The Land Before Time: Dawn of the Seven Heroes

[brekclub85]

Interesting chapter TFS!

I liked the connection to LBT 7 and the surprise about Dusk

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter X: The Winds of Change

In which the gang of seven becomes more.


   “My lord! I- I didn’t know you were standing there,” the Long Neck stammered.

   Dusk chuckled. “It’s alright, dear. You were trying to help Menta, and for that, you have my thanks. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like a few words with her.”

   She bowed courteously and left them alone. Menta sat upright.

   Dusk knelt to eye level with Menta and spoke softly. “Menta, if I told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times: take it easy with your power. Your concern for my welfare is more like an obsession. By putting yourself in harm’s way, you only make me worry more. Since you want what is best for me, please stop making me worry. Understand?”

   “Yes, my lord.”

   Dusk sighed. “You say that and in the exact same tone every time I explain all this.” He got to his feet. “Get some more rest. When you have recovered, join the rest of us in the meeting room, alright?”

   “Of course, my lord.” As Dusk left her, Menta let out a heavy sigh and plopped onto her back. “I’d rather risk you worrying than risk you dead.”

********************

   “Don’t look so surprised,” Rey told Chomper. “Did you think his friendliness toward you was just a typical circumstance? He came to know of the prophecy, surely from that psychic friend of his, and he was just trying to get at least one of you on his side to keep The Seven from stopping him.”

   “You’re lying!” Chomper exclaimed.

   “Is he?” Reina asked. “Dusk is highly intelligent. He knows how to get what he wants- all made possible by pretending he wants what others do. He wears down minds, focusing on several factors, and in the end, the dinosaur is mere mud in his hands, able to be shaped as Dusk sees fit. Did he do anything nice for you when you two first met?”

   “He saved me life,” Chomper said in an angry tone.

   “There, you see?” Reina continued. “He did something nice for you, putting you in a state of feeling obligated towards him.”

   “I don’t know what that means, but Dusk helped me get back to the others, so he wasn’t trying to keep me separated,” Chomper said.

   “More mind games!” Reina exclaimed. “He knows he has several chances to get you away, so he gave up that one so you would be less suspicious in the future. When you’ve been around, you learn how to read dinosaurs.”

   “I don’t believe Dusk would do anything like that. If finding this stone and saving your world will take all seven of us, and Dusk wanted to make sure I didn’t help you guys, why did he save my life? He would have had nothing more to worry about if he’d have let me die,” Chomper explained defiantly.

   Rey put his hand on his chin in thought. Chomper had a point there. If Dusk truly wanted the prophecy to fail, why didn’t he let Chomper die when the chance came? Perhaps Dusk isn’t as easy to read as Reina thinks.

   “Besides, how do you know Dusk is the one who wants to make this terrible wish? Maybe there is another you don’t know about.”

   “In the vision, he saw a day after the ëbright circle’ had gone down, but before the sky had grown dark.”

   “So what?” Cera asked.

   “The time in a day when the ëbright circle’ is down but night has not yet taken over is called ëdusk,’” Rey explained. Now it was Chomper’s turn to be speechless.

   “Think what you will,” was all Reina could think of to add. Then she paused. Turning to Rey, she asked, “Is it almost time?”

   “Eh, we’re getting there,” he replied. “Although, the children are much younger, so the changes will likely take place sooner than it would for one of us. The more developed a mind is, the longer the energy takes to get through.”

   “Changes?” Ruby asked. “What kind of changes will the changes bring?”

   “The stone radiates energy in a fair vicinity, and to those who soak it up long enough, power is given. You’ve all seen the power we have. It is called ëTransport.’ We can disappear, then reappear any place that we can see from where we currently are. We can also bring with us anything that we have touched. Didn’t you all ever wonder how I got that big pile of green food into that cave for you? However, touching something lets us Transport it one time. If we want to move it again, we have to touch it once more.”

   “So that’s why you tapped all of us before we appeared here!” Littlefoot said.

   “Correct,” Rey answered. “Anyway, soon you all will have power of your own.”

   “You mean, we get to move around like you do?” Petrie asked.

   “Very doubtful,” he answered. “The power you get reflects your lifestyle. Her and I love to be on the move, and as a result, our power lets us move around with great ease. Also, your outer body will change color depending on what power you get, although the new coloration can only be seen by others with a power.”

   “Ooh, that sounds exciting, it does, it does,” Ducky said excitedly.

   “When we get the power, how do we know what to do with it?” Ruby wanted to know.

   “Ah, good question. The power binds to you, becoming a natural part of what makes you, well, you. Nobody had to teach you how to breathe when you were born. Using the power will come to you as easily as when you took your first breath of fresh air. Now, I suggest we all relax here until it happens. The changes will be very strenuous on your bodies, so best get some rest.”

   The nine dinosaurs all sat down as comfortably as they could.  The winds began to pick up, warm and pleasant on the cool day. A few minutes went by.

   “This is so boring!” Cera growled. “Are you sure something is going to happen?”

   “No,” Reina answered. “This is all based off some random guess, and for all we know, nothing may happen at all.”

   The children turned to her, and she could barely suppress smiling at her sarcasm.

   “Why you-”

   “Cera, just calm down. Save your strength,” Littlefoot reasoned.

   “Ooh! If I have to listen to her one more time, I-” but she stopped as she began to feel dizzy.

   “It has begun,” Rey announced.

   All the children except Littlefoot hung their head and their bodies began to glow. There came a bright flash from the six of them, then the light faded. Save Littlefoot, the children’s bodies were now each of a different color. Ducky was blue, Petrie purple, Ruby grey, Chomper brown, Spike dark grey, and Cera dark green.

   “You have all become more than you were. You will need these powers to be triumphant in this quest,” Rey declared.

   “Why do you keep making this out to be a big deal?” Cera asked. “We have to find the stone before Dusk’s group does. If they wanna play rough, I’ll show ëem a thing or two.”

   The Rainbow Faces sighed at her constant underestimating of the situation.

   “I don’t understand,” Littlefoot said. “Why did they change colors, and why didn’t I?”

   “Your friends have been given great power, and their bodies adapted in the process. Their new colors reflect the type of power they’ve gained. As to why you have not, I must say, I too am at a loss,” Rey told him, scratching his head. “For some reason, the power is taking longer to take effect on you.”

   “In the mean time, let’s begin your training. You may know what your power is, but that doesn’t make you adapt at using it. I will be right back,” Reina told them.

   Minutes later, she returned. “Up to this point, nearly all you’ve done against these is run. Now you have the power to fight. If you think you’re capable of accomplishing this mission- I really don’t care. What I want to see, is proof. Transport!”

   Before the group appeared a full-grown Sharptooth, sound asleep. The children gasped.

   “Err, don’t you think this is a bit much for their first go at it?” Rey whispered.

   “We won’t see anything unless the stakes are high,” she replied. “Now then!” she called out, “Make this Sharptooth run from you, and I’ll know if you’re all really up to this. When you gain power, you automatically know how it works. Let’s see how you use that knowledge.”

   She bent over, picked up a small rock, and flung it at the Sharptooth. He awoke slowly, drowsily opening his eyes and getting to his feet. His eyes jerked widely however, when the meat before him came into view.

   Ducky quickly looked around for water, and Cera did for plants. Petrie flew up, shaking, and flapped his wings hard. Gusts of wind blasted from them, but the Sharptooth was too big to be knocked over from them. He was forced back only slightly and batted his claws in front of his face, and Petrie flew out of reach. Spike ran up to the Sharptooth and bit his foot. It didn’t hurt much, but he lifted his great leg and brought it down hard on Spike’s small body.

   “Spike!” Ducky screamed.

   The Sharptooth screamed too, bit his shriek was in pain. He lifted his foot to reveal blood, but it wasn’t Spike’s. Spike’s body had become very hard, harder than stone, and the spikes on his tail had punctured the Sharptooth’s foot.

   Cera spotted a tree and concentrated. Its roots sprung out of the ground and covered the Sharptooth’s feet, but he broke out of them with ease. “No, it didn’t work…”

   “There is no water here. What can I do?” Ducky thought frantically. Then she looked at that tree and remembered one of Mr. Thicknose’s lessons, how plants soak up water to survive. She lifted up her hands and water broke free from the tree and she flung it into the Sharptooth’s eyes.

   He staggered around, moving closer to the ledge, but he began to regain his balance. Ruby quickly ran up to him, flung her arms toward him, and gusts of wind rammed into him, knocking him closer to the ledge. Chomper lifted a medium-sized boulder and flung it behind the Sharptooth. The Sharptooth stepped back, lost his footing on the boulder, then Petrie added gusts of his own to Ruby’s which sent him falling down the cliff.

   Littlefoot watched all of this in amazement.

   Rey and Reina clapped their hands together. “Well done,” he said. “You used your newfound powers in conjunction with a sudden situation quite impressively.”

   None of the children understood that, but they figured that it was a compliment.

   “As for you,” Rey said, turning to Littlefoot, who was still unchanged, “I am most perplexed…”

[brekclub85]

I liked the demonstration of the powers, TFS. I wonder what's to come.

Also, is that the last we've seen of that sharptooth?

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Also, is that the last we've seen of that sharptooth?

While I will have some characters come back from time to time over the course of the trilogy, that Sharptooth was just a one time thing.

Chapter XI: Littlefoot’s Time to Shine

In which the delay is understood, and Littlefoot gains more than he bargained for.


   A Flying Sharptooth neared the area the children were at, then stopped short. His eyes widened when he saw them.

   “Lord Dusk will be unpleased,” he thought to himself. He circled around to avoid their line of sight, then swooped down into the cave that the others were sitting inside.

   “Welcome back, Ceit,” Dusk greeted him. “Anything to report?”

   “Well, erm, I-”

   “Spit it out.”

   “They brought the children to this mountain, and the kids have gained the power as a result, ma lord,” he said nervously. They had failed to recruit the children, and now they had the power to pose a threat.

   “Thank you for letting me know,” Dusk replied.

   Ceit flinched, but then opened at his eyes at the gentle remark. “You’re- not angry?”

   “Come now, I am not some raging beast that goes into a rampage at every report that isn’t bright circle light and sky colors,” he said with a grin.

   “Of- of course not! I wasn’t suggesting- Far be it from me to-”

   “Relax, Ceit. Always so uptight. In any case, I knew this would happen. I did not have you go searching in hopes we could stop it. I just wanted to know when it had taken place.”

   “Would you like me to keep an eye on them, ma lord?” Ceit asked, growing in comfort.

   “Yes. Your ëmasterpiece-’ can you make it again?” Dusk inquired.

   “As surely as I stand before you. I will get to work right away.”

   “Excellent.”

********************

   “Do you think something’s wrong with me?” Littlefoot asked.

   “Doesn’t matter if there was,” Reina replied. “The power comes to anyone, even if they have tons of problems. After all, it worked on Cera, didn’t it?” She laughed at her own joke. A small shrub leapt from the ground and whacked in the face.

   “Serves you right,” Rey said, beginning to laugh as well. Now that Cera had power too, their fights were going to get a lot more interesting.

   Littlefoot groaned, and everyone turned to him. He looked drowsy, like the others had earlier, but his body did not change. The others continued to watch him, then he shook his head abruptly, and plopped onto the ground.

   “Littlefoot, are you okay?” Ducky asked him.

   He stood up, and he had a stern look in his eyes. “I’ve never felt better in my life.”

   “Oh my, does that mean you’ve gained the power as well?” Rey asked quickly.

   “Yes. Although, there are two powers swirling inside me.”

   “Two?” Reina questioned. “That’s unheard of. We all get a power to match our personality, our lifestyle. We don’t live two different kinds of lives.”

   “Perhaps…” Rey said. “But maybe…” Everyone turned to him. “Cera, when you’re angry, you show your anger, right?”

   “Duh.”

   “And Petrie, when you’re afraid, you don’t hide it one bit, do you?”

   “Well- no,” he answered, blushing.

   “Most dinosaurs act as they feel. Their actions are true reflections of what’s inside. Some, however, keep a lot of how they feel and think to themselves, and show a completely different aspect through their actions,” Rey explained.

   “You mean like, someone being angry yet acting happy?” Ruby asked.

