.

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

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

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

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

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

"There wasn't?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"A what?" Ruby asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Chomper?" Fyn said.

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

"Why?"

"Look."

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Can you see them?" Cera asked.

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

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

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

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

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

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

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

"What do you mean?" Fyn asked.

"I know what these are."

"Do tell," Cera said.

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

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

"Let's not find out."

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

"Let us pass."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I understand," Chomper said, falling back.

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

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

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

"It's all we've got."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"We showed them," Cera said.

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

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

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

Chapter 4: The Shortcut

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"So Chomper, what are your parents like?"

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

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

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

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

"Will you miss the Great Valley?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What do you mean?"

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

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

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

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

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

"He says yes!" Ducky said.

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

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

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

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

"How about that, Cera?" he asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Everyone positioned themselves accordingly.

"Now!" Littlefoot said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Why not?" Ducky asked.

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

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

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

They were not the only ones.

…

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

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

Chapter 2: Revelation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What, exactly, happened?" Cera prodded.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"When will this happen?"

Ruby hesitated.

"When?" Chomper almost roared.

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

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

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

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

"Where?" Petrie asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anyway, enjoy!


Where Paths Diverge

Prologue

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

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

Epilogue

Labon and Keva, Fyn's parents, glanced anxiously up at the Great Wall, waiting for Petrie's mother to return with today's report. With them were Littlefoot's grandparents, Cera's father, and Ducky's and Spike's mother. Ever since the children had disappeared, Petrie's mother had been flying out over the Mysterious Beyond to try to find some sign of where they'd gone. So far, she had been unlucky. The adults had almost given up. No one had told them where their children may have headed, and as a result, anything could have happened to them.

"There she is," Grandpa Longneck said, looking towards the Great Wall as Petrie's mother soared over it, "let's see what she has to say."

The Flyer landed gracefully in front of everyone else, panting and almost out of breath. She looked very excited.

"What did you see?" Cera's father asked.

"They're- they're back!" she exclaimed.

"What? Where are they?" Labon asked.

"Outside the entrance, and there are Farwalkers with them."

"The same ones I turned away? What are they doing back?" Cera's father snorted.

"You did what?" Grandpa Longneck asked.

Cera's father cringed. "Well, you see I-"

"We'll talk about this later," the old Longneck cut off the Threehorn as the Farwalkers poured into the Valley. They were all Fastrunners, and sure enough, riding on the backs of a few were the kids!

The adults ran forward to greet their children. Fyn saw his parents coming. Only relief showed on their faces. The anger would probably come later. Fyn ran to his parents as all around him, his friends embraced their parents as well.

"Fyn!" his mother, Keva, said as they touched muzzles in greeting, "we were so worried about you!"

"I'm sorry," Fyn said, "but we had to help the Farwalkers. No one else would."

"You made a good choice, Fyn," Labon said, "you and your friends stood up for the Farwalkers when they had no one to help them. It was a very mature thing to do."

Fyn beamed.

"However," Labon continued, "you also did this without telling anyone, including Keva and myself."

Fyn gulped. "I know, and I'm sorry."

Labon smiled. "So, your mother and I have decided that you're grounded and confined to our nest until you tell us everything that happened."

Fyn smiled as he recalled his adventures, and his new friend, Terra.

"Okay," he said with a smile, "I think that can be arranged."

Chapter 10: The Dark-Dweller

Ducky and Petrie were on shift to greet the rising Bright Circle. As the sky began to lighten, they moved back into the cave to wake the others; time today could not be wasted. Terra awoke, feeling groggy, but relieved that she'd been able to talk to Fyn as friends the previous night. As a result, she was up and on her feet quickly, and chose to stand outside the cave to wait for everyone else. As she stood, she took a long look at the Dark-Dweller's cave. She couldn't believe that in a few moments, she and her friends would be going back in there, hoping that the beast within would be asleep. If he wasn't, she wondered, what would happen then? She shuddered to think. All she knew for certain was that if anything went wrong, the Dark-Dweller would make very short work of them.

Fyn caught Terra staring at the cave. "So today we do it, eh?"

"Yes," Terra said with determination, "we do."

"I hope your plan works," Cera said to Littlefoot as the two stepped out of the cave.

"Oh, I think it will," Ruby said, coming out behind Cera, "his plan's so foolproof, even a fool could succeed."

"That's... really comforting," Cera said.

"Have a little faith," Chomper said, "if we can defeat a Swimming Sharptooth, then this one should be just as easy."

"That what you say now," Petrie said, "but remember how big Dark-Dweller is?"

"And how many teeth he has?" Ducky added.

Spike just stuck his head into the ground, frightened by this talk of Sharpteeth.

"Come on, guys," Littlefoot said, "let's pull it together. Now I know we're just kids, and we're going up against a huge, mean Sharptooth, but lets face it: four days ago, before any of this started, could any of you have imagined doing the things we've done so far?"

Everyone slowly shook their heads as the sense of what Littlefoot was saying dawned on them.

"Exactly," Littlefoot said, "none of us could have imagined being where we are right now. We got here by sticking together, helping each other out, and keeping our friendship alive, despite everything that's been thrown our way. This Dark-Dweller is just one more obstacle for us to overcome. If we work as a team and stick to the plan, we can beat him."

At least, that was what he hoped.

...

The kids met Thim at the mouth of the cave. He looked tired.

"Hello Thim," Ducky said, "it looks like you haven't slept in seasons."

Thim cracked a smile, though the effort was great for him.

"I've been awake all night, gathering supporters. I only have a few. I hope it will be enough."

"Where are they now?" Ruby asked.

"Out of sight, but I'll bring them when needed."

"Great," Littlefoot said, "now here's the plan: we go into the cave and sneak past the Sharptooth. Once we're on the other side of him, with the exit in front of us, we need the Fastrunners to start making noise. The Dark-Dweller will hear it and wake up, but we'll get his attention. He'll follow us because we're an easier meal, and we'll lead him out of the cave. From there, we'll figure out how to get rid of him."

"Excellent," Thim said, "then I'll get the others."

"Alright," Littlefoot said, "hopefully we'll talk later."

Thim nodded. "Best of luck to you, children." The green Fastrunner ran off into the trees.

"Let's do this," Cera said, snorting and pawing the ground, "I'm ready!"

"Hold on," Chomper said, "I think we should be careful while we're in there. This whole plan depends on us being quiet."

"Right," Littlefoot said, "nobody talks unless they have to, and when we do, we talk in whispers." The others nodded. "All set? Then let's get going."

Fyn gulped as they entered the cave. He couldn't believe he was going in here again. He supposed it wasn't like he hadn't faced a Sharptooth before, but this was the first time he'd willingly decided to take one on. He looked over at Terra, as calm as could be.

"Then again," he thought, "this is probably nothing to her. She's already faced down certain death once on this journey."

They walked on, past the strange rocks that hung from the ceiling and grew from the floor, past the steadily dripping water, past the deep pools that were so still, they reflected the image of their surroundings, and, occasionally, past massive tracks, that the children knew could have been made by only one dinosaur: the Dark-Dweller.

"We're almost there," whispered Littlefoot as they approached the spot where they'd called the Sharptooth the night before, "stay close."

The dinosaurs crouched low as they began to hear something breathing heavily. They were definitely getting close. Soon, they'd see the terrible creature.

Then the trouble started.

...

Orn watched the children go into the cave. When he was confident they were far enough in, he turned to his fellow Fastrunners, hidden amongst the trees.

"It is time. They have volunteered themselves as nourishment. Hurry to the cave and begin the creed."

The dinosaurs rushed to the cave opening and began chanting. Orn grinned, his usual malicious gesture. No one would stand between him and leadership. No one.

...

The gang had just rounded yet another dark corner when the chanting began.

"What are they doing?" Terra hissed, "it's too early for the distraction!"

"I don't think that's Thim," Fyn said, "I'll bet Orn's behind this."

"But why would he-" Chomper began to ask. Then he realized what was going on. "Oh no. They're trying to wake up the Dark-Dweller."