   “To put it simply, yes. It’s having two sides of one’s self, often feeling one way, but letting out another. I suppose a lot of dinosaurs have done that on occasion, but there are those whose lives practically revolve around such a thing. If Littlefoot has been keeping a lot to himself, and living his life contrary to his feelings, it’s possible he’s gained two powers, one for each side of him, and that would also explain why it took so much longer; gaining two powers is naturally slower than gaining one.”

   “Well Littlefoot?” Cera asked him, “What can your powers do?”

   “It’s hard to explain. It’s like daytime and night, and I can only use one kind at a time. If I call out to one, I take on its abilities.”

   “How about a demonstration?” Reina asked.

   “Okay, here goes! Light, shine within my heart!” he called out. There was a brilliant flash of light, and the others had to shield their eyes. When they opened them, they saw Littlefoot, skin white, glowing like the bright circle.

   “Wow!” Chomper exclaimed.

   “How do you feel?” Ruby asked him.

   “The light divine is most wondrous, my dear. May it give me the strength to protect us from our foes, and lead them down a path of righteousness,” he told them.

   “Uh, Littlefoot?” Cera asked slowly. Turning to the Rainbow Faces, she asked, “What’s wrong with him?”

   “I believe nothing,” Rey answered, hand on his chin. “My guess is that by changing into this light form, his personality has become like light itself. He’s still Littlefoot, but his mannerisms are being influenced by the energy.”

   “Your theory speaks well of you, good sir. Thou art correct, and may thy wisdom continue to guide us all.”

   “I hope I can get to used this,” Cera thought to herself, already slightly disturbed at Littlefoot’s behavior.

   “Would you please show us a demonstration of what you’re capable of?” Rey asked.

   “Power is not granted to wield for show, but to emerge when comes the direst of cirsumstances. However, being as your request was most courteously presented, I yield to it.” He turned to Petrie. “Dear friend, wouldst thou kindly begin a rock slide upon us?”

   “You- you want me to put us in danger?” he asked incredulously.

   “Nay,” Littlefoot responded. “For whilest I stand before thee, no harm shall befall us.”

   “O-okay.” And with that, he flew up to a higher ledge of the mountain, and he flapped his wings hard, emitted strong gusts of wind. It knocked down a rock which hit more on the way down, resulting in a large avalanche of rocks. They were nearly upon the dinosaurs below.

   “Intervention!” Littlefoot shouted, and the group was surrounded by a force of light, and the stones bounced off of it harmlessly.

   “Incredible,” Rey thought to himself. “I understand you wield yet another power. I think it best that I know all the strengths of this group to help operate it effectively.”

   “Very well. Release!” And with that, Littlefoot went back to normal. He staggered a bit, and Chomper rushed over to support him.

   “Unh. Sorry guys. That power is overwhelming. It’s going to take me some time to get used to it. And thanks, buddy.”

   “I know how you feel…” Cera muttered.

   “You’re welcome,” Chomper replied.

   “Let me just get a hold of myself before changing again.”

   “Very well. Rest a bit, I insist,” Rey told him.

   Littlefoot had sat down for only a minute or so before a scream pierced the air. He jerked up and looked down the mountain, the others doing the same. “Ali!?” he exclaimed.

   Down below, not far from the mountain, Ali was being chased by a Fast Biter. Other than him, she was alone; her herd was nowhere in sight. She was approaching a base section of the mountain that had no path or opening. Soon, she’d have nowhere to run.

   “Get me down there, now! I’ll save her!” Littlefoot declared.

   Rey tapped his shoulder. “Transport.” And with that, Littlefoot was at the bottom.

   “Now is as good a time as any to try out my other form,” he thought to himself. “Darkness, burn within my body!” There was a flash like last time, only now there was no reason to cover one’s eyes. This time, the glare was pitch black, and his skin was a dark hue like the night sky. “Today you die, Sharptooth!” Littlefoot ran past Ali, diving into the Fast Biter.

   The force of the impact sent them both flying back. Ali stopped and turned in surprise. The Fast Biter snapped at Littlefoot’s shoulder, nicking it enough to draw blood.

   “Enjoy the taste of my blood. It will be the last your tongue shall ever know!” Littlefoot’s toes extended into sharp claws, and the flatness of his teeth was no more. “Now it’s your turn to share!” and with a violent slash, he tore deep gashes into the Fast Biters chest. He screamed in pain, and Littlefoot hopped off. Littlefoot licked the blood off one of his feet menacingly, taunting the Fast Biter to come again. “I will show you no mercy; your death will be slow. I will enjoy watching you suffer as you did to my friend.”

   He ran up to Littlefoot, slashing with his claw, but Littlefoot caught the swipe in his mouth, and bared his teeth, and the Fast Biter roared in pain.

   Rey and Reina watched from above, both alarmed at Littlefoot’s vicious demeanor.

   “Transport!” Rey called, and he appeared beside Littlefoot. “Littlefoot, take it easy! You’re out of control.”

   Littlefoot said nothing at first, but reared up and back kicked Rey to the ground. With a fiery glare in his eyes, he said, “Never, and I mean never, interfere with my fights.” The look on Littlefoot’s face made Rey’s spine tingle.

   “Get his friends down here! They have to stop this madness,” Rey shouted to Reina.

   In seconds, all the children stood outside the fight. A blast of wind from Petrie knocked Littlefoot off towards a tall tree. Its roots suddenly sprang up to hold him in place. However, his muscles tensed and his body glowed and he quickly broke free from his bonds. The injured Fast Biter took advantage of this and scampered off.

   “No one, not a single soul, ever interrupts my fights and leaves unscathed!” Littlefoot shouted. He ran towards them, but stopped when they did nothing. “Fight me!” he exclaimed. They said not a word, but then Chomper walked slowly towards him. Littlefoot lifted one of his front legs, and knocked him down. Tears formed in Chomper’s eyes, but he got up and approached Littlefoot again.

   “I’m not going to fight you,” he told him, then clutched Littlefoot’s leg tightly.

   The blaze in Littlefoot’s eyes softened. “Release!” he managed to say, and his body went back to normal. His vision clouded, then he collapsed, unconscious.

[Caustizer]

I've read the first chapter and I must say I like this story.  While I found it a bit odd that Chomper would tear up and run away when Ruby says she doesn't like taking care of him (my parents complain about me almost all the time when im here to each other, but always miss me when I'm gone).

It almost seems like it should be a 'gradual neglect' that Chomper feels or perhaps a longing to see his parents once again that drives him away, but I suppose I can give you the benefit of the doubt in that this plot device provides a key stepping stone for the rest of the story.

Also, can you please slow it down a notch?  Updating every day not only makes it tough for possible new reviewers like me to keep up, but it also increases the chances you will burn out and the story will go unfinished.

Keep up the good work.  

Caustizer

[LBTDiclonius]

I really have to say I like your storyand have read it there but I don't review it. Mostly because I don't have an account there yet. In my opinion (you all have your own so why can't I? )it's one of the best fanfics I've read in a long time. Keep up the good work!

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

While I found it a bit odd that Chomper would tear up and run away when Ruby says she doesn't like taking care of him (my parents complain about me almost all the time when im here to each other, but always miss me when I'm gone).

Finally. I've waited a long time to start hearing about the flaws of my work. Thank you very much. I do see where you're coming from and agree with your logic. I definately should have worked up to his departure, not made it so sudden.

Also, can you please slow it down a notch? Updating every day not only makes it tough for possible new reviewers like me to keep up, but it also increases the chances you will burn out and the story will go unfinished.

Point taken. I'll post once every week instead. If that is still too fast, I can wait even longer.

I really have to say I like your storyand have read it there but I don't review it. Mostly because I don't have an account there yet. In my opinion (you all have your own so why can't I? )it's one of the best fanfics I've read in a long time. Keep up the good work!

I'm honored that you hold it in such high regard, thank you.

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XII: The Search Ends, so a Search Begins

In which there is a great discovery.


   “My lord!” the Long Neck called out. “I think I found it!” The entire group gathered around her, and low and behold, a dimly-glowing rock was at her feet. “I nearly tripped over a hole back here. All I could see was dirt, but I was curious about what made the hole so I dug around and there it was.”

   Dusk was ecstatic, but he composed himself and lifted it up. “Let’s waste no time.”

   “My lord,” Menta began, “We have been searching for the stone a long time, but we have yet to know what you plan to do with it. You had me search that Rainbow Face’s mind for secrets of the stone, and I told you it all it can do and of that mysterious prophecy. Does your plan have something to do with the other power of the stone?”

   “Yes, he answered.

   “Oh?” Ceit said, entering the conversation. “There is more to the stone than we thought?”

   “Yes,” Dusk said again. “The stone can grant one wish to a dinosaur, provided five dinosaurs wish for the same thing at the same time, and one of them gives up his or her life. However, if the stone is used on the world it came from, it doesn’t consume a life.”

   “Aw, then what’s the point?” Agu complained. “We can’t get to the Rainbow Face world, so who would help make a wish come true when he can’t be alive to enjoy it?”

   “There are those who place the livelihoods of others ahead of their own,” Dusk told the boy. “Even if one has to die, the joy of doing something great for those he cares about is worth it, even when the feeling lasts but a few seconds.”

   “No my lord!” Menta exclaimed. “If I’d known you intended to sacrifice yourself for a wish, I’d have never helped you! I- I don’t want to lose you again…” but she could not continue, having become too choked up.

   Dusk rested his hand on Menta’s chest. “What is my hand over?” he asked her.

   “M-my heart.”

   “As long as you still have that, you will never lose me, because I’ve made my way inside of it.”

   “No!” she screamed. “I don’t want sentimentality! I want you here with me! I refuse to help you make a wish. I won’t be a part of sending you away again.”

   “It is for the good of all Sharptooth kind.”

   “What can be good about you leaving us? We need you. I need you!”

   “Our kind has been dying off, slowly. There are many of us who either starve trying to find meat, or get killed first by the meat we tried to hunt. I am going to establish a way of life for us that will put to an end to either of those. I sought the stone to wish that Sharpteeth live on green food, just like the kinds we used to hunt.”

   “A life of ease is no life at all if you’re not there. You know I was devastated when you left before. If you choose to die, I will join you!”

   Dusk sighed. “Menta, we are the last of our herd. I need you to live on for the both of us. Don’t let our family die off completely. I will always watch over you.” But still, Menta was too upset to listen to reason.

   “How can you be so heartless?” she shrieked.

   “Alright, the rest of you, let us begin. We have just enough without her.”

   Coaley lowered her head and started sniffing hard.

   “Coaley?” Dusk asked.

   She said nothing in response, and her body shook slightly.

   “Are you alright, Coaley?” Dusk tried again.

   Coaley suddenly rushed over to Dusk, clutching him tightly. She looked up to reveal a face strewn with tears. She kept sniffing, trying to hold them back, but she could no longer.

   “Wahhh! Hic! Don’t die, Dusky, pl- hic-ease! You’ve always been like a- hic- father to me. You took me in when I had nowhere to go. I- I- hic- I can’t lose you! Not now!” And with that, she buried her head in Dusk’s chest and her hiccup sob continued.

   Dusk was silent for a while, then he spoke up. “There aren’t enough willing here to make the wish now anyway.”

   Menta turned to Dusk, and Coaley looked up hopefully with big eyes. The others were relieved. They wouldn’t have helped make the wish either out of their feelings for Dusk, but they were afraid to argue with him. Now that making the wish wouldn’t work right now, Dusk was blissfully unaware that none of them would have complied anyway.

   “For now, let’s just take our leave,” Dusk said at last. “That other group is nearby, and they’ll be enjoying Ceit’s handiwork for a while. Coaley?”

   “Y-yes?” she replied, between sniffs.

   “Take us to the Night Forest. We can reevaluate things there.”

   Coaley’s face lit up. “Okey dokey Dusky! To the Night Forest we go! Warp!”

   And with that, the mountainside no longer supported two groups.

********************

    “I think he’s coming to,” Rey said.

   “Unh.” Littlefoot’s vision came into focus very slowly, and he struggled to his feet.

   “Welcome back,” Chomper said.

   “Wh- what happened?”

   “You called upon your dark form to save a friend, but that kind of power takes a lot of getting used to. You lost control, and ended up passing out,” Rey explained.

   Chomper was rubbing a part of his chest, and Littlefoot noticed. “Chomper! What happened to you?”