The gang all looked at each other in fear. "Run!" Littlefoot whispered. The dinosaurs bolted around the corner, as fast as they could run while trying to remain silent. The chanting was too loud, and they were too afraid to notice that the heavy breathing in front of them had stopped.

"Careful," Littlefoot said as they rounded a corner into a larger cavern, "he should be right-"

He stopped. There was no Sharptooth in sight, only a wide open cave.

"What is this?" Cera asked, "where's the Dark-Dweller?"

"I don't know," Littlefoot replied, "this is where the breathing was coming from."

They looked around, trying to see something in the pitch darkness. Finally, Littlefoot spoke to Chomper.

"Can you smell anything?"

Chomper shook his head. "The cave's smell is too strong. It's covering the Dark-Dweller's scent. I have no idea where he is. Terra?"

Terra shook her head. "I can't smell him, either."

"This is bad," Littlefoot said, walking toward the other side of the cave.

"Maybe Dark-Dweller just go somewhere else," said Petrie.

"Ha," Cera said, "now that's wishful thinking."

"I'm scared," Ducky said, clinging to Cera.

"Aw, come on, Ducky," Cera said, "you're with me. Nothing can hurt you- oof!"

Cera ran into something hard and looked up. She'd hit some kind of strange-looking rock formation. She snorted in frustration.

"Ridiculous," she said, forgetting to whisper, "I hate walking around in the dark."

Suddenly something wet hit Cera in the face. It had come from the rock above.

"Gross! It drooled on me!"

Suddenly, Cera's "rock" began to move and she understood exactly what she'd hit: a giant leg!

"Sharptooth!" she screamed, "go, go go!"

Everyone cried out in alarm as the Dark-Dweller revealed himself, smashing his huge, clawed foot into the ground right where Cera and Ducky had just stood and leaving a giant impression. The Sharptooth brought his huge head down to the kids' eye level and roared, blasting them with his foul breath and shaking them with the sheer loudness of his roar.

"Run!" Littlefoot said as the Sharptooth's head shot forward, its jaws closing on a rock as the kids dodged out of the way. The Sharptooth howled, furious, spitting out chunks of rock and broken teeth, and shook his head violently. Then, he frantically looked around for the little dinosaurs that had somehow escaped him. A movement caught his eye. They were running away right behind him! Enraged, he roared again, and pursued them.

Littlefoot looked back and saw the Dark-Dweller give chase again. They were grossly outmatched in speed, and he'd catch them again easily unless they switched tactics fast. Littlefoot saw a smaller branch of the cave, its entrance covered by low-hanging cave-spikes. This was their chance!

"Follow me!" he called to the others. The gang raced under the cave-spikes, hoping they would deter the predator behind them. They did not. The Sharptooth smashed through, shattering the cave-spikes as if they were nothing more than sticks, and continued the chase. The smaller dinosaurs ducked under small rock formations, and weaved in and out of cover, barely escaping the Dark-Dweller's massive, snapping jaws. As they rounded another corner, they finally saw light. They ran for the exit, and Littlefoot could hear the Dark-Dweller right behind them. Judging by the size of the opening, the Sharptooth wouldn't fit through it. He and his friends ducked under it, hearing the massive crash as the Dark-Dweller struck the unyielding stone. In frustration, the massive Sharptooth crashed into the rock repeatedly, trying to break through, but failed. Finally, it gave up and retreated back into its lair.

"Whew," Cera said, checking to be sure that the Sharptooth was gone, "that was way too close."

"No kidding," Fyn said, "but we're not done yet."

"What do you mean?" Cera asked.

"Well, just look. The Sharptooth's back in the cave. We haven't driven him out yet. Sure we're here, safe, but we're not finished here at all."

"On the contrary," a single, sinister voice sounded from behind, "your time here is long finished."

The gang turned around. Emerging from a larger cave, presumably the main one, was Orn.

"Surprised to see me?" he sneered, "I came into the cave after I heard the roars, to make sure that idiot Sharptooth really finished you off, and guess what I found?"

"Do tell," Terra snarled.

"Nothing," he growled. "So I decided to have a look around out here, and to my utmost surprise, here you are."

"What about the herd?" Chomper asked. "You just left them to come after us?"

"At this point, my herd is secondary. Because of you, they've begun to question my methods. Some even talk of desertion. You ruined my chances to lead!"

"It never would have happened if you hadn't attacked Terra because of her parents!" Littlefoot said.

"Ah yes, that reminds me: another reason I'm here is to remove that little abomination from this world once and for all!"

"Well you can't have her!" Fyn shouted, "she's our friend, and we don't care what she is or where she's from. She's good, which is more than you can say for yourself!"

Orn snarled and began to advance. "None of you will live to see this day's end. I'll make sure of it!"

The gang began to back up, staying away from Orn. Suddenly, Ducky, who was bringing up the rear, almost stepped off of the ledge. She looked back. Behind her, the ledge ended abruptly, dropping straight down into the hard, sharp rocks below. The others noticed, too. They were trapped.

Orn continued advancing forwards, bent on revenge, when suddenly he stopped short. He cocked his head to the side, as if listening for something.

"What's he doing?" Fyn asked.

"I don't know," Ruby answered, "it's almost like-"

Suddenly, the Dark-Dweller burst out of the cave Orn had come from, finally completely revealing himself. He looked even larger out here in the light. His skin was a dark blue, almost black, with small red spots above his eyes and running down his back to his tail, and Fyn could see the teeth in that terrible mouth, some of them missing from the Dark-Dweller's most recent encounter with the gang. Orn turned around, petrified with fear at the sight behind him. Spotting a much larger meal than the children, the Sharptooth edged forward towards Orn. The ledge was barely wide enough for the Dark-Dweller, and every step forced him to catch his balance, to avoid slipping. He was advancing slowly, but he wasn't worried. All of the dinosaurs ahead had nowhere to go. He'd get them in time.

Littlefoot took a second glance at the rock wall near them. It was steep, but pockmarked. Perhaps there was a chance...

"We have one way out," Littlefoot said, "and I don't think anyone's going to like it."

"Anything's better than being eaten by that Sharptooth," Terra replied.

"Alright, then," Littlefoot said, "we can climb this wall."

Cera looked at him as if he was crazy. Then the Dark-Dweller roared again and she scooted forward scrambling up the rocks.

"Come on, everyone, climb!" Fyn shouted.

The dinosaurs began to ascend the wall slowly, each taking care not to slip and bring anyone behind down. Meanwhile, Orn was doing his best to avoid the snapping jaws of the Dark-Dweller. The beast was within striking distance, and Orn jumped and dodged to stay out of reach. Then he made his fatal mistake: he took one short glance back at the kids climbing the wall. The Sharptooth saw his chance and grabbed Orn in his jaws, shaking him, but while any other dinosaur would have given up, Orn, hungry for vengeance, scratched the Sharptooth down the side of his face. The Dark-Dweller howled and threw Orn at the canyon wall. Orn impacted the rock right below where the kids were climbing.

Terra looked down at Orn, the dinosaur she'd despised ever since she arrived here. He was bloody and battered, no longer a threat, and surprisingly, she pitied him.

"Orn," she called out, turning around as the Dark-Dweller approached to finish the Fastrunner, "I can help you."

Orn looked up with rage burning in his eyes. "I will never accept help from the likes of you, Twobreed!" he nearly screamed.

The Dark-Dweller was close now, but the ground below it was crumbling; the ledge couldn't support its weight!

"Orn, this is your last chance!" Terra called.

Orn reached up with his remaining strength, and Terra clasped his hand.

"Good, now I'll-"

"No," said Orn, "I've finally accepted my fate. You're just coming down with me."

"No!" Terra shrieked as the Dark-Dweller's jaws closed around Orn for the last time. Then, several things happened at once: Terra freed her fingers from Orn's grip, but lost her balance, the Sharptooth's ledge finally gave way, and the massive dinosaur dragged Orn down into the canyon below. Fyn, seeing Terra starting to fall, scooted down to her level and lowered his tail.

"Terra," he called, "grab onto me!"

Terra looked up. Fyn was danging his tail towards her. She mustered all of her strength into one last pull, and grabbed on. Fyn groaned as he pulled her up to safety, and soon Terra was back on the wall. The dinosaurs continued on the wall until they were above level ground. Then they slipped back onto the welcoming, steady stone. Fyn peered over the edge.

"So, I guess it's done," he said.

Littlefoot, walking up beside him, nodded. "It is."

"Now we can go home, right?" Ducky asked.

Chomper nodded. "That's right."

Fyn looked back towards his friends. Mere days ago, he'd tried to distance himself from them. Now they were all close again.

"Everyone," Fyn said, "and especially Chomper and Ruby, there's something I need to tell you." Everyone looked at Fyn intently. Fyn cleared his throat and continued. "Back in the Great Valley, I tried to avoid all of you for one reason: Chomper and Ruby."

Chomper looked surprised, as did Ruby. Fyn pressed on.

"I didn't trust them, see, because they were Sharpteeth, so I decided to make this journey alone so I wouldn't have to be around them. Then I met Terra, and soon learned that she was also a Sharptooth. We... talked," Fyn winced at Terra, who smiled slightly, "and I finally came to see something: even Sharpteeth can be good. I started to reconsider my views, and today I stand convinced that it's really not what kind of dinosaur that matters: everything that truly makes a difference is inside." He looked to Terra, then to Chomper and Ruby. "Thank you, all of you, for proving my old self wrong. I'm so glad I can count on you as friends."

Chomper and Ruby smiled, as did Terra. Finally, Littlefoot spoke.

"Looks like everything's back to normal, now. Fyn?" he said. Fyn looked up. "Welcome back to the gang. We've been waiting for you."

Fyn beamed warmly. He was among friends again. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.

"Littlefoot," he asked, "how long have we been out here?"

"About four days," the Longneck answered, "why?"

Fyn shook his head. "My mom's going to kill me," he said.

Everyone laughed. Finally, everything was back to the way it was meant to be. The Fastrunners were free, everyone was friends again, and the gang could finally go home. Littlefoot knew they couldn't leave yet, however. There was still one more person he needed to talk to.

Chapter 8: The River-Dweller

Petrie looked down from his airborne vantage point. He could see Terra being led to the river. The ritual was about to begin. As he watched, Orn led Terra to the river and stopped at the bank. He turned to face the others and spoke. Though Petrie couldn't make out the words, he knew it most likely had something to do with Terra's supposed "uncleanliness" and different parents. He snarled and dove towards Littlefoot.

"Guys, they starting!" Petrie said, landing on the log Littlefoot was standing by.

"Alright, then," Littlefoot said, "push, everyone! It's now or never!"

Fyn, Chomper and Ruby pushed their own log into the water behind Littlefoot, Cera, Petrie, Ducky, and Spike. As the logs moved out into the current, Fyn grabbed the vines they'd used to pull the logs to the river. They were strong, and Fyn had convinced Littlefoot to let him take them along, just in case. Littlefoot had agreed, putting Fyn in charge of making sure the logs were brought along. Now, Fyn realized, he'd almost forgotten them.

"Close call," he said to Chomper as he dropped the vines onto the log. Fyn took up the front position, straddling the log. Chomper and Ruby did the same behind him.

"Ready?" Littlefoot called back.

"Ready," Chomper responded for Fyn's group.

"Paddle!" Littlefoot said.

Chomper, Ruby, and Fyn began to paddle hard, pushing their log towards the middle of the river, where the current would do the rest of the work. It was hard, but not impossible, and soon the current had control of both logs. Fyn only hoped they'd get there fast enough.

...

The River-Dweller stirred at the bottom of her cold home. There was a new taste in the water today: something fresh, different, and exciting. She opened her eyes- terrible black eyes with a clear, protective eyelid over them- and began to move. Slowly, almost snakelike, she glided through the water, making sure to stay as deep as possible. Normally, she cruised near the surface, since her prey never moved, but she wanted to make sure she caught what was in her river today, and for that, she needed stealth, to ensure that whatever dinosaur was to be her meal never saw her coming. She opened her jaws, flexing them in preparation for her attack. Soon, she would be satisfied. Soon, she would strike. She growled in anticipation. It was time to feed.

...

Terra stood by as Orn finished his rant. He'd been going on for a while now about how "unclean" she was, and how her very presence had been what really brought the Sharpteeth upon everyone. His words sickened her. If there hadn't been a plan in place already, she thought, she would have seriously considered taking this pompous oaf down and taking her chances with the rest of the Fastrunners.

"-Therefore, today let our suffering be ended!" Orn finished. He turned back to Terra and began the chant.

"I am one, I am insignificant-"

The others began to join him, creating a terrible throbbing sound that burrowed in Terra's head. She knew what had to be done next. Hesitantly, she stepped out into the water. Here, the river was very shallow. Nevertheless, the water level was almost at her knees. Bravely, she continued out into the river. As she walked along, she noticed the depth hadn't changed much. What was this? How could something as big as the River-Dweller survive in here? Then, she got her answer.

Terra took one step forward and almost stepped off of a steep underwater ledge. Terra peered down into the crystal-clear blue water. She couldn't see the bottom. This, then, was where she was supposed to wait. She glanced around anxiously. Upriver was a sharp bend, which meant she wouldn't see her friends coming until the last moment. She shivered, her anxiety becoming almost uncontrollable. This was going to be close. Suddenly, she thought she felt something brush against her leg. She looked down, and saw nothing. At that moment, a movement deep underwater caught her eye.

"Just an underwater plant," she reassured herself. She had her doubts, though. She glanced back towards the bank.

The Fastrunners had almost finished their creed.

...

Littlefoot and the gang were picking up speed rapidly, their logs racing through the fast current. Fast enough, Littlefoot hoped, to arrive in time. Up ahead, he saw the bend in the river that meant the River-Dweller's territory was coming up soon. They would arrive shortly. Littlefoot hoped Terra would still be alive when they did.

...

"Know then that always I will be here, we will be here, under your watchful eyes, to commit our lives to furthering yours, in exchange for the preservation of this magnificent paradise."
That was it, then. The creed was finished, and her friends still hadn't shown up. Terra calmly accepted her fate, readying herself for the jaws that would surely close upon her, ending her life instantly. Then, something appeared in the corner of her vision, moving rapidly towards her. She could make out the shape of two logs, with dinosaurs on each.

"Yes," she breathed, "oh, thank goodness, yes." A tear rolled down her cheek as she realized just how lucky she was to have friends like these. On the bank, some of the Fastrunners began to notice the dinosaurs as well, Orn included. With rage burning in his eyes, he let out a terrible yell.

"No! This cannot be!"

Terra smirked. It was time for the plan to take shape.

...

The River-Dweller had been swimming close to Terra for a little while, now, but was waiting for the murmuring of the dinosaurs on the bank to cease. She knew the custom, and was willing to wait. Finally, the surface noises stopped, and the Swimming Sharptooth prepared for her killing strike. Suddenly, though, she stopped. She sensed something else approaching in the water: what seemed like two large creatures, both of which she had never seen the likes of before. As they came into view, she could see they were long and slender. They would certainly make a better meal than the scrawny offering the Fastrunners had given her. She could deal with that... snack later. She changed directions and dove deeper, preparing for a strike from beneath. The strange creatures would never see her coming.

...

"Come on, Terra!" Fyn yelled as his log approached, "jump for it!"

Terra saw her chance, and put all of her energy into making what was probably the single most important leap of her life. She grabbed onto Fyn's tail, and the orange Fin-Neck pulled her up to safety. By now, the river was picking up speed rapidly, and it was all the logs' riders could do to keep from slipping off.

"Do you think the River-Dweller's following us?" Chomper asked Terra.

As if in answer, the water next to their log suddenly exploded upward, almost tipping them as a pair of massive jaws closed with a mighty snap.

"That answer your question?" Terra asked.