   “Oh, well I, kinda, uh, fell, on  a rock,” he replied. “Phew, that was close. I should have thought of something sooner,” he thought to himself.

   “That’s not what hap-” but Ruby quickly covered Cera’s mouth.

   Littlefoot’s eye widened. “Oh! What happened to Ali? Is she alright?”

   “I am, thanks to you, Littlefoot.”

   Littlefoot turned to see Ali, blushing behind him.

   “I’m glad you’re okay. I was afraid that something had happened to you. Wait, she saw my form, didnët she?”

   “Not to worry,” Reina told him. “We filled her in while you were out. Afraid your power might have frightened her?”

   “Yeah…”

   “Considerate boy,” Rey thought to himself.

   “Now that everyone’s awake, mind telling us what you’re doing out here all alone? I find that suspicious,” Reina said sternly.

   “Huh? Me?” Ali asked, confused.

   “Hey, leave her alone. She hasn’t done anything,” Littlefoot shot out.

   “You don’t find it odd that one of your friends happened to be at the same place we were and all by herself?”

   “No, and it doesn’t matter. There’s nothing to ever be suspicious about with her,” Littlefoot said defensively.

   “You’re not even go ask her what she’s doing here?”

   “No. I trust her, and you should too. What matters is finding the stone, so let’s keep looking.” Littlefoot, not having fully recovered, stumbled slightly as he tried to walk.

   “Don’t bother,” Reina told him. “Dusk’s group must have already found the stone.”

   “Why you think that?” Petrie asked her.

   “When you’ve been around the stone long enough, you recognize what it feels like when it’s energy is hitting you. It is plain as day to me that the stone is no longer here.”

   “She speaks the truth,” Rey added. “Still, we knew from the start that this wouldn’t be easy. If it was, we wouldn’t be needing your help. Duskës discovery of the stone begins our search for him, and while being powerful himself, he has strong allies as well.”

   “This is just great. They could have taken the stone anywhere, and for all we know, someone else might have taken it. Finding it now would be like trying to find a tree star in a tar pit,” Cera pointed out.

   “Perhaps, if we didn’t have you,” Rey said with a grin.

   “Huh?”

   “I am familiar with that coloration’s power. You can communicate with plant life, and it’s all connected through the ground. Find a plant and focus your mind through it, while thinking of Dusk. You will be able to see him if he is near other plants.”

   “That’s a big if,” she replied. “But okay.” She turned her head to the left then the right, and spotted a small weed. She closed her eyes, and everyone grew silent. Then her eyes opened, and she announced, “He has the stone, and, we’re going to the Night Forest.”

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XIII: Perils under the Moon and Sun

In which trouble brews for one asleep and some awake.


   “The body- it’s- his. He’s- dead- gone. He’s not warm- at all. Is this- for real?” An adult, female Sharptooth stood in a pool of water, gazing at what floated right before her. She put her hand on his head. He could be sleeping, the way his face looked so peaceful. All that was missing was the rising and falling of his chest; he was motionless.

   She roared in disbelief, and the sound echoed over a great distance. She was confused, for his body bore no marks. No tears from teeth, claws, or horns. She couldn’t begin to fathom what had befallen him. She dragged him out of the water gently. She then walked to some nearby trees, and tearing them from their roots, she brought them over and covered his body.

   She nuzzled his face one last time, then put the last tree on to completely cover him. She had been trembling, ever so slightly from the beginning, and continued as she turned to leave. As she walked away, she said aloud, “My brother will be a meal to no one.”

   She suddenly heard a noise, a slight rustling. She quickly turned to see a hand protruding from the pile of trees.

   Menta sat upright immediately and gasped. She was panting hard, and Dusk’s voice rang out, “Menta? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

   “I- I’m fine,” she replied. “I just had- that dream- again.”

   Dusk, who had been lying beside her, noticed that she was shaking. “You’re not fine,” he said, “You’re cold, aren’t you?” He put his hand on her cheek, only to discover that she was actually warm. He then realized that she was shaking only from her nightmare. Menta had had that dream often, but she had never woke up with the shakes before. Having it so often must be taking its toll.

   Dusk was unsure of what to say. He didn’t want to ask her to stay awake, because he knew she needed her rest. The part of the Night Forest Coaley was able to take them to Dusk had decided was unsuitable to spend the night at. They all had walked until they found a place less open, with thicker clumps of trees and higher up. Menta was already worn out from her emotions of earlier that day, so the walk had really taken everything out of her. Dusk wanted to say, “Just try and go back to sleep,” but he did not want her to suffer again from her night terror.

   Dusk stood up, and walked over to where Ceit was nestled. “Pst. Ceit.”

   “Eh?” he replied drowsily. “Oh! Yes, ma lord?”

   “Have you gotten enough rest?” Dusk asked him.

   “What is it you would have me do?” Ceit asked in return.

   “Menta is still having those nightmares. Do you think you could- just for tonight?”

   Ceit hesitated, then turned to the Long Neck who was sleeping nearby. “To be honest, I am still a bit weary. I’ll have to let her go for a while.”

   “I understand,” Dusk replied, and he too turned to the Long Neck. “I’ll stay up with you, and keep an eye on her.” With that, he got up and went back to where Menta was lying. “It’s alright now. You can go back to sleep.”

   “I can guess what you and Ceit talked about. Thank you.” Then she curled up back to sleep, and Dusk and Ceit sat together, keeping a constant vigil.

   “I’m almost afraid to ask,” Dusk began with a chuckle, “but what are you filling her head with?”

   “My apologies, but I’m a bit too weary for anything extravagant. You and her are watching the bright circle set together, sitting atop a cliff over the ocean,” Ceit explained.

   Dusk patted him on the shoulder. “That’s just perfect. She loves doing that, and it’s been so long since we’ve been able to.”

   ********************

Several hours earlier…

   “Hang on, kids,” Rey instructed. The entire grouped vanished from sight, and reappeared a great distance away.

   “Uh, this isn’t the forest,” Cera pointed out.

   “Agreed,” Rey replied.

   “Aren’t we going to the Night Forest?”

   “Indeed.”

   “Then why are we he-”

   “Such limited thinking,” Reina muttered. “Have you already forgotten Reyës explanation of our power? We can only move as far as we can see; we have to move bit by bit.

   “Fine, but why did we stop here? Can’t you just keep doing it over and over till we get there?” Cera inquired further.

   “Many powers come with what’s known as a ëcool down.’ A cool down is a period of time after an ability is used that it cannot be used again. Different powers have shorter and longer ones. Transport’s is only a few seconds. Unh.” Rey clutched his arm in pain.

   “Are you alright?” Littlefoot asked quickly.

   “It was easier to ignore the pain when I had so much energy. Transporting so many is really taking it all out of me- making my throbbing harder to ignore.”

   “Your body needs rest, rest is just what your body needs,” Ruby said. “Let’s wait a bit for Rey.”

   “He’s fine,” Reina said impatiently. “We need to keep moving. Transport.” The group disappeared again, and again, and again, eventually coming to a thinner section where ample bright circle light shone down.

   “Must you move us so abruptly?” Rey complained.

   “Would you rather me not move you all? I’d be happy to leave you behind.”

   Rey grew silent.

   Reina was about to move them all again when a Flying Sharptooth suddenly swooped down, picked Ducky up, and flew away. It happened so fast that everyone was stunned for a moment, then Petrie shouted, “Me get her!”

   He took to the skies in hot pursuit. The adult however, was much faster than he was, so she quickly made a lot of distance between them.

   “Ooh!” he exclaimed in frustration. “Me never catch up to her,” he thought to himself. “Unless…” Petrie flapped his wings abruptly, focusing hard. A gust of wind emitted from behind his body and he shot forward with a great burst of speed.

   “Go Petrie!” Littlefoot encouraged.

   Petrie was moving faster than he ever had before, and he was nearly upon them, but he was flying too low, and many tall trees were coming up. Petrie was used to maneuvering around them, but he was not accustomed to doing so while flying so quickly, so his timing was off. “Me got her. Me got her. Me- oomph!- don’t- got her- ughhh…” He slammed right into a tall tree and began sliding down.

   “She’s getting away!” Chomper shouted.

   Littlefoot knew something had to be done, and fast. “I’ll handle this!” he called out.

   “Wait!” Rey shouted.

   Recalling that everything ended up alright the last time he did this, Littlefoot called out, “Darkness, burn within my body!”

   There was an explosion of black light, and Littlefoot again donned skin as black as night. Sharp claws extended from his feet, and he began climbing a tree, them digging into it sharply. When he reached the top, he leaped over to the top of another, then another, and so on as he began closing the distance between him and the Flying Sharptooth with Ducky. He finally reached a point just shortly below them. He let out a terrifying roar, and the flying beast looked down just to get her head smacked aside by the butt of Littlefoot’s foot. The shock caused her to release her hold on Ducky and she began falling to the ground below. Littlefoot, however, paid his friend no heed. Fortunately, Ducky managed to grab a hold of a branch on one of the trees and safely climbed down. She looked up to see her friend still fighting.

   Littlefoot jumped up again, landing on her back. She screeched in pain as he dug his now-sharp teeth into her neck. He slashed into her back, and she began loosing altitude from the weight and her injuries. Rey and the others finally caught up after a few transports, and watched Littlefoot tear into the Flying Sharptooth mercilessly.

   “Littlefoot, please stop!” Chomper cried.

   “You are not the you you used to be, but a different you! You need to change back!” Ruby added.

   “If this keeps up,” Rey thought to himself, “He’ll became more of a burden than an asset. He needs to find a way to control that power, or he’s going to hurt more than just foes.”

   The Flying Sharptooth could no longer sustain herself and began plummeting to the ground.

   “Oh no, Littlefoot!” Ducky cried. She quickly looked around her, and spotted a small creek. She lifted her arm, and pointed it towards the water. It suddenly shot upward like a geyser, then jolted diagonally until it was spraying towards the two falling dinosaurs. The strong spray caught them, and slowly lowered them to the ground.

   Ducky rushed over. “Littlefoot, are you alri-”

   He turned and glared at her fiercely. “Did I ask for your help!? Did I say to interfere!? Raw!” He started to pounce on her but was abruptly knocked back into a tree by Chomper.

   “I-I’m sorry, Littlefoot, but I can’t let you hurt any of our friends. If I have to fight you to bring you back to your senses, then- I will,” Chomper told him bravely, though he was shaking.

   Littlefoot got to his feet, shaking his head a few times in the process from the blow, then grinned. “I’m going to enjoy this,” he said as he licked his lips.

********************

   “So what do you plan to do now, ma lord?” Ceit asked. “I have a wee doubt that Coaley and Menta will ever agree to help you with your wish.” He paused. “If I may be so bold as to speak, why not just ask those Rainbow Faces, or some of those kids. I can’t imagine what complaints those two would have to such a wish, and I’d think that those leaf-eating children would be more than happy to oblige to a desire such as yours.”

   “A while back,” Dusk began, “Before I was at odds with that male Rainbow Face, I made a reference to my wish without him knowing. I told him, ëI wonder what life would be like without meat-eaters.’ He questioned my comment, but I only relayed that I was curious. He told me that that would be disastrous. Though that made no sense to me, I did not ask for further explanation, as I did not want to arouse his suspicion. In any case, that situation told me that he would most certainly not assist with my ambition.

   As for the children, I’m sure they have already been warned against helping me. Those two think something bad will come of my wish, but they’re just crazy. What harm is there in no more hunting for food? Anyway, I may have gained Chomper’s trust. Even if he can’t be swayed to join us, perhaps he would help me make the wish. If so, I’d only need to find one more dinosaur.”

   Before Dusk could continue, the young Long Neck began to stir behind him, but neither Dusk nor Ceit took immediate notice. The child awoke and drowsily got to her feet.

   The two quickly turned. “Careless,” Dusk thought to himself in dismay.

    “Huh? Where- where am I? Mother? Mother!? Where are you?” She began looking around her in a panic. “What’s going on!?” she shouted, then she screamed all the more when she saw the Sharpteeth around her.

   The others, Menta, Agu, and Coaley, all woke up from all the noise.

   “Ugh, what’s with all the noise? Can’t you see we’re trying to sleep?” Agu whined. “Go shout somewhere else.”