"We're going to hold out on this river until we can find a way to get the River-Dweller out of here. Then, we're going back!" Littlefoot called to the others. Fyn nodded, confirming that he'd heard Littlefoot. Again, the River-Dweller leaped into the air, slamming into the water violently as the creature tried to dislodge the logs' riders. Now, the river began to slope significantly downhill, and Fyn could actually feel wind whistling through his teeth as their speed picked up yet again. He hoped Petrie had been right about the lack of obstacles. The Swimming Sharptooth was everywhere at once, battering both logs from all sides, and even forcing Ducky to lose her grip. Luckily, Petrie caught her before she was lost. Then, all of a sudden, the attacks stopped and the water leveled out again. Fyn could see the ledge Petrie had mentioned alongside the river. That was their escape option. He wondered where the River-Dweller had gone, searching the river for some sign of it. He found none.

Fyn relaxed, laying his head down on the bark of his log and staring at the dark water beneath him. Then, he realized that it seemed somehow darker than the water around the log. Suddenly, a bad feeling came over him; he knew where the River-Dweller was. He looked back to Terra, Chomper, and Ruby.

"I hope you guys can swim," he said.

"What? Why does that matter?" Terra asked.

"No time, to explain, just jump!" Fyn yelled. The other three obeyed, leaping off of the log. Fyn did as well, and just in time. The River-Dweller came up from below, and the beast's jaws closed around the log. The sheer force with which the attack happened severed the log in half. As Fyn hit the water, he was whipped around and tumbled. He broke the surface, gasping for air, and started for shore. Then he remembered the vines he'd been carrying. They were gone! He looked around frantically. Chomper and Ruby had made it out, but Terra was nowhere to be seen.

"Terra!" he called, searching for her and the vines. Suddenly, Terra's head came up out of the water, and the little Sharptooth coughed explosively, forcing water out of her mouth. Fyn saw the vines, too, stuck on the riverbank. He swam for shore as fast as he could, and grabbed the vines. Then he looked for Terra. Locating her, he called out.

"Terra, try to grab the vines! I'll pull you in!" He twisted his head around, vines clasped between his teeth and threw them into the water near Terra. Gratefully, the Sharptooth grabbed on, and Fyn began to pull her to safety. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one interested in Terra. Upstream, the River-Dweller surfaced, and began to charge for her. Fyn pulled harder, managing to get Terra into the shallows, and then onto land, forcing the Swimming Sharptooth to break away.

"Come on," Chomper said as Fyn pulled his soaking friend onto land, "we need to go see if Littlefoot and the others need help."

Fyn and Terra nodded, too exhausted for words. They ran up the ledge with Chomper and Ruby, chasing Littlefoot's log down the river. Fyn still had his vines. Perhaps they'd see more use yet, he thought.

...

Back at the riverside, Orn was still staring, angry and confused, into the water. None of this was supposed to happen! This was supposed to be a simple takeover. Instead, the children had proven to be more persistent than he thought.

"No matter," he thought to himself, "either the River-Dweller will finish them off, or they'll come back and I'll get the satisfaction of doing it myself."

"Orn, what is the meaning of this?" Orn whipped around to see Thim standing behind him, deeply angry.

"The River-Dweller has not called for nourishment. Why are you here?"

"Well-" Orn stammered, "you see, my leader, I've finally found the solution to our problems."

"Oh?" Thim said, "then please enlighten me."

Orn hoped his story would work on Thim as well. "Very well," he said, "as you may have noticed, a Twobreed arrived here in the valley with the other children. I believe she was our sign, if you will, our chance to make things right. If we sacrificed her life, removed her filth from here, perhaps the Sharpteeth would leave us alone."

"That's ridiculous!" Thim shouted. "I know you've harbored feelings against Twobreeds, but believe me, she is not the cause of this. You would have sacrificed her for nothing! I no longer call you my deputy!"

Orn looked his leader straight in the eyes. "And you, Thim, are no longer my leader." Without warning, he lashed out with his foot, catching Thim in the stomach. The old Fastrunner doubled over and collapsed on the river bank, unmoving with the exception of his shallow breaths.

"It's time for a change in leadership, Old One," Orn gloated to Thim. "Tomorrow, I will personally lead an attack on the Dark-Dweller and River-Dweller, and free us from this place forever. Thim's eyes widened.

"You... can't," he croaked softly.

"What's that?" Orn mocked, bending down to Thim, "I couldn't hear you."

Thim looked him in the eyes. "You will be stopped. Of that, I am certain."

Orn walked away, laughing. The others followed him, leaving Thim alone near the water. Thim looked downriver, wishing the children luck. He hoped they would survive. For his sake- for everyone's sake.

...

Littlefoot was not enjoying this ride. With his friends on land, the Sharptooth had singled out his log and was attacking it every chance she got. To make matters worse, the current had picked up again, despite this area being level. Littlefoot felt uneasy. The water needed some kind of reason to speed up, and Littlefoot had a bad feeling about what was coming up next.

"Petrie," he called back to the Flyer, "are you sure there weren't any falls around here?"

Petrie shrugged nervously. "Me not go this far. Me have no idea."

A dreadful, steady roaring sound filled Littlefoot's ears. There was only one thing in the world that made a sound like that: a waterfall. Littlefoot could see it ahead, and from his view, it looked tall.

"Try to paddle to shore!" he yelled. Everyone tried with all of their strength, but their efforts were having little effect. To make matters worse, Littlefoot could see the River-Dweller building up speed for another attack. They were trapped between the jaws of a Swimming Sharptooth and a sheer drop; not a good place to be.

"Guys!" a voice called from above. Littlefoot looked up. Standing on the ledge next to the river was Fyn, Terra, Chomper, and Ruby, and Fyn was holding onto a vine!

"Guys," Fyn repeated, "I'm going to throw this to you. Just hold onto it until I tell you what to do next." Fyn tossed the vine, and Littlefoot ducked into the water and grabbed it.

"Thanks," Cera called sarcastically, looking back at the fast-approaching River-Dweller, "now what?"

On the ledge, Fyn looked to his companions. They'd all grabbed a hold of the vine.

"Pull!" Fyn yelled, and they began to drag the other log towards shore. They could only move a little before they had to stop, but it was enough. Their friends were out of the Swimming Sharptooth's path, and the river was flowing too fast for it to change directions. The massive predator ripped past Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike, and with a terrible roar, careened over the falls. Its terrible rule was over.

"Okay," Fyn yelled to his companions with the vine still between his teeth, "pull again!" He looked out to Littlefoot and his friends.

"And this time, you guys pull, too!"

Littlefoot nodded, and everyone began pulling, shortening the gap between them. Before long, the log had made it to shore, and Littlefoot and his friends jumped off, letting go of the vine. The river took the log away immediately, sending it over the falls as the dinosaurs climbed up onto the ledge to survey their work.

"Do you think it's dead?" Cera asked, "the River-Dweller, I mean."

"I can't say for sure," Littlefoot answered, "but It'll never come up this way again. You can be sure of that."

Terra, meanwhile, approached Fyn from behind.

"Hey, Fyn."

"Hey."

Terra sighed; this wasn't going to be easy. "What did you save me for?"

"Sorry, what?" Fyn said, turning around to face her.

"Back where we fell off the log. You saved my life. Why? You could've just let me go and saved everyone else more trouble."

Fyn thought about his answer, then slowly said, "I owe you. You saved my life, and I saved yours. A life for a life. Now we're even." He paused for a moment. "And I couldn't leave a friend behind."

Terra was taken aback. Despite everything hurtful she'd said to Fyn, he still respected her as a friend now? He had changed.

"Are we friends again, then?" Terra asked.

"Only if that's what you want," Fyn said.

Terra smiled. "Of course it is."

"Good," Fyn smiled back, "I'd hate to lose you or any of my friends, no matter what kind of dinosaur they are."

"Alright, guys," Littlefoot said to the others, "we won this battle, and we can win the next. Our job now is to get back to the Fastrunners. There's still one more Sharptooth to take care of."

Everyone looked at each other, sizing up their strength as a team. Littlefoot remembered his grandfather's words from his sleep story the other night.

"-whatever hardships may come, have faith in your friends- all of them. Working together, you can be strong."

Fyn smiled. Now, he could see just how true those words were. As they began to head back, Fyn knew that whatever challenge awaited them next would be met, and he and his friends would overcome it.

Together.

Chapter 6: Into the Shadow

Ducky whipped around. Standing behind her was Thim.

"Please, sir, we aren't trying to cause you any trouble, no no no."

Thim smiled, but the gesture held no happiness. "I know. Actually, I must apologize for the trouble we've caused you. It was only a matter of time before you found out how we repay the Sharpteeth for protecting us."

"But offering up your own lives," Terra said, "why?"

The Fastrunner let out a deep sigh. "Three seasons ago, this valley was nothing like the way you see it now. My fellow Fastrunners, numbering easily in the thousands and I had been traveling for a long time across the Mysterious Beyond, looking for a place to call home. We found the Highmountains when we had just about given up hope. Though the journey up here through the Sharptooth-filled forest was difficult, my herd pulled through, and we settled here. It was a paradise, completely isolated, and food was plentiful. We all lived happily until one fateful night. I remember it well, because I was responsible for standing as lookout near the cave. A single Sharptooth, it seemed, had learned of our location and decided that, trapped as we were, picking us off in this valley would be easy."

"The Dark-Dweller," Fyn said softly.

Thim nodded. "Yes, it was what we now call the Dark-Dweller. It came through the cave, and we were powerless to stop it. Without any warning whatsoever, it entered our place of sanctuary and ravaged it. Many of us fell that night to its jaws. Eventually, only a thousand or less of us were left, forced to the river, stuck there for days on end. Some of us tried to cross it , but another Sharptooth lay in wait: The River-Dweller. It snapped up those of us who tried crossing effortlessly. Eventually, we came to realize that the Sharpteeth were working together, strange as it may seem. One night, when my herd and I couldn't stand it any longer, I met the Dark-Dweller on my own terms, alone. A few of us, including myself, are still gifted with the Sharptooth language, and I managed to convince the Sharptooth to cease his attack. The Dark-Dweller only asked for one thing in return: that we provide the River-Dweller and himself with one of our own for nourishment when they called for it. At first, it was hard to do, but it eventually became routine to offer one of us up. They never took much, only one every few days, but recently, their demands have increased. That is why I finally decided to ask for help."

He lowered his head. The story had been painful for him.

"Wait," Littlefoot said, "if the only way out of here is through the cave or the river, then how did you escape?"

"The river," Thim said. "You saw only a few of us in the Great Valley. In reality, twice that number left, but even though we waited for the dark of night, the River-Dweller took its share."

"But how did you escape?"

"We followed the river. It flows down a steep canyon, and we eventually crossed to the other side and forced our way up and out of the rocks. Never in my life would I want to repeat an experience like that." He shivered. "We came to the Great Valley because it was the closest location we knew of that would be guaranteed to have Leaf Eaters who might help us."

"Why would how close we are matter?" Cera asked.

"If either the River-Dweller or Dark-Dweller noticed our numbers thinned for an extended period of time, I shudder to think of what would happen to the rest of my herd. We had to get back as soon as possible."

Terra was seething. "So it's oppression, then."

"I beg your pardon?" Thim said.

"This situation you're in. It's oppression, plain and simple. The Sharpteeth are stronger, and they know it, so they use their power to force you to bend to their will. It's sick, it's cowardly, and it's not how Sharpteeth were meant to live. I hate it."

"As do we all," Thim said. "Now I must ask, how do you children plan to stop the Sharpteeth?"

"Well," Littlefoot said, "that's going to take some work, but we'll let you know tomorrow."

"Understood," Thim nodded. He began to walk away, then turned back. "If there's anything you need-"

"Don't worry," Littlefoot said, "we'll ask if we have to."

Thim nodded and disappeared into the darkness. Littlefoot looked back at the river.

"Well, we've seen what one of these Sharpteeth can do. Let's go have a look at the other."

"The Dark-Dweller?" Chomper asked, "have you lost your mind, Littlefoot?"

"He's right," Fyn said, "we need to know what we're up against."

"Oh no," Cera said, "count me out."

"Come on, Cera," Ducky said, "you have done this kind of thing before."

"No way."

...

Moments later, Cera found herself at the entrance to the Dark-Dweller's cave with her friends.

"Why do I let you guys talk me into these things?"

"Maybe because you secretly like doing the things you don't like," Ruby said.

Cera let out a low "hrmph" and walked over to Littlefoot.

"What's the plan, smarty-egg?"

Littlefoot looked back at Cera; he'd just been discussing the plan with Terra.

"Terra's going to try to talk to the Sharptooth, and see if we can get him to show himself. If we're lucky enough to talk to him, maybe we can convince him to leave. Chomper will be our translator."

"I still think this is a bad idea, but let's give it a try," Cera groaned.

"That's the spirit," Fyn said, coming up behind Cera and stopping at the cave's entrance. "Right, who goes in first?"

"Me," Terra said, pushing Fyn aside. Fyn could tell that it was a forceful gesture, but not necessarily meant as an attack. He gave Terra the benefit of doubt, and with the others, followed her in.

Inside, the cave was cool, and wind whistled eerily through it. Terra heard the steady drip of water falling to the floor. So far, everything was quiet. There was definitely the scent of another Sharptooth in here, but it was unfamiliar. She stopped suddenly.

"Let's try from here," she whispered. Littlefoot nodded and Chomper came forward. The others backed up.

"Here we go," Terra said. She began, transitioning easily into her natural language.

"Dark-Dweller, I am a fellow Sharptooth. I demand you show yourself."

No answer. Behind, Chomper was translating for everyone else. Terra tried again, this time louder.

"Dark-Dweller, I wish to see you. I, a fellow Sharptooth, call you now!"

This time, something happened. Farther into the cave, a deep, growling hiss sounded. Then, a low, dangerously soft voice spoke.

"Who wishes to see me? Is it time for another meal?"

Terra was taken aback briefly. The voice possessed power, and it worried her, especially with what she was about to say next.

"Hardly. I am a challenger. I wish to meet you to fight for this territory."

The growl was louder, now. "You dare? By the smell of you, you are but a young Sharptooth. I will give you one chance to walk away. After that, I will finish you, and I will enjoy it."

"I doubt that, but since I'm generous, I'll give you one chance to leave before any of this gets out of claw." Suddenly, everything went completely silent. Then, almost at a whisper, the growl came once more. No words were spoken this time, however. This was the sound of a large Sharptooth on the hunt.

"Um, guys," Chomper said, "maybe we could have phrased that a bit better."

"Well, it's a bit late for that," Cera said, glaring at Littlefoot. "What now?"

Littlefoot glanced around. He noticed a cluster of rocks on the right. They would work for cover, if it came to that. Suddenly, the ground began to shake.

Thump, thump.

"Do you hear that?" Cera asked. Ruby, straining to hear, nodded. The sound came again, this time louder.

Thump, thump.

"He's coming," Fyn said in awe, "the Dark-Dweller's coming." He looked towards the rocks. "Time to get to cover," he said to Littlefoot.

Thump, thump.

Littlefoot nodded, and the dinosaurs dove for the safety of the rocks.

Thump, thump.

Suddenly, the Dark-Dweller was revealed in all of his terrible glory. It stood tall, perhaps even as tall as Chomper's parents, but its height wasn't what made it terrifying. It's mouth was huge, longer than any other Sharptooth the gang had ever seen, except perhaps those of the Sail-Teeth that had attacked Fyn's old home, and this Sharptooth's mouth was muscular, too.

Fyn gulped when he saw the large teeth lining the massive jaws: large, sharp teeth meant for only one thing: ending the life of another dinosaur as effortlessly as possible. The Sharptooth was sniffing around now, looking for his challenger. Slowly, it began to move towards the gang. Fyn noticed a small tunnel nearby. They could reach it if they sprinted.