   “Don’t be mean,” Coaley told him. She walked over to the panicky Long Neck. “Did you have a nightmare?” she asked her gently.

   “I’m dreaming. I must be dreaming,” the Long Neck said to herself repeatedly. “I’m surrounded by talking Sharpteeth who aren’t eating me. Come on, wake up, wake up!”

   “But you are awake, silly,” Coaley tried to reason.

   “Ceit, get her again before she gives away our location!” Dusk exclaimed.

   Ceit closed his eyes and concentrated very hard, but nothing happened.

   “What’s the matter?” Dusk asked.

   “Sorry, ma lord. I just need a minute. Menta’s dream and little sleep has worn me out.”

   The Long Neck started to run deeper into the forest, terrified.

   “What’s wrong with her?” Coaley asked.

   “Ceit’s connection with her is gone. We have to catch her!” Dusk told them.

   “I got this,” Agu said. “I’ll hold her until Ceit’s rested enough to do his thing, but after this, she so owes me. Copy!” Suddenly, there were not one, but three Agus. They all took off running towards her, and quickly caught up. They tackled her to the ground, two holding her legs, and the real one sitting on her back. She struggled very hard though, so the copies really had their hands full. “Hurry it up, will ya?” he called back.

   Finally, The Long Neck ceased her struggling, and the group all gathered around her. Agu’s copies then vanished.

   “M- my lord? What’s going on? What am I doing way out here?” she asked him.

   Agu however, took it upon himself to “explain.” “You were sleepwalking, duh. I had to come chase you down so you wouldn’t get hurt. You owe me now.”

   “Fine. Thank you for your help.” As she walked passed him to get back to their resting area, she licked him on the cheek. “There, we’re even now,” she said with a giggle.

   “Yuck, a kiss doesn’t count for anything! You still owe me for helping you!” he said, cheeks red.

   “I think she more than made up for your help,” Menta said, smiling as she winked at the Long Neck. “I guess that means you owe her now.” Then the whole group started laughing.

   “Ugh, this is so unfair!” Agu whined.

   “I think we’ve had enough excitement for one night,” Dusk told them. “Let’s go back and finish our sleep. The bright circle will be up soon.”

   They all walked back to their spot and lied down to finish resting, except Agu. He first glanced over at the Long Neck, put a hand on his cheek, blushed once more, then said, “Girls…” And with that, he too went back to sleep, and they all slept soundly till daylight came.

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XIV: The Victory of Friendship and the Robbery

In which the battle reaches a conclusion, and something is taken.


   “Let’s waste no time!” and with that, Littlefoot dashed at Chomper. He leaned his body down and slid across the ground, turning then whipping his tail out at the last second, knocking Chomper off his feet.

   Ruby began to step in, but Rey held out his hand. “This is their fight, something they must do. I don’t think either of them want any help.” Ruby still had a very worried look, but waited.

   Chomper charged back at Littlefoot, but Littlefoot glared at him fiercely till he stopped short. Chomper put a hand on his head and began shaking it abruptly, until Littlefoot’s tail smacked him down again.

   “Why did he stop like that!?” Ruby asked.

   Neither Rey nor Reina said a word; they seemed deep in thought.

   “Come on, Chomper! Knock some sense into him!” Cera called out.

   “I- I don’t want to hurt him,” he stammered back.

   “Fight to win, or don’t fight at all,” Rey told him. “If you continue to hold back, you will get hurt and accomplish nothing. His form is much tougher than you may think. He can take a lot.”

   Chomper pulled a small tree from the ground and swung it at Littlefoot. He opened his mouth and caught the limb with ease. He then proceeded to crush the tree to splinters with his sharp teeth.

   “You fool! I can tell when you’re holding back. The power granted to you is great strength. Use it!” Reina exclaimed.

   “You’re pathetic,” Littlefoot told him. “You have no fire in your eyes. Perhaps if more was at stake…” He then leaped over to the others, clutching Ducky in his mouth. “Here’s your choice: Come at me with all you have, or she will be-”

   Littlefoot took a blow to the chest that sent him skidding backward. He was abruptly stopped by hitting a tree which broke from the impact. Ducky went sailing through the air until Chomper caught her.

   “That’s my choice,” Chomper replied.

   Littlefoot go to his feet, revealing a large bruise on his chest. Instead of wincing in pain, he grinned. “Now that’s the stuff. Your skills are worthy of your kind. I would expect no less from a Sharptooth. Raw!” And Littlefoot came at him with great force.

   Chomper reached out and grabbed Littlefoot by the base of his neck. Littlefoot began to choke, slightly. “Don’t ever compare me to other Sharpteeth,” he said in a low tone. “Most of them will show no mercy to a leaf-eater. But me- I’m different, but more than that, I’m your friend. Now stop this right now, before anyone else gets hurt.” Chomper then let go of his neck, and Littlefoot stared at him.

   Littlefoot paused for a moment, then shouted, “Release!” and all the darkness dissipated into the air. Chomper was there to catch him again, but this time, Littlefoot did not collapse.

   “Littlefoot?” Chomper began.

   “Whew! I must be getting better at controlling that power. I didn’t pass out this time,” then he stopped and winced. “Ow. This bruise really hurts. Did that Flying Sharptooth do this to me?”

   Once again, Littlefoot remembered nothing from his transformation. The whole group was too reluctant to say what all took place.

   Finally, Rey spoke up. “So you recall nothing of what happened while you were empowered?”

   “No, nothing.” He froze when he saw the Flying Sharptooth on the ground, torn, and gasping for breath. “Di-did I do that?” he asked in shock.

   “You saved me alright, yep yep yep,” Ducky replied cheerfully.

   “Wow. I can’t believe I only ended up with a bruise after a fight like that.”

   “Excuse us one moment,” Rey said, and he and Reina vanished. “What do you think?” he asked.

   “He’s powerful, yes. Over time, I’m sure he would unlock even more dark abilities. However, I find that form to be too much of a liability right now. Did you see what he did to Chomper? He pierced his mind with fear just by glaring at him. Dark power like that is only good when it can be controlled. Until we can find a way for him to be within his senses during it, I say he should not be allowed to use that form.”

   “I agree. For now, let’s just ask him to only use that light form of his.”

   “Ask? You’re too soft. Using only light has to be an order.”

   “Very well.” The Rainbow Faces suddenly appeared back with the group.

   “Littlefoot?”

   “Yes?”

   “Reina and I have been talking, and well, we find it best that you-”

   “Grow some backbone!” Reina said with disgust. “Littlefoot, you are no longer allowed to use your dark form until further notice from me.”

   “Does this have something to do with what happened to that Sharptooth?”

   “Partly. Anyway, am I understood?”

   “Yes.”

   “Good. For now, when there’s trouble, use your light form.”

   “Well, I think that’s enough excitement for now. It’s getting dark. Let’s resume traveling.” Rey then glanced at Reina with an innocent look, then looked down at his arm.

   “Fine, lazy.” She tapped all of the group and they were whisked away over a great distance.  Not too many transports later, the group finally arrived at an edge of the forest.

   “I’ve tried to refrain, but my curiosity has gotten the best of me. Why do you all call this the Night Forest?” Rey asked.

   “Well, when you come inside with us, your curiosity won’t be so curious anymore,” Ruby said mysteriously.

   “Very well,” he replied. They all made their way inside, then he asked, “So you’re sure they’re here?”

   “Yeah,” Cera replied. “I think I know how to use my own power.”

   “Well, they may have departed by now. Why not check again?” he asked.

   “Fine.” A few seconds later, she said, “They’re here alright, though pretty deep inside.”

   “Lead on then,” Reina said.

   “I’m gonna lead, but not because you told me too,” Cera responded.

   “Hm? What’s your problem?” she asked her, confused.

   “You’re not my boss. Whether I lead or not is not your decision.”

   Littlefoot nudged Cera’s shoulder. “Not this again. Come on, we can’t waste time,” he said.

   With a blatant “Hmph!” she took off farther into the woods.

   A few minutes later, Rey said, “Ah, I see.” The group stopped and looked at him. “The trees here are so thick, it’s like night whether the bright circle is out or not.”

   “Yep yep yep,” Ducky told him.

   After walking a bit longer, Cera announced, “We are nearly to them.”

   “Excellent work,” Rey complimented.

   “Yeah, nice going,” Littlefoot added.

    A few minutes later, Ali suddenly tripped and fell. “Oomph!”

   “Ali!” Littlefoot ran to her and let her lean on him for support while getting up.

   “Thanks, Littlefoot, but really, I’m ok- ow!” she held up her foot while expressing serious pain.

   Rey and Reina exchanged glances. “Let me have a look,” Rey told her. He examined her leg, and to his surprise, it was very swollen. He looked down to see an exposed tree root. “It seems it really was an accident,” he thought to himself. “Transport.” A tiny object appeared in his hand.

   “What sort of thing is that thing?” Ruby asked.

   “It’s a bottle of ointment. As for a further explanation, trust me, it’s beyond any of you kids. To make a long story short, it will ease the swelling and lessen the pain.”

   He twisted off the lid, poured some of the liquid into his hand, then gently applied it to Ali’s ankle.

   “Anyway,” he continued, “It looks like we found our resting place for the night. She needs to stay off that foot for a while, and I fear the shifts through space might further injure it. Besides, it’s now quite dark. Perhaps if we had the ënight circle’ for light, but these trees barely let a thing through. Find a place to sleep. Good night.” He found a spot to his liking and Reina reclined beside him.

   Cera moved to a spot beside a tree. Spike plopped down where he was, and Ducky lied down beside him. Littlefoot found a place with no rocks or twigs, turned twice, then also took a position to sleep. Ali came and lied beside him, and Petrie flew over and landed on top of her. Petrie’s eyes suddenly widened, but they quickly began to droop; he was too tired tonight to care about what he noticed.

   Littlefoot raised his head one last time, and looked up to the sky. “Grandma, grandpa, please don’t worry.”

********************

   “Oh dear, what should we do?” Littlefoot’s grandma asked worriedly.

   His grandfather was silent for a bit, then replied, “Our Littlefoot is growing up. Every time this has happened before, he has had very good reason for it. I can’t deny I’m a bit concerned myself, but I trust his judgment. If he’s spent yet another night outside of the Great Valley, then all we can do is hope he accomplishes what he’s set out to do, and wait for his safe return. Even if we wanted to search, we have no idea where he went.”

   She nudged him for a while, then said, “You’re right. Oh Littlefoot, please, be safe.” And with that, she too looked towards the sky then lied down beside her mate.

********************

   Though mostly blocked from the trees, the rays of the bright circle began shining down. Dusk let out a big yawn, stretched, then sat up. He looked in surprise when he saw that Ceit was still awake. He got to his feet, hand on his lower back as he stretched again, then walked over to his winged friend.

   “Why are you still up? Menta had told you after that ordeal that she’d be fine and to get some rest.”

   “I had accepted the first part of that statement, but the second had some- interference.”

   “Explain.”

   “My greatest work will be gone if I lose consciousness. It was extremely fortunate that I’ve held on. They would have found us if I’d slept.”

   “How did they find us?” he asked, alarmed. “How close did they get?”

   “I couldn’t stop them just anywhere. That could easily arouse suspicions. I timed things just right, and it all worked out.”

   Dusk patted him on the back. “Now, we must leave as soon as possible. I have no idea how they could have found us, but we can only hope they won’t be so lucky again.”

   “Before we go,” Ceit said, “Let’s get some nourishment.” He pointed to two small Dome Heads piled near a tree. Dusk’s mouth watered.

   “Alright! Everyone up! We need to eat then get moving right away.”

   Coaley, Agu, and the Long Neck stirred in unison then sat up.

   “Oh boy!” Agu exclaimed, running over to the food.

   Dusk turned his head from side to side. “Menta?” he asked aloud.

   The others all looked around as well, but Menta was nowhere to be seen.

   Duskës eyes continued to search, but no avail. “Now where could she have- no! She took the stone!”

[Cancerian Tiger]

EDIT:  Sorry!  I thought this was a thread for the third story of the trilogy.  I got the titles mixed up .

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XV: The Ending of Secrecy and the Beginning of War

In which Dusk’s mysterious group member is finally revealed, and a battle of both sides begins.