"Littlefoot," he whispered, nudging his friend and nodding towards the tunnel, "we need to try to reach that, or that Sharptooth will be on top of us."

Littlefoot nodded, and relayed the plan to the others. Fyn saw Cera completely flip when Littlefoot told her, but she seemed ready anyway.

"Right," Littlefoot said to the others, "now when I say-"

A thunderous roar ripped through the cavern. The Sharptooth had spotted them!

"Go!" Littlefoot yelled, and he and the friends bolted for the small hole in the cave wall. Fyn sprinted until he felt his lungs would just cease to work, and made it into the tunnel just in time. The Sharptooth's jaws forced themselves into the tiny opening, snarling and snapping, and giving everyone a great view of its numerous teeth. Its breath reeked, too. Fyn recoiled from the stench, easily worse than anything the Bubbling Goo back home could produce. Finally, the Sharptooth gave up, let out a roar of frustration, and retreated. The gang waited until they were sure it was gone, then left their hiding spot.

"So that's the Dark-Dweller," Cera said pessimistically, "great. We're all dead."

"Don't say anything yet, Cera," Ruby said, "It's too early to say anything."

"Ruby's right," Littlefoot said, "we'll think of something. Everyone has a weakness."

"So who do we get rid of first?" Fyn asked.

"I think we should focus on the Water-Dweller," Littlefoot said as they rounded a corner and began to see the Night Circle's light again. The cave opening was just ahead, and the gang spontaneously broke into a run. They were ready to be out of this deathtrap. Then Terra, who was in the lead, got a good look at who was waiting for them outside.

"Oh no," she said, "we've got company."

Littlefoot looked towards the entrance and saw what Terra had seen. Standing in front of the entrance, and looking very menacing, was a pack of Fastrunners, gathered around Orn. Littlefoot remembered Thim's deputy, and his impression of him. It seemed he had been right to dislike him. The blue Fastrunner looked hard at Terra, and smirked dangerously.

"Welcome back," he said as she stepped out of the cave, "we've been expecting you... Twobreed."

Chapter 4: Friendship Shaken

Fyn awoke slowly, and painfully. It seemed to take all of his energy just to force his eyes open, and when he managed to do that, it took long enough just to get them open far enough to see out of. Thankfully, he noticed when his vision was clear, he was in a cave, so he wouldn't have to worry about being blinded by the Bright Circle's light.

He tried standing up, but immediately sank back down. His muscles felt drained. Calling out was useless, too. His tongue felt numb and heavy, and his leg felt like it was burning where the Sharptooth had bitten him.

"Excellent, you're awake."

Fyn turned to acknowledge the voice that had just spoken to him. Peering out of the darkness were two deep blue eyes.

"Terra," Fyn said, "thank goodness-"

Terra stepped fully out of the darkness, and Fyn finally saw her. It all made sense, now: her insisting that Fyn not see her, the tail that he'd seen when he'd woken up, and the Sharptooth that had attacked the smaller Sharpteeth when they attacked him. Fyn, however, couldn't bring himself to believe that this Sharptooth in front of him was actually Terra.

"Stay away," he said, "what have you done with Terra?"

Terra took a step forward, and Fyn slid himself backwards.

"Don't you see, Fyn?" the brown Sharptooth said, "I am Terra."

Fyn's eyes widened. "No, it can't be. It's just not possible."

"Well, it is," Terra said, matter-of-factly.

"This is all wrong," Fyn said to himself.

"What, that you befriended a Sharptooth?"

"Yes!" said Fyn, standing slowly. "I can't believe it- I should have seen this right from the beginning."

"Seen what?" said Terra. Her voice had taken on an edge.

"You wanted this all along. You- you manipulated me into coming here, getting attacked. But it never really worked out, did it?"

Terra's expression was one of confused anger. Fyn went on.

"You wanted to get us all together, so you could take us all down at once. Wouldn't that be a story to tell to the other Sharpteeth back home?"

"Stop this, Fyn," Terra said, "you're still sick from the Sharptooth bite."

"Oh, believe me," Fyn said, "I can see everything much more clearly now. By the way, where did you learn to speak Leaf Eater? From the last one you ate?"

Terra bared her teeth and snarled. "I'm warning you, Fyn. Stop this now, or-"

"Or you'll what? Eat me?" Fyn smirked. "You already tried that. Surprise! Plan failed."

"You push your luck, Longneck," Terra said slowly, and dangerously, "I never wanted to hurt you."

"Yeah, sure," Fyn said, "because I should totally trust a Sharptooth."

"Yes!"

"Why? Because you're looking for a second chance to take me down from behind? I'm sorry, but I don't deal with Sharpteeth."

"I am not your enemy!" Terra roared, rushing forward and planting her face directly in Fyn's.

"All Sharpteeth are my enemies!" Fyn countered, pushing back.

"You're hopeless," Terra said, breaking away, "maybe I should have left you for the Sharpteeth to finish."

"I don't think you could've done that," Fyn said, with venom in his voice, "it's bad form to leave a decent meal to someone else."

"I can't believe you!" Terra said, exasperated, "I saved your life!"

"I don't believe it," Fyn said.

"Well, you'd better, because I did."

"Prove it."

"You were still conscious when I jumped into that whirlwind of Sharpteeth. You would've seen me."

"I saw a dinosaur," Fyn said, still angry, "I don't know who it was."

"Fyn, everything you've said is completely irrational."

"You don't know what I've been through!" Fyn yelled. "You don't know what it's like to lose a family member to a Sharptooth!"

Terra's eyes welled up with tears. "Maybe I don't know what it's like to lose a family member to a Sharptooth," she said softly, "but you forget: I lost both of my parents. That's why I'm here."

Fyn was speechless. What had he done? Slowly, he was regaining his sense as the Sharptooth's poison faded away. Terra had helped him, and what had he done? He'd taken her help and thrown it back in her face. Fyn's old notions were desparately hanging on in his mind, trying to gain a foothold, but a new thought had entered his mind: "What if Sharpteeth really aren't all bad?" The concept was unfamiliar to him. All of his life he had been taught otherwise, but Terra's noble actions were forcing him to reconsider.

"Terra," he said softly, "I'm sorry. The things I said-"

"Stop it," Terra said, hanging her head, "you've broken my trust. It'll take more than 'sorry' to get it back."

Fyn was hurt. Deeper than his hatred for Sharpteeth, which was slowly burning out, was another feeling, a truth that drove him more than anything else. He couldn't bring himself to unprovokedly cause someone else pain, and that was exactly what he was doing now. He had acted rashly, and was now facing the consequences of his actions. He couldn't blame Terra, but he still felt bad that her trust in him was shaken. He'd need to prove himself again.

"We should go," Fyn said.

"Yes," Terra almost whispered, "we should."

The two walked slowly out of the cave and into the morning light, and this time, Terra took up the lead. Fyn had no objections. The two continued to follow the gang's trail in silence. Fyn sighed; this was going to be a long day.

…

In the morning, Littlefoot and the gang gathered at the peak. In the day, the view was even more spectacular, but right now, the scenery wasn't their focus. They were trying to decide how best to descend into the small "valley" below. They'd sent Petrie out to check out the land nearby, in order to see if there might be an easier way down. Now, they could see him returning, his tiny wings flapping wildly.

"Petrie," Ruby called, "what did you see when you looked?"

"Yeah," Cera said, confused by Ruby's odd speech, "what she said."

Petrie panted and huffed as he struggled to stay level in the turbulent mountain air. "It look like this the only way down," he said, "everything else drop."

"But this is a sheer drop, too, Beakface," Cera said.

"Yes, but look," Ducky said, pointing at the slope before them, "this part is smooth, so we could just slide down."

"That's fine, I guess," said Chomper, "but once we're in, how do we get out?"

"Oh that easy!" Petrie said, as he landed on Spike's back. "Me see cave and river, and both lead out of valley."

"Great, then what are we waiting for?" Littlefoot said.

"Yeah, let's slide!" Chomper agreed.

Cera gulped, looking rather pale.