   Petrie rolled over and yawned. He raised his head opened his eyes drowsily. He then closed them and tried returning to sleep. Then they suddenly opened wide when he realized what he was lying on.

   “Guys, wake up!” he exclaimed.

   “Not now, daddy. Just a few more…” Petrie pecked the back of her head and she jerked awake. “What!?”

   “Ali gone.”

   Hearing that brought Littlefoot full to his senses. “Ali?” he called out. “Ali!”

   Rey walked over. “Don’t bother,” he told them. “She can’t hear you because she was never here to begin with.”

   “I hear what you mean, but I don’t know what you mean,” Ruby said. “We all saw her.”

   “I told you all long ago, that if you don’t see it with your own eyes, you won’t believe it. It seems you all have the reverse as a problem as well,” Reina said.

   “What’s that supposed to mean?” Cera demanded.

   “You rely too heavily on what your eyes do and not perceive. You have to work with more than just that. Rey and I looked, and what seemed to be Ali did not walk away. There are no new footprints, and no one can retrace one’s steps perfectly.”

   “Maybe someone transported her away,” Littlefoot suggested.

   “We know that power very well, so we are also aware that that couldn’t be it. I examined the area that ëAli’ was sleeping in. There is a small puddle of the ointment I applied last night. I was suspicious, so I applied much more than necessary to leave ample evidence. If she was transported away, the salve wouldn’t have been left behind. What we all saw yesterday has ceased to exist,” Rey told them.

   “Oh! That reminds me!” but then Petrie quickly covered his mouth.

   They all turned to look at him. He chuckled nervously and said, “Nothing.”

   “Petrie!” Cera yelled.

   “Okay, okay. Me sleep on Ali before, back in the Land of Mists, so me got to know really well how she smells. Last night, on Ali, Petrie no smell anything.”

   “WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO RIGHT AWAY!?” Cera bellowed.

   “Me- too tired?” he replied with a sheepish grin.

   “You did well, Petrie,” Rey complimented.

   “Me real sorry, okay? Me- huh? Petrie do- well?”

   “Yes. If we had made a scene last night, they would have known we were on to them. For all they know now, we have no idea what happened to her. Now we can be ready if it shows up again,” Rey explained.

   “I don’t understand,” Littlefoot spoke up. “Who exactly was that?”

   “Not who, my boy, but what,” Rey replied. “Reina have had our suspicions that Dusk’s group had one, but this confirms it.”

   “Will you start making sense already?” Cera said impatiently.

   “If you hadn’t interrupted, perhaps he’d’ve been able to,” Reina told her.

   “As I was saying, what we saw wasn’t a real anything. Dusk’s group must have an illusionist. They have the power to change the sensatory signals that enter one’s body, and even create an entire entity that emits signals of its own. Sustaining an object like that takes a lot of concentration and energy. They can do one more thing, but very few illusionists I’ve come across have been able to do it, because it takes immense mental focus and energy. It is the ability to create illusions and implant them into someone as memories, and in doing so, control him or her. Both sustaining an object that isnët real and manipulating someone’s memories take so much energy that the illusionist must be awake for them to hold out.”

   “An illusionist doesn’t necessarily have to be awake to keep false memories in someone,” Reina corrected. “But if one keeps them going all the time, he or she won’t get much rest while sleeping. I suppose those with a lot energy would keep it going all the time, because making fake memories causes quite a strain.”

   “I didn’t understand most of that, but what I think I understand, I don’t understand,” Ruby said with a puzzled look. “How does changing someone’s memory give an illusionist control of that dinosaur?”

   “Do you obey your parents?” Rey asked her.

   “Of course.”

   “Then, for example, I could create the illusion in your memories that I am your father, and in turn, you would obey me.”

   “Ohhh.”

   “Anyway, here’s a simpler way of saying what Rey said: Illusionists can make things seem ways they are not, create things that seem real but aren’t, and a select few can make dinosaurs believe things that aren’t true,” Reina simplified.

   “Why didn’t he just say that to begin with?” Cera asked.

   “He has a real knack for making things harder than they have to be,” she replied, annoyed she had to repeat everything.

   “Me have question,” Petrie spoke up.

   “Yes,” Rey answered.

   “Why that Ali illusion have no smell?”

   “Good question. The more senses who deceives, the more energy it takes. Whoever did this assumed no one would notice no smell so didn’t make it to conserve energy.”

********************

   “Hold on a minute,” the young child requested.

   “Yes?” his father asked back.

   “So that ëmasterpiece’ thing that Ceit keeps talking about- was it that Ali illusion? I think that’s what the story is saying, but it’s not very clear.”

   “You’re a smart kid, son. Yep, the Ali illusion is indeed the masterpiece Ceit spoke of.

   “Okay then, and the story mentions that he made it before to go into the Great Valley. Did anyone see it then?”

   “Actually, a number of dinosaurs did, but we’re getting ourselves. The story will explain that in time.”

   “Alrighty, you can keep on reading.” His father paused. “Please.” He then smiled resumed the tale.

********************

   Suddenly, out of nowhere came a loud crunching of branches in the distance. Everyone immediately looked in the direction of the sound, and there came into view a small, white Sharptooth holding a small object.

   She ran over to the group, got on her knees, and presented the item to Rey.

   “Please forgive us for the trouble we’ve caused you,” she said, “Now I beg of you, take the stone and go back to your world.”

   The group was all in shock, but Rey quickly composed himself and reached for the Stone of Cold Fire. A loud screech suddenly pierced the sky and a Flying Sharptooth swooped down and caught the stone in his talons before Rey could grab it. He flew high into the air, far out of reach of the land-walkers. More noise filled the forest and a group of small dinosaurs arrived before Littlefoot and the others.

   “Betrayal, Menta?” asked the black, male Sharptooth.

   “My lord! I- I-” Dusk raised his hand, and she grew silent. He then turned to Rey.

   “We meet yet again, Dusk,” Rey said solemnly. “Now we shall end thi-”

   Chomper had been looking at Coaley curiously, but then he noticed Agu and his eyes widened. “Wait, I know you!” he exclaimed, pointing at him.

   “Sorry, you must have me confused with someone else,” he replied.

   Chomper scooped up a rock, then tossed it at Agu’s feet. Agu’s eyes widened.

   “Hey, now I remember! You’re that kid who was muttering to himself and throwing things at me! I went and asked my parents to get rid of you because it was really creeping me out.”

   Now it was Chomper who went wide-eyed. “Oh, no wonder he never talked back to me,” he thought to himself. “I completely forgot to speak Sharptooth!” Remembering the task at hand, Chomper looked to Dusk with big eyes. “You- you’re not going to fight us, are you?”

   Eyes still on Rey, he replied, “That depends if your friends are going to let us walk away with the stone or not.”

   “I think you know the answer to that already, Dusk,” Rey told him.

   “Not necessarily,” Dusk replied nonchalantly. “Why don’t you come out, Ali?” Littlefoot’s head jerked over. A small Long Neck emerged from behind a tree. “If things were to become- complicated- during this encounter, I cannot guarantee her safety.”

   “Nice try,” Reina said with a smirk. “We know you have an illusionist in your group. That Ali isn’t the real one.”

   Petrie flew over until he was right above her, and began sniffing. “Hey!” he exclaimed. “Me think this one real! It has her scent.”

   “The illusion was more than likely improved since the last time,” Rey said cautiously.

   “Which one of you knows Ali the best?” Dusk asked.

   “I do,” Littlefoot replied with confidence.

   “I will have her released long enough for you to ask her one question that only she would know. Then you can be certain if she is real or not.” He nodded at Ceit.

   The Long Neck blinked a few times, then looked around her in alarm. “Wh-what’s going on? Where am I?”

   Rey and the others with him looked at her suspiciously. Then Littlefoot walked up to her.

   “Don’t worry Ali. Its going to be alright. I can explain everything. But first, do you remember when we got the day flowers to help my sick grandmother?”

   “Huh? I must dreaming. We went to get the night flowers for your grandfather.”

   Dusk nodded at Ceit again. Ali suddenly grew silent.

   “It’s the real Ali!” Littlefoot shouted. “Let her go!”

   “Don’t follow us through Coaley’s warp hole and you have nothing to worry about,” Dusk assured him.

   “Dusk,” Chomper said, quite upset, “What you’re doing is wrong. Please, don’t keep her any longer.”

   Dusk sighed. “Chomper, you don’t understand now, but in the end, you will thank me for what I’m doing.”

   Chomper bared his teeth. “Ali is my friend, and I will never thank you for doing this to her!”

   “You misunderstand,” Dusk told him. “The ëAli’ you met in the Great Valley was just an illusion. The real one has been with us longer than you realize. Despite Ceit messing up her coloration somewhat, no one realized it wasn’t really her, luckily. So in reality, Chomper, you never knew Ali.”

   Chomper’s mouth dropped open, but he quickly recovered. “So what?” Ali is Littlefoot’s friend, and any friend of his is a friend of mine, so there! Now please let her go, Dusk. I am asking nicely.”

   “Until my mission is done, I cannot, sorry. But I still believe that when all is said and done, you will be grateful for what I am doing. Now, if you’ll all excuse me,” and he turned to leave.

   “Not so fast,” Rey told him. “We never agreed to your terms.”

   “But Rey! We can’t risk hurting Ali. It will be hard to fight them and make sure she’s okay at the same time,” Littlefoot said.

   “That is a risk we have to take. If Dusk gets what he wants from the stone, something terrible will happen,” Rey replied.

   Dusk took on a bemused countenance. “You’re obviously misinformed, but anyway, if you want to fight- very well.  Everyone, come on.”

   Menta looked up to Rey and mouthed, “I’m sorry,” and rejoined Dusk.

   Rey turned to his group. “Alright everyone, this is it. You have had plenty of time to understand your power, I just wish you’d’ve had more time to try them out. Still, no better time than the present, I suppose.”

   “Let’s do this,” Littlefoot said, a fire in his eyes. “Darkness, burn within my body!”

   “STOP!” Reina shouted, but it was too late. Littlefoot had gotten so caught up in the moment that he had forgotten his warning. Before them stood a Long Neck with skin like night itself.

   Littlefoot glared at Dusk, and said, “Don’t think at any time that this is a nightmare. You’ll soon see that this is far worse. Rawww!”

[brekclub85]

Nice chapter TFS....

I remember your comment on how you were planning to make a fanfic where the Ali from the tv series ep wasn't the same one, and it seems this is how you incorporated that.

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XVI: Fighting, Dancing, and a New Leader

In which a fierce battle ensues, and the leaf-eaters come under new leadership.


   Littlefoot pounced on Dusk and they rolled down a ravine. Agu raised his hand and two duplicates appeared. They all charged Cera, but a large tree lowered its branches and pulled up every one of them. Agu and his copies struggled.

   “Let me go!” the real one shouted.

   “As if,” Cera replied.

   “Ali, I need to be stronger!’ he shouted, hopelessly struggling against the strong limbs.

   “Strength,“ Ali said quietly Ali lifted her front foot and set it down. She tossed her head back then lifted her other front foot, just to set it down again. Her body swayed back and forth and she swished her tail around.

   “Is she- dancing!?” Cera thought to herself with a perplexed look. She quickly turned when she heard a loud snap behind her and the three Agus stood before her, grinning.

   “They have a dancer, eh?” Rey said thoughtfully. “This will be challenging.”

   “Are you gonna help or what?” Cera asked, just as the Agus tackled her.

   “Afraid not,” Reina told her. “Rey is hurt and Iëm exhausted from all the transports. Besides, you agreed to help us, not the other way around.”

   “What!?” Cera shouted, but her attackers stole her focus.

   They were pounding on her, and with their extra strength it was really painful. Chomper dived over her, knocking one of the copies to the ground. It vanished, then reappeared, grabbing Chomper from behind.

   Cera kept trying to buck the other two Agus off, but to no avail. Then she had an idea. A tree bent over and Cera jumped on top. It straightened up, holding her high above the ground.

   “What are you- ah!” Agu yelped. “I hate heights!”

   Cera smiled. She shook herself and they lost their grip from fear. They quickly clutched a branch while Cera leapt off, only to be caught by a leafy branch from a neighboring tree, getting safely to the ground.

   Chomper elbowed the copy in its stomach, knocking it down. He then gathered all his strength and threw it on top of the tree with the real one and other copy. Agu screamed and squirmed frantically. Chomper suddenly felt sorry for the terrified Sharptooth and asked Cera, “When are you going to let him down?”

   She grinned evilly. “Who said anything about letting him down?”

********************

   Petrie was sending gust after gust at Ceit, but he side-stepped them with ease. This happened three times; Ceit’s speed was just unreal “How…?” he cried in dismay. “Ooh!” He twirled his hands around above his head and a whirlwind formed. He thrust his hands toward Ceit, sending it hurdling towards him at an incredible speed, but Ceit avoided it entirely. Petrie landed, huffing loudly. “What- huff- going on…?”

   Ceit grinned, and a shadow came up on Petrie from behind.

   “Gotcha!” Petrie shouted. He turned to the Flying Sharptooth behind him, jutted his wing back, and a wall of wind knocked Ceit back into the trunk of a large tree. He quickly shook his head, trying to recover from the impact, but Petrie cupped his hands and threw a swirling ball of air at Ceit’s head. It forced it back into the tree, knocking Ceit out.

   “Heh, Petrie was ready for your surprise attack. Me knew that first you was illusion whooole time; it have no smell.”

********************

   Reina rushed over to get the stone Ceit had dropped, but a female, black Sharptooth got to it first. Scooping it up, she said, “Sorry miss Rainbow Face, but Dusky wants this.”

   “Give me that!” Reina shouted. She tried swiping it from Coaley’s hands, but she warped away. Reina was about to go through the warp hole she’d left behind, but Rey stopped her.

   “Wait,” he told her. “That could take you miles away. The stone is outside our reach yet again.”

********************

   Ruby, Ducky, and Spike all stood before the white Sharptooth.

   “Giving up is what you should do, so you should give up,” Ruby told her.

   Menta turned to Ali. “You know what to do,” she said.

   Ali nodded. “Power,” she said quietly, and continued to dance.

   Menta raised her hands and Ducky and Spike rose into the air.

   “Huh!?” Ducky and Spike said in unison, starting to struggle.

   Ruby watched what Menta was doing. Menta quickly shifted her hands to the right and Ducky and Spike went hurdling through the air. Ruby lifted her hands and her two friends stopped, shortly before impact. The energy it took for Ruby to stop them was immense, as Ali was making Menta so much more powerful. Ruby started to pant.

   “You’re a psychic too?” Menta asked in surprise.

   “I am whatever I want to be,” Ruby replied. She pushed her hand forward and Menta shot backwards, but she quickly regained her footing. Branches started to break from their limbs, heading straight for Ruby. Ruby swished her arm from left to right and the branches flung backwards, onto the ground.

   “She’s a psychic alright, but thanks to Ali, I can pull a lot more weight than she can,” Menta thought to herself. Her muscles tensed as she focused on two large trees. They broke free from the ground and went sailing towards Ruby. Ruby tried to knock them back, but they was moving with too much force for her to stop. The trees were about to crush her when Spike jumped between them.

   “Spike, no!” Ruby yelled, but Spike merely grinned at her. His body suddenly hardened, and the trees crashed into him, breaking to splinters, leaving Spike unharmed.

   Menta again lifted her arms, and two trees broke free from their bonds, coming towards Ruby from each side of her. Ruby closed her eyes and her body suddenly hardened, protecting her from the impact.

   “’I am whatever I want to be…’” Menta replayed in her head. “Of course! She can copy the power of others!” She growled with frustration, then concentrated very hard. Getting the information she wanted, she then focused back on her opponents. “So, the Spike Tail can just harden his body, the Swimmer can control water, and the Fast Runner can use any ability she sees, but only for a short time before having to see it again. This’ll be tough.”

   Ducky twitched her hand, and the dew from some of the grass began to collect into one spot. It lifted off the ground, and flew towards Menta. What seemed like a harmless puddle quickly froze into a chunk of ice, but Menta ducked more than quickly enough.

   “You are fast, yep yep yep, but we’ll beat you,” Ducky declared.

   “Hee hee,” Menta thought to herself. “I’m not very fast. I read her thoughts before her attack even began. I just wish mind reading wasn’t so tiring.” Menta held out both hands, and her body tensed. With one hand, she forced Ruby’s eyes closed.

   “Hey!” she shouted.

   With her other hand, she caused several trees to collapse, falling towards the three leaf-eaters.

   “You can’t protect them all, Spike Tail!” Menta shouted.

   Spike instinctively went for his sister, standing over her while hardening. The trees came crashing down, and then there was silence. Menta released her hold on Ruby’s eyes and Ruby looked up in horror to see Rey beside her under a large tree.

   Reina quickly appeared beside him, tears in her eyes. “You- you fool! Why can you never resist helping others!?” she said between sobs. “Don’t leave me now…”

   Ruby got to her feet and pressed her head against his chest. “Wait! He’s still breathing!”

   Ducky used the distraction and shot more water at Menta. Ducky did it suddenly and without thinking, so Menta wasn’t expecting it. It knocked her back into a tree, then hardened into ice, holding her in place.

   “Ugh!” she exclaimed as she struggled, but she could not break loose. “Ali, strength!” but Ducky was ready. Though she didn’t understand what Ali was doing, she knew it was helping her, so she covered Ali’s legs in water, then froze them.

   “I am sorry, Ali, I am, I am,. I hope that doesn’t hurt you,” Ducky said as Ali fell to her side.

   “I need to get him home right now. He needs medical attention,” Reina told them. “Elect a leader, then continue searching for the stone. We’ll return as soon as we can.  Good-bye,” and with that, Reina closed her eyes. A light shone down from above, and the two of them were gone.

   There was a crunching of leaves as footsteps made their way up the hill. The leaf-eaters looked over hopefully, but were terror-stricken to see Dusk come into view. He was limping and torn, but was breathing calmly. A tree limb scooped him and clutched him tightly.

   “What happened, to Littlefoot!?” Cera demanded.

   “He’s-” but he began to gasp for breath from the pressure.

   “Cera, lighten up a little,” Ruby said.

   Cera loosened the hold on Dusk, and he said, “He’s alive. Some cuts and bruises, but otherwise fine.”

   “You expect me to believe that you won then just let him be?” Cera asked, starting to tighten the limb again.

   “I-” he coughed, “Didn’t win.”

   Cera dropped him from surprise. “Then why-”

   Getting to his feet, Dusk replied, “His power was overwhelming. If he hadn’t passed out from exhaustion, I wouldn’t be standing here at all.”

   “You didn’t- eat him afterwards, did you?” Chomper asked nervously.

   “I couldn’t risk trying anything that might wake him. Just look at the bottom of this hill and you’ll see him,” then Dusk started to walk towards Menta.

   “Oh no you do-” but Chomper put her hand out to stop her.

   “It’s over,” Chomper said. “Let’s not fight when we don’t have to.”

   “Fine,” Cera replied in a low tone. The she exclaimed in a loud voice, “We’re going to keep coming for the stone, and if you fight us again, get ready to have your butts kicked- again.”

   “Noted,” was all Dusk said in reply, and began slashing away the ice holding Menta. After she was free, he did the same to Ali. Ceit finally came to, and flew over to Dusk, and Menta telepathically lowered Agu to the ground.

   “Hold on!” Cera commanded. “Ali stays with us.”

   Coaley suddenly emerged from behind a tree, and ran to Dusk and the others. “Sorry Mrs. Three Horn, but Dusky wants Ali to come with us. Warp!” The entire group vanished, leaving what looked like a hole floating in midair.

   “No, Ali!” Petrie shouted, but she was far beyond hearing distance.

   Ducky had begun walking to the edge of the hill, but Littlefoot’s head suddenly popped up and she fell back in surprise.

   “Did we win?” was his first remark, then he added, “Where are Rey and Reina?”

   “Yeah, we beat ëem” Cera replied.

   “And Rey was hurt keeping me from getting hurt, so Reina took him home to get him help,” Ruby finished, downcast.

   Chomper came to her side, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It’s not your fault,” he told her.

   “But it is!” she cried. “If I’d only been more careful, he wouldn’t’ve needed to save me.”

   “Ruby, Rey was proud of you, he was, he was” Ducky said.

   “H-how can you know that?” she asked her.

   “Before Reina took him away, I saw that he was smiling. He was proud of how  well we did.”

   “That Rey is something else…” Ruby said quietly.

   “What should we do now?” Littlefoot asked.

   “Reina told us to pick a leader and continue trying to get the stone back,” Ducky answered. “And I can think of no one better than you, Littlefoot.”

   “Me? Why?”

   “It was you who led us to the Great Valley safe and sound, so I believe you can lead us to the stone as well.”

   “Are you guys all okay with me doing that?”

   They all nodded, except Cera. They all turned to her, then she rolled her eyes and said, “Okay, fine. We follow Littlefoot. Just don’t go getting all bossy.”

   Littlefoot chuckled. “Deal.”

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XVII: The Dawn of Light

In which Littlefoot casts darkness aside.


   “Ugh, I can’t believe they kicked our butts,” Ago whined.

   “Don’t feel badly. I powered you up, so you had a lesser chance to win,” Ali reasoned.

   “Thanks,” he replied. Then her words sunk in, and he recognized the sarcasm. “Hey!”

   “They are indeed quite strong,” Ceit commented. “It’s no wonder they were prophesied as having the potential to stop us.”

   “If it wasn’t for Coaley here, they’d’ve gotten the stone back,” Dusk added. Coaley beamed. “And the rest of you performed nicely as well. Besides me, while you’ve all tried out your abilities, you’ve never been in an actually fight before. Ah!” Dusk quickly clutched his shoulder.

   “Easy, my lord,” Menta told him, pressuring him back to relax. “That Long Neck was clearly playing for keeps.”

   “Yes,” he replied. “His attacks were so relentless it was all I could do to survive; I couldn’t get any shadow pulls in at all. Perhaps if I was prepared, but his strength caught my completely off guard. If he hadn’t passed out, history would have repeated itself.”

   Menta shuddered and the others looked at him with perplexed expressions.

   “It’s nothing, never mind. Anyway, they won’t be so lucky next time. That fight showed us a lot, so we’ll be ready. I don’t know how they found us the first time, but they may very likely find us again in the same manner.”

   “Then what can we do?” Agu asked. “If we can’t lose them, why run?”

   Dusk took a deep breath and exhaled. He hated hiding things from his comrades, but he knew their knowledge may jeopardize their cooperation.

   “We’re not exactly running from those dinosaurs. We’re running to some dinosaurs. I would like to visit some old friends of mine. We havenët talked in a while, and it would be nice to socialize a bit.”

   Menta eyed him suspiciously. “If only I hadn’t promised to stay out if his head, I could find out what he’s up to,” she thought to herself. “And there’s no point in asking. When he wants us to know something, he tells us on his own.”

   “Ooh, more friends? Yay! I can’t wait to meet ëem. Are they in a place I’ve been to before?” Coaley asked.

   “Sorry, kiddo. We’ll have to walk there,” Dusk replied.

   “Okey dokey, Dusky,” but she quickly covered her mouth.

   Dusk chuckled and said, “You saved the stone. You can call me whatever you wish.”

   “Ooh! Thank you! Let’s see now. How about- Super Dusky, Commander of Shadows!”

   “That has a nice ring to it,” Menta had to admit.

   “Agreed,” Dusk added with a big grin. “Just use a bit of discretion. Otherwise, you’ll be out of breath in no time.” The whole group started laughing, then Dusk straightened up, donned a serious expression, and said, “Let’s get moving. Oh, and Coaley, I’ll hang onto the stone now.”

   “Alrighty,” she replied, handing it to him.

   Menta suddenly froze, looking very worried as she remembered something. Dusk turned to her, noticing, and gave her a smile that said, “All is forgiven.” And with that, the six dinosaurs began making their way out of the Night Forest, towards a new location.

********************

   “They are going this way,” Cera announced, as she began guiding the others.

   “Your power is very useful, it is, it is,” Ducky told her.

   “Hee. Thank you,” she replied with a proud expression.

   “I just hope the usefulness of her ability stays useful,” Ruby said thoughtfully. “If they leave to where there aren’t any plants, we can’t keep tracking them this way.”