"Cera, what is wrong?" Ducky asked.

"It's okay to be scared of something as scary as this," Ruby added, "and we'll be here so you won't be alone!"

"Thanks," Cera said, "I think." She gulped again and stepped back.

"Goodbye Great Valley!" she yelled as she charged off the edge and tumbled down. Littlefoot and the others followed, staying on their feet and sliding to the bottom of the slope. Littlefoot skidded to a halt right next to Cera, who's fall had been nicely stopped by a large stump.

"That was fun!" he said.

Cera just groaned.

"Wow," Chomper breathed. Littlefoot looked up to see what had his friend so astounded. What he saw took his breath away, too. All around were lush, strange plants, and smooth soil. This place really was a paradise.

"Why did the Fastrunners feel trapped here, again?" he wondered. He'd forgotten the details, but he knew it was something sinister. The fact that he wasn't sure exactly what the problem was only made things spookier.

"Remember why we're here," Littlefoot said to the gang, "let's find the leader and see if he needs our help."

Cera got up and brushed herself off. The others did the same, and followed Littlefoot. Littlefoot wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for, since almost all of the Fastrunners had looked the same. Before long, they stumbled into a clearing. Cera looked on, slack-jawed, at the hundreds of Fastrunners gathered in front of them.

"Right," she said, "now we know where they are, but which one do we talk to?"

"Hm," Ruby said, rubbing the underside of her beak with her fingers thoughtfully, "perhaps if we look for the one who is leading, we might find the leader."

Littlefoot looked around. One Fastrunner was standing apart from the group, near a large, shiny black rock. He was speaking to the others, but the gang was too far away to hear anything.

"Come on," Chomper said, "let's get closer."

The gang slunk into the crowd. As they passed the Fastrunners, they heard murmurs of surprise. They were probably amazed to see others not of their own kind amongst them. Cera was annoyed, but Ducky was practically shaking like a leaf. This was odd, and eerie. Finally they pulled to the front of the crowd.

"-and we have been refused help yet again," the leader said from his perch, "but do not let your hearts waver. We will be free. Someday, someone will arrive, and free all of us from this nightmare." Suddenly, he stopped and looked down at the gang, who had just revealed themselves.

"By the mists of the Highmountains, it can't be!" he said. "How did you seven get in here?"

Everyone pushed Littlefoot to the front. He could serve as spokesdinosaur, as usual.

"Well, we kind of fell in," Littlefoot said.

"Fell," the Fastrunner said, shaking his head in amusement. "Are you here to help us?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Littlefoot said. A few of the Fastrunners laughed in surprise, but others remained grimly silent.

"All of you are brave at heart," the leader said, "are you from the Great Valley?"

The gang nodded.

"Most noble of you, then, to help us. Especially after we were already turned away."

"Yeah," Cera said, "sorry about that. My dad's a little, well-"

"There's no need for apology," the leader said, stepping off of his rock and walking towards the gang with another Fastrunner, similar to him, but blue instead of green, behind him. "If you'll permit me, I would like to show you around our valley, and explain our predicament." He gestured to the Fastrunner behind him. "This is Orn, my deputy, and I'm Thim. Welcome to our..." he hesitated, sighing, "sanctuary. At least that's what it used to be," he said sadly. "Come. There is much I must show you."

"Well that was easy," Chomper whispered as the gang turned to follow Thim and Orn.

"Shh!" Cera shushed him. "I don't know about you, but it looks to me like nobody in this place is in the mood for jokes. Just look around!"

Chomper looked. Indeed, everyone seemed in a trance, as if they were dead inside. He walked on, anxious to get away from here.

"Our valley is under the control of two Sharpteeth. They are called the Dark-Dweller and the River-Dweller," Thim explained.

"Under control?" Littlefoot asked, "what do you mean?"

"I mean that they stand between us and the only two ways out of this valley."

Littlefoot thought about this for a moment. If the Fastrunners were trapped here, then he and his friends were just as trapped. Littlefoot felt very uneasy all of a sudden. No matter what happened, they were committed now. Up ahead, they were approaching a river.

"We're nearing the first of our captors. Don't get too close to the water."

Littlefoot looked into the fast river. He could see it seemed to flow from somewhere inside the valley, but Petrie had been right. To leave the valley, one would have to cross it.

"Can you see the River-Dweller?" Thim asked. Littlefoot squinted. He couldn't see anything, just a large shadow, which he thought must have been cast by the mountains. Then he looked harder. Suddenly, he took a step back in surprise. The shadow had moved!

"That's the River-Dweller?" he asked, fear in his voice.

Thim nodded silently. "She and the Dark-Dweller protect our valley from intruders, but trap us here as well. In return for our safety, we-" Orn, who was nearby, shot him a sharp look. Thim stopped. "On, then," he said, "I must show you the den of the Dark-Dweller."

Littlefoot was truly frightened, now. This place was not as it seemed. What had Thim been about to say when Orn stopped him? What did the Fastrunners do in return for their safety? They walked on; time to see the Dark-Dweller. Littlefoot could tell that whatever was going on here, was much more sinister than it appeared on the surface. He shivered in apprehension. Something had to be done. Soon.

He looked up at the peak from which he and his friends had just plummeted. He really wished Fyn was here. From the look of things, they'd need everyone they had to fix the problems here. Suddenly, Thim stopped in front of a huge, dark cave.

"On the other side of this cave is the second entrance into the valley," he explained. The Dark-Dweller lives in there. He's the most fearsome Sharptooth we've ever encountered, but he does his duty well.

Suddenly, a fearsome roar echoed out of the darkness. The gang recoiled.

"We need to leave," Thim said, as other Fastrunners began to gather by the entrance.

"What's going on over there?" Cera said, "why are they moving towards the Sharptooth?"

"All of your questions will be answered in time," Orn said. It was the first thing he'd said so far. Littlefoot immediately disliked him. His voice was smooth, but seemed to carry an undertone of... something sinister that Littlefoot couldn't quite place.

"For now," Thim said, "we will provide you with food and rest."

The gang followed Littlefoot back into the clearing, but Littlefoot couldn't help but spare a glance back toward the cave. For an instant, it seemed as if one of the Fastrunners near the entrance had gone in! Littlefoot shook his head. The Fastrunner was gone. Perhaps he'd never been there to begin with. Littlefoot blinked. All he knew was that he needed some rest. The Bright Circle was high, but he was still tired. Later, he and his friends would figure this out. For now, though, he would have to only wonder at what other hidden horrors this "paradise" held.

Chapter 2: Two's a Herd

Fyn was at the meeting-place early the next day. He'd woken himself up repeatedly during the night, to make sure he wouldn't miss his chance, and he was certainly feeling his lack of sleep now. Concealed in some low-growing shrubs, he was having a tough time keeping his eyes open. Above, the Night Circle still cast its faint light over the Valley, giving everything a surreal, white glow. Fyn was about to yawn, when the sound of breaking branches forced him to stifle it. Ducky and Spike had arrived.

"We're first, Spike! We will wait for the others now, yep yep yep," the Swimmer said. Spike simply nodded, and began to chew on a nearby patch of grass. Soon, Littlefoot and Cera arrived, as well, followed by Petrie, and lastly, Ruby and Chomper.

"What are we waiting for?" Cera asked Littlefoot, who hadn't said a word so far.

"Fyn," Littlefoot replied.

"Give it up," Cera said, "if he's not here now, he won't show later, either. Come on, we're wasting the day."

"I guess you're right, Cera," Littlefoot said. Fyn could sense disappointment in his voice, and for a moment, he wanted desperately to leap out of the bushes, cry "here I am!" and make amends. But he couldn't; not with Chomper and Ruby around. Instead, he bit his tongue and slunk even farther back into the bushes.

Littlefoot turned around, to face his friends. "Chomper, can you pick up the trail?"

The Sharptooth sniffed the air for a moment, then nodded. "I've got it. Follow me."

Fyn watched as the gang left, growing smaller and smaller in the distance until finally he was sure they were far enough away that they wouldn't notice him.