   “So Littlefoot, being our leader and all, what are we gonna do when we catch up to them again?” Chomper asked him.

   “Well, I uh, I’m not sure yet. We may have to fight them again.”

   “That won’t be a problem. We whipped them easily earlier,” Cera pointed out.

   “Still,” Ruby continued, “I don’t think getting the stone back will be a walk in the meadow. That little Sharptooth that was with them can disappear at will. We’ll need some kind of strategy for next time.”

   At the mention of Coaley, Chomper blushed.

   “You okay, Chomper?” Littlefoot asked.

   “Yeah…”

   “You think she’s cute, don’t you?” Cera teased.

   “No! Well, kinda, maybe…”

   “Chomper likes a girl. Chomper likes a girl,” Cera chanted.

   “I do not!”

   “Easy, guys. Let’s try to focus,” Littlefoot instructed.

   The group pressed on a while longer, then Cera came to a halt. Turning to the others, she said, “They’re out of the forest. I can take you to where they got out, but I can’t lead you any more.”

   “That is okay Cera, okay that is,” Ruby told her, patting her on the head.

   “Yes, Cera do good job for sure,” Petrie chimed in.

   “Uh huh, uh huh,” Spike added.

   “Yeah, don’t worry. Iëm sure weëll figure out something,” Littlefoot encouraged.

   As the gang was about to reach the exit of the forest, they all heard a familiar screech. Turning around, the kids saw the same Flying Sharptooth that had snatched Ducky earlier, wounds completely healed. It began descending towards Littlefoot, talons extended; she remembered him.

   “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her again,” Littlefoot announced.

   “Die!” she screeched, and the whole group gasped in astonishment that they could understand her. As she drew near, she shouted, “Grow!” and her body size increased five fold.

   “What in the world-!?” Cera shouted.

   “Oh no!” Ruby exclaimed. “The stone’s been in the forest so long, I’ll bet that that Flying Sharptooth got power of her own!”

   “Just what we need…” Littlefoot sighed. “Oh well. Here I go!”

   “Don’t forget to use light this time!” Chomper reminded.

   “Oh yeah. Light, shine within my heart!” With a brilliant glare, Littlefoot’s skin shown like the stars in the sky and he donned a noble countenance.

   “I wish not to fight thee, miss. Leave us in peace; let blood be spilt not.

   “You’ll pay for stealing my children’s lunch!” the Flying Sharptooth said with a shrill cry.

   “I see,” Littlefoot said thoughtfully. “Thou hast a pure heart, but not all means can justify an end. I shall not sit idly by when a friend is endangered.”

   Ignoring him, she quickly slashed with one of her claws, but Littlefoot dodged it easily. She began swinging both claws towards him, and pecking at him as well, but Littlefoot kept moving just right in order to avoid all the blows entirely. She stopped quickly, pulling her wing back and putting a large amount of strength into a swing, then let loose. Littlefoot ducked, and her attack chopped right through a tree, knocking it down.

   “Fight, Littlefoot. Come on!” Cera coaxed.

   “She is but a mother looking after her young. I have no desire to fight one such as her.” She took to the air and made an aerial charge for him, but he side-stepped with incredible ease, so she slammed into a tree. She shook her head to regain her senses, and a small trickle of blood slid down her beak. Littlefoot saw this, and claws began to extend from his feet.

   “Finally he’s going to attack her,” Cera thought.

   Littlefoot rushed towards her at a startling speed and quickly slashed her beak with one of his front feet. The Flying Sharptooth winced, expecting pain, but she opened her eyes to find the pain from her beak gone. The wound from the impact was no more. She looked up at Littlefoot in confusion.

   “It is not the way of light to destroy, or harm. I am of life, preservation- and healing. Be it that thou can understand me, I implore you to go your way in peace. Thou hast only tried to look after thine own, just as I am.” Littlefoot turned and walked over to a large, rotten log lying on the ground. He turned it over, revealing several worms. “Take these, and satisfy your kin.”

   The Flying Sharptooth got up, walked over to him, and scooped several of the creatures up. She started to fly away, and shrank back to her normal size. Before she left eyesight, she turned and gave him a look that Littlefoot just knew meant, “Thank you.”

   “Release,” Littlefoot said, and his coloration went back to normal. However, for the first time, he did not seem winded at all. “Hey, I think I’m starting to get the hang of this. I don’t feel tired one bit.”

   “Your light form is dumb,” Cera said bluntly. “All you do is avoid attacks and heal. ëFighting’ like that won’t help us beat Dusk.”

   “I healed that Flying Sharptooth?” Littlefoot asked in surprise.

   “That’s right,” Chomper said thoughtfully, entering the conversation, “Littlefoot doesn’t remember what he does in his forms. And yeah, that Flying Sharptooth got hurt and you healed her.”

   “Then how did I win?”

   “If I had to guess, my guess would be that she was thankful you healed her so stopped fighting,” Ruby explained.

   “I see,” he replied. “I just hope that enemies in the future will also be like that.”

   “I doubt it,” Cera told him. “Sure, your dark form usually comes after us, but at least it actually fights.”

   Littlefoot froze.

   “Cera!” Chomper exclaimed, nudging her in her side.

   “I attack you guys when I’m in my dark form?”

   Chomper stepped forward reluctantly. “When you’re dark, all you can think about is fighting. Whenever we’ve gotten in the way, you’ve turned to us. But don’t worry, everything’s fine.”

   “How can fighting my friends be fine!?” He paused in recollection. “Wait a minute. Back when that Fast Biter was attacking that Ali illusion, and you got hurt- that was me, wasn’t it?”

   Chomper lowered his head. “Yes,” he said quietly.

   “So that’s why those Rainbow Faces insisted I only use light! I am so sorry, Chomper! Why didn’t you guys tell me this earlier?” Littlefoot was clearly horrified at what he’d done.

   “We knew it wasn’t your fault, nope nope nope,” Ducky told him.

   “So we no want you feeling badly,” Petrie finished.

   Spike shook his head in agreement.

   “Thank you for being thoughtful, but I should have been told right away! I would have made sure to have never used that form again if I’d only known. From now on, Iëm done with darkness.”

   “No, Littlefoot! Your dark form is where your power’s really at, and we need it for beating Dusk. We’ll just make sure we don’t get in your way again,” Cera told him.

   “I can’t put you guys at risk,” he told them all solemnly. “Iëm going to do my part to help win this battle, but Iëll be doing so with my light form alone.”

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XVIII: Bonding and Hunting

In which dinosaurs draw close, and old foes draws near.


   Dusk and his companions were slowly making their way over a vast wasteland of dust and bones. The wind provided some comfort, but the heat was still nigh unbearable.

   “Whew, it is sooo hot out here,” Agu pointed out.

   “Wow, really? I hadn’t noticed,” Ali replied with a smirk.

   “Grrr.”

   “Let’s not get testy, guys,” Dusk instructed. “We’ll be at some clean water soon where we can cool off.”

   “Any food?” Agu asked.

   “Not sure. I suppose some creatures visit there off and on. I’m certain that Ali will find a meal there though.”

   Ali playfully stuck her tongue out at Agu, and he turned away in anger.

   “If you two don’t start getting along soon, I’m going to tie both of you together until you learn how,” Dusk said sternly.

   “It’s her fault!”

   “Nuh uh!”

   “Yeah huh!”

   “Enough!” Dusk roared. “Come here you two.” Agu and Ali somberly approached until their shadows were touching each other. “Shadow Bind!”

   The two children looked at Dusk in confusion, then tried moving apart, only to find that they could not.

   “What did you do!?” Agu exclaimed.

   “I bound your shadows together. Now you two have no choice but to learn how to get along.”

   The two of them glanced at each other, then quickly turned their heads, muttering “Humph!” in unison. Dusk sighed.

   “Oh, look,” Dusk told the group cheerfully. “See that area over there with all the plants, near the ocean? That’s the perfect spot to rest, and it means we’re nearly there.”

   “Alright!” Ali exclaimed. Completely forgetting she was connected to Agu, she took off full speed down towards the fertile area. With an abrupt “Whoa!” from Agu, he lost his footing and began being dragged along the dirt. Ali quickly noticed and tried to stop suddenly, but she stumbled and the two of them began rolling down the decline until they landed at the bottom with a loud thump.

   Ceit rolled his eyes, Menta and Dusk couldn’t stop laughing, and Coaley ran down to them. “Are you guys okay?” she asked them, very worried.

   “I WILL be when she gets her fat butt off of me,” Ago groaned.

   “Oh, so now I’m fat, huh? You’re in no position to throw insults,” Ali retorted, but only mildly angry.

   “Fine. I’m sorry.”

   “You obviously don’t mean that, but it’s a start.” And with that, Ali stood up, allowing Agu to get to his feet as well. Dusk, Menta, and Ceit caught up with them, and Dusk suggested that they all get some water from a little pool flowing through the plants.

   They all bent over and began pleasurably hydrating their bodies. Agu stood back up, wiped his mouth off, and declared, “I’m going for a swim.”

   Ali’s head quickly jolted up. “Agu, wai-” but she was too late. Agu jumped headfirst into the water, but Ali’s weight restrained him. His body was halfway under water, and his arms and legs were splashing about, getting water all over the whole group. Ali quickly pulled him out so he could breathe.

   “Are you sure this was a good idea?” Menta asked, wiping off her soaked body.

   “I am beginning to have my doubts, but let’s see if anything more comes of it.”

   Though no dinosaurs were about, the Sharpteeth dined on a few insects while Ali nibbled on some bushes.

   “Ceit, mind looking around to see if we’ve been followed?” Dusk asked him.

   “Not at all, ma lord,” he replied, flying high then out of sight.

   “I’m going to go on ahead a little bit. I want to make sure the pathway is still around. The ocean was slowing destroying it, and I fear it may be gone entirely now,” Dusk explained.

   “Mind if I come along?” Menta asked. She did not want Dusk to leave her sight.

   “Ooh! I wanna come too! Can I, can I, can I?” Coaley begged.

   “Alright, girls, come on,” Dusk said with a chuckle, and Menta giggled a bit herself. Coaley had a real knack for livening the mood. The three Sharptooth moved on, leaving Agu and Ali alone.

   “Okay, I hate this as much as you do, but we might as well make the most of it,” Ali suggested.

   “Speak for yourself. There’s nothing about this to make anything of. Being stuck to you stinks.”

   Ali sighed. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

   “I just hate Long Necks, okay!?” Agu suddenly burst out, catching Ali completely by surprise.

   Finally finding her voice, she asked simply, “Why?”

   “I’m a great hunter. I’ve caught Spike Tails, Dome Heads, Yellow Bellies, Swimmers, you name it- except a Long Neck. I came really close one time. I was standing on a ledge, a young Long Neck below me. I was careless, so I slipped and fell to the ground. Most kids would have ran in fear at the sight of me. Wanna know what that Long Neck did? He turned and laughed at me. He wasn’t scared at all! That made me so mad I just wanted to scream. I’m sure I could have caught him if I hadn’t hurt my leg from the fall. I walked home, crying. It was annoying enough that I could never catch one, but to think one would actually stand there and make fun of me. I’ve hated them ever since.”

   “Well, I certainly don’t hate you,” Ali said softly.

   Now it was Agu’s turn to be caught off guard. “W-what?”

   “You may hate Long Necks, but I don’t hate you. You’re not a bad dinosaur, that I know. You may be short-tempered, whiny, and rude, but I believe you have a good heart.”

   “Uh… thanks?”

   Ali burst out laughing. “Excuse my sense of humor. But seriously, in the time we’ve been traveling together, I’ve come to see you like- a little brother.”

   Agu’s eyes widened. “I am an only child,” he said. “I’ve always wanted a sibling, but my parents had always said they had their claws too full with just me. I was so angry at them, that’s why I ran away with Dusk after I happened to meet him one day while I was out exploring. Do you really view me as- a sibling?”

   “I do.”

   A small tear formed in Agu’s eye, and it slowly streamed down his face Ali smiled, leaned over, and nuzzled gently against his cheek.

   “Dusk was wise to stick us together,” she said.

   “Agreed.”

   Ali suddenly heard a voice in her head. “Oh no!”

   Agu sat up abruptly. “What is it?”
   
   “Dusk, Menta, and Coaley- they’re in trouble! Come on!” Ali began to run in the direction the others had taken, but with his much-longer legs, Agu couldn’t keep up and starting dragging behind. “Hop on!” Ali instructed, and Agu got on her back as she ran to help her friends.

********************

   “Well, here we are,” Cera told the group, coming to a halt at the edge of the forest.

   Spike let out an excited grunt as the group came into daylight and ran a short distance away.

   “What is it, Spike?” Littlefoot asked, coming to his side.

   “Oh, lookie,” Ducky called from atop his back, and she motioned to the ground. Before the group were three sets of footprints, each going in a different direction.

   “Good job, Spike,” Littlefoot complimented. Spike gave a cheery grunt.

   “Look like more of that Flying Sharptooth’s illusions,” Petrie pointed out.

   “Yeah, no duh,” Cera retorted curtly.

   Ruby bent over and stuck her hands in one of the prints. She walked over to the second set, then the third. “Hm,” she said thoughtfully, hand on her chin. “These illusions don’t just look like illusions, they feel like them too. Pressing my hand in each set still felt like it was going down.”

   “I have an idea!” Chomper exclaimed. The group turned to him. “Remember how that Ali illusion didn’t have a scent on it? That Flying Sharptooth assumed we wouldn’t notice no odor. I bet if I smell all of these, my sniffer will know just which ones are real.”

   “Go for it, buddy,” Littlefoot encouraged.

   Chomper bent over and began sniffing the footprints of all directions. His face brightened, he straightened up, then he said, “Yup. They went this way,” as he pointed to his left.

   “That’s reliable Chomper for you,” Ruby said proudly. Chomper beamed.

   “Alright guys, let’s get moving,” Littlefoot instructed. Cera eyed him, but Littlefoot failed to notice and they all began their trek farther into the Mysterious Beyond.

   It wasn’t long before they grew thirsty, and Littlefoot stopped. “Hey Ducky, think you can make some water for us?”

   “I am sorry Littlefoot, I am, I am, but I can only control water, not make it,” Ducky admitted sadly.

   “Oh, it’s okay. Petrie, want to fly up and see if you can find any water nearby?”

   “Sure!” And with that, he flew way up high and began to search. He put his wing over his forehead to block out the bright circle, and looked in all directions. “Ah ha!” he said.

   “You found water?” Chomper asked, and the whole group grew excited.

   “No, me say ëAh ha’ because me found out there no water anywhere nearby at all.” He flew back down with a smug expression, proud of how well he did his job of searching. To his surprise, the group glared at him angrily, and he said, “What me do?”

   “Never mind, Petrie. Let’s just keep following these track and hopefully we’ll find some water,” Littlefoot said with a sigh.

   “Oh uh, okay,” he replied, still confused about why the group looked so annoyed.

   The winds began to pick up slightly, blowing against the group. They considered it a blessing, as the day was hot. The cool air brushing up against them offered a comfortable reprieve from the blazing wrath of the bright circle. Little did the gang know however, that that breeze would cause more trouble than comfort.

   A tall dinosaur turned his head slightly. He sniffed the air a few times, then changed his course. The two smaller dinosaurs who were accompanying him looked up at their leader, and the large one licked his lips. They both grinned, and the three of them hastened their pace towards the scent of meat.

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XIX: Trapped

In which a lapse of judgment leads to trouble.


   Ali was running as fast as she could, with Agu bobbing up and down on her back. Her feet were cooled by the waves of water flowing back and forth along the beach, but she did not notice. The safety of her friends was the only thing on her mind. After a few minutes, Ali heard a voice in her head again.

   “Be careful!”

   She came to a sudden halt and Agu jutted forward, bumping into the back of her neck.

   “Sorry,” she told him.

   “Why did we stop?

   “I think they’re close. Menta just warned me to be careful.”

   Agu dismounted and they both scanned the area, seeing nothing.

   Then out of nowhere came a voice. “Ali? Agu? You guys out there?” It was Dusk.

   “Where-?” Ali began, but she quickly found where the noise was coming from- a large hole. The two children walked up to a deep pit, one that was filling with water every time a wave came up. Coaley was unconscious, being held by Dusk against his back. The water was nearly up to their faces.

   “What happened?” Agu asked curiously.

   “No time!” Dusk shouted. “Coaley’s out so can’t warp us out, and Menta doesn’t have the skill to knock us up. The water is nearly to our noses!”

   “Agu, use your copy ability,” Ali instructed. Agu hesitated in confusion, but she continued, “Trust me.”

   Agu raised his hand. “Copy!” he shouted, and two more Agu’s appeared beside him.

   “I’m going to the edge of the hole, then let you hang down inside of it. Our shadows are connected, so you won’t fall in. Grab the feet of one of your copies and have that one do the same thing to the other one. We can pull them out that way.”

   Agu obeyed and there soon formed a chain of dinosaurs reaching down to the captives below.

   “Ugh,” Agu moaned. “We’re not long enough. I can’t reach them.”

   “Can you make more copies?” Ali asked.

   “Making two is tiring enough as it is. I don’t think I ca-” Then a giant wave splashed over them, nearly knocking Ali in the hole.

   “Whoa!” she cried, trying to steady herself. Then she looked in horror to see that that last wave put enough water in the hole that her friends’ faces were completely submerged.

   “Agu, you have to make more copies right now! We’re out of time. You can do it. I know you can!”

   Agu tensed his body, shouting “Copy!” but nothing happened.

   “I’m just not strong enough,” he moaned.

   Ali thought fast. “Strength,” she said, and began to dance.

   Agu’s body surged with energy, and he shouted again, “Copy!”

   Two additional copies popped out, who in turn climbed down the dinosaur chain, latching onto a copy above them. The lowest one reached down, latching onto one of the trapped dinosaurs. It was Menta, and she climbed up, coughing as she reached the top, upon which she slumped to the ground. Dusk was next, climbing up with one hand, the other clutching Coaley. Dusk set her down, and she slowly opened her eyes.

   “Thank you for saving us,” Dusk said with a weak smile before he started coughing. “You two made a great team. Unbind!” And with that, the connection between their shadows broke. Dusk was very pleased to see that they didn’t move away from each other; they merely gave each other a big grin.

   “That was a close one. Good idea though,” Menta thought to him.

   “True, sorry, and thank you,” he mentally said back.

Flash back

   “This worked out just as I’d hoped,” Dusk told the girls walking beside him.

   “Hm?” Coaley asked.

   “I had a feeling you two would want to come along, and that those two wouldn’t feel like walking being stuck together like that. Now I can put my plan into action. I think for those two to get along, they need to learn to work together, to appreciate each other. We seem far enough away now. Let’s start digging.”

   “My lord?” Menta asked curiously as she joined him.

   “We’re going to force them to act as a team. After we dig a big enough hole, we’re going to jump down and seem like we’re trapped. They’ll have to work together to get us out.” After a few minutes, they had made a large hole and Dusk and Menta jumped down to the bottom. Dusk held up his arms and caught Coaley as she leaped in after them, then set her down.

   “But my lord,” Menta began, “They know that Coaley can just warp us out.”

   “Got that figured out already,” he replied. Turning to Coaley, he said, “I want you to pretend to be unconscious, okay? We’re going to act as if we all fell down here and you hit your head. Promise me not to move or open your eyes until we get out, okay?”

   “Promise. Cross my heart.”

   “Good girl.” Then Coaley went limp and she closed her eyes. Dusk caught her before she collapsed and set her down gently. Suddenly, Dusk felt something dripping on his head and looked up. “Uh oh. That pick up in the wind must be moving the waves farther in. We’ll be under water if we stay down here. What a waste of time. Coaley, warp us out please. We’ll have to dig a new hole farther away.” Coaley, however, did not budge.

   “My lord, I think she’s sticking with her promise,” Menta guessed.

   “I think you’re right. Coaley, you can move now.” But Coaley still didn’t stir.

   “She solemnly swore that she wouldn’t move or open her eyes until we are out of the hole. I’m afraid that Coaley is not one for broken promises,” Menta explained.

   Dusk sighed. “Can you telekinetically push us out?”

   “Uh, I’m not sure. I’ve never tried pushing something from below. Shouldn’t be too hard though.” Menta closed her eyes then thrust her arm up, then Dusk shot up a small distance and smacked into the wall of the hole.

   “Ow,” he said painfully.

   “Err, I guess it’s not as easy as I’d thought.”

   “Well, we don’t have enough time for you to perfect it. Send a message to Ali about our danger. Unlike my original plan, we really do need their help.”

End of Flashback

   Ali and Agu looked at each proudly, and Dusk grinned at that. “Looks like this whole mess has you two getting along rather well.”

   Ali winked at Agu, signaling that their earlier chat would remain private. “It sure looks that way,” she said with a smile. “But, how did you guys end up in a fix like that anyway?”

   “Someone got a teensy bit careless,” Menta replied with a cheeky smile.

   Dusk cleared his throat. “Anyway, we resolved one problem only to end up with another one. You see that island off in the distance?” and he pointed out across the ocean. The others nodded. “That’s where we’re going, but it seems that the moving water has finally worn away the land path completely. We’ll have to find a new way across.”

   “I wish I could help,” Coaley said sadly. “If only I’d been there before.” She slumped down onto a long log lying nearby.

   “Don’t worry, Coaley. It’s alri- Wait, I hadn’t noticed that log earlier,“ and Dusk put a hand on his chin in thought. “You know what, Coaley? It looks like you helped us after all.”

   She jumped to feet, excited. “Ooh, really? How? How?”

   “You just found our means of transportation.”

********************

   “How much farther?” Cera complained. “I’m tired.”

   “How am I supposed to know?” Littlefoot replied, getting a bit short.

   “You aren’t, but Petrie here could fly up and see if we’re getting close to anything.”

   “Oh, right,” Littlefoot said, clearly embarrassed for having not thought of that. “Petrie?”

   “Me on it.” He flew high into the sky and looked around. “Ah ha!” he exclaimed.

   This time, none of them grew excited. “Oh well,” Littlefoot said with a sigh.

   Petrie flew back down excitedly. “Me found something you no believe.”

   Littlefoot quickly turned to him. “You mean this ëAh ha’ actually meant you saw something?” The others turned as well, curious.

   “Mm-hm. Remember that place we all stayed at when valley get overrun by swarming leaf gobblers? Me fly way up high and look where the tracks are going, and they lead to there!”

   “Alright!” Littlefoot exclaimed. “Food and water at last!”

   “For me too?” Chomper asked.

   “You bet, buddy,” he answered. “Last time we were here, we found all sorts of bugs.”

   Chomper licked his chops. With renewed strength, the gang began to run, more than eager to finally fill their bellies. It wasn’t long before they arrived, and the group’s first order of business was to jump into the water to cool off. Ducky watched the ripples in the water as the gang splashed about, but to her amazement, even after they all got out, the stirring of the water continued. She sat on the edge, looking down at the water curiously. Her friends were happily munching away, but she was too caught up in why the water was still making ripples.

   “Hey guys,” she began, “Look at the water. Even though we are out of it, it is still moving.”

   “Aw Ducky, it’s just the wind,” Cera told her with little interest.

   “I do not think so,” Ducky replied. “The water is not splashing around like it does when there is a breeze. I’ve never seen it makes circles like this when no one was in it.”

   Her friends didn’t understand what she was so fascinated about, so they just let her be. Ducky did not give up though. She placed her head to the ground and listened. She heard a slight rumbling. It wasn’t constant, but happened every couple seconds. She lifted her head, looking off into the distance in several directions. What finally crossed her line of sight made her scream. The others ran over to her.

   “Ducky, what’s wrong?” Littlefoot asked quickly.

   “It is- it is- Redclaw!” and she pointed to the giant Sharptooth, accompanied by his two Fast Biters companions, Screech and Thud.

   “Oh no!” Petrie exclaimed and he started flying away.

   “Petrie!” Cera shouted, and he stopped short. “Don’t fly away! We don’t have to run from guys like them anymore. Now we have the power to fight back. Let’s use it!”

   “O-okay,” Petrie replied nervously.

   “We fought that one Sharptooth shortly after we got our powers, Petrie,” Ruby pointed out.

   “Yeah, but this Redclaw! He meanest Sharptooth around! And he have Screech and Thud too!”

   “Do not worry, Petrie. I