"Alright," he said to himself, "time to follow them."

"Funny, I was just about to do the same thing."

Fyn whirled around, facing the voice who had just spoken. He barely managed to catch a glimpse of blue eyes as the stranger behind him disappeared into the foliage; blue eyes that seemed to be... glowing?

"That's impossible," he thought to himself, "only Sharpteeth's eyes can glow in the dark. Must've been my imagination."
"Hello?" he said aloud, "who are you?"

"Someone just as interested in following the herd as you are," the voice spoke. Fyn was unsure what to make of this stranger.

"Don't I get to know a name?" he asked.

"Terra," the voice said. From the name and the tone, he could tell that the voice was female. "It's Terra. And you are?"

"Fyn," the Fin-Neck responded, proudly.

"Well, Fyn, nice to meet you."

"You too."

The voice was silent, then, so Fyn spoke again.

"You mentioned following them?" he said, gesturing towards his friends, now farther away.

"I did," Terra said, "and it sounds like you plan to do the same."

"That's right," Fyn said.

"Want any company?" Terra asked.

Fyn was taken aback by the offer. He hadn't expected company, but his father had always stressed safety in numbers, especially in the Mysterious Beyond, so...

"Sure," he said, finally, "I wouldn't mind having company."

The bushes rustled and Fyn turned to leave. He began to walk, then stopped to look back. He caught a glimpse of a dark shape scurrying back into the bushes.

"Terra?" he asked, "what's wrong?"

Terra stuttered from her hiding place, "I- I... really would prefer it if you didn't see me."

"What do you mean? Why?"

"I have a... skin sickness, and I look terrible," Terra said slowly.

"A skin sickness," Fyn said, thoughtfully, "that's really terrible. I'm sorry."

"Oh don't be," Terra reassured him, "I'm fine, really. I just would rather you didn't look at me."

Fyn shrugged, "If that's what you want-"

"In fact," Terra said, "I'll walk behind you on this journey. Promise me you won't look back at me."

Fyn shook his head, musing, "I promise." He turned his head away. This "Terra" was an interesting dinosaur. "You can come out, now."

Hesitantly, Terra stepped forward. She was, in fact, the same Sharptooth who, the previous day, had overheard Littlefoot's plans to leave the Valley. Fyn, of course, didn't know this. True to his word, he'd kept his head turned away. Terra breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed she could trust this Longneck.

"Shall we?" Fyn asked, hearing Terra step up behind him.

"Let's," Terra said. The two began to follow the gang's trail, heading off towards the Mysterious Beyond.

…

The Bright Circle beat down upon Littlefoot and the gang as they made their way out of the Mountains that Burn. Now that daytime had arrived, they didn't need to use Chomper's nose to follow the trail. The Fastrunners' tracks stood out in stark contrast to the flat ground. Chomper was glad; now he could use his nose for other purposes, such as finding out what was in the area. He sniffed once, inhaling the many scents, each one telling a different story. Suddenly, he almost stopped in his tracks in surprise. One of the scents was very familiar, and it seemed to be coming from behind.

Chomper turned his head, and his suspicions were confirmed. The scent was, in fact, coming from behind, as if it were following him. He sniffed again. Something about it smelled familiar. He would have to think about it, he decided, and began to rack his brain, trying to decipher the mystery scent.

"Not like there's anything else to do, anyway," he thought to himself.

…

Meanwhile, Fyn and his mysterious companion, Terra, were making good progress, following the trail but remaining out of sight. Fyn and Terra were talking to alleviate their boredom.

"Where do you come from?" Fyn asked, remembering not to look back.

"Far from here," Terra answered, "from a place called the Big Water."

"Big Water? I've never heard of it."

"Really?" Terra asked.

Fyn nodded. "My herd never really migrated in that direction, I guess."

"Well," Terra said, "allow me to describe it, then."

"Please do."

"The Big Water is basically just what its name says it is. It's big, and it's all... water."

Fyn rolled his head in mock exasperation. "I never would have guessed."

"Very funny," Terra said. "My family lived on an island in the Big Water, which is kind of like a piece of land that just sits out in the water."

"Neat," Fyn said. "So why are you out here? I mean, why are you so interested in following Littlefoot and everyone else?"

Terra sighed, "that's a pretty complicated story, are you sure you want to hear it?"

Fyn nodded. Terra began.

"My family and I lived together on the island until an earthshake hit. When it happened, we were separated. I ended up on the mainland somehow... I'm still not exactly sure how. Anyway, when I came to my senses, my parents were gone, and I was completely alone. So, I started wandering through the Mysterious Beyond, trying to find them. That's how I wound up in your valley."

"Valley?" Fyn asked, "don't you know what 'valley' you were in?"

"Not really," Terra replied.

"You mean to tell me you were in the Great Valley and didn't even know it?"

"The Great Valley?" Terra said, surprised, "no kidding! Wait, what's the Great Valley?"

Now it was Fyn's turn to be surprised. "You've never heard of it?"

"Never."

Fyn was really amazed, now. "The Great Valley is the safest place for Leaf Eaters to live. Sharpteeth can't get in, and green food always grows. It's not always perfect, of course," he added, recalling the many disasters he'd been told had befallen the Valley, a few of which he'd seen for himself, "but it's home."

Terra nodded. Obviously, of course, the Great Valley wasn't completely off-limits to Sharpteeth. She'd gotten in, hadn't she? She decided to hold her tongue, though. Fyn didn't need to know that she was a Sharptooth. It was better this way, with the two of them as friends instead of mortal enemies.

"So why are you following Littlefoot?" Fyn pressed again.

Terra shrugged, "I've never been to the Highmountains before. I guess it's just one more place my parents could be. Not to mention it sounded like those Farwalkers that came by yesterday really needed our help, and as far as you are concerned, traveling through the Mysterious Beyond would make you a no-hassle Sharptooth meal waiting to happen."

Fyn couldn't argue; he liked Terra's logic. Obviously, living out here had made her wise.

"Well, if it's any consolation," he said, "I feel pretty confident having you out here."

"Thanks," Terra said.

Fyn looked up at the sky. The Bright Circle had begun its descent.

"We need to find a place to stop for the night," he said.

"How about those rocks?" Terra said, gesturing towards a rocky area. Then she remembered her instructions for Fyn to avoid looking at her. "The rocks on your left," she added.

Fyn saw them. "Excellent. We'll stop early. I'll make sure you're out of my line of sight tonight."

"Thanks," Terra said, appreciatively. It seemed she and Fyn could have a bit of a friendship after all, she thought.

…

Ahead, Littlefoot and the gang had also stopped. Littlefoot had sent Petrie up to observe the surrounding area, and the Flyer had just returned.

"What did you see, Petrie?" Ruby asked.

Petrie stretched for a brief moment, then began to speak. "Me see big mountains up ahead. Maybe they be Highmountains?" he asked Littlefoot.

"I think you're right," Littlefoot said to the Flyer, "if these tracks keep heading in the same direction, we'll be climbing those mountains tomorrow. I say we stop now and rest up for the climb."

Cera stepped forward, addressing Littlefoot. "You know what? For once, I actually agree with you. My feet are killing me."

Everyone laughed and began to settle in, taking care not to wander far from the tracks. Chomper settled down next to Ruby. They bid each other a good night, and Chomper heard Ruby doze off. He, on the other hand, lay awake. He'd just detected the smell again, from earlier, and he thought he knew what it was: Fyn, the Fin-Neck whom Littlefoot had asked to join the gang for the journey, and something else. There was a faint smell of Sharptooth, too, but he couldn't place what kind it was, or how old. He decided that the two scents were in close enough proximity to be traveling together.

Chomper looked over at Littlefoot, slumbering peacefully. He briefly considered telling him what he'd just discovered, but decided against it. At this point, it was just speculation. Besides, he reasoned, if it was Fyn, then the Fin-Neck probably had a good reason for not wanting anyone else to know he was following. Chomper lay back down.

"Another mystery solved, thanks to the nose," he thought, smiling. It wasn't long before he too dozed off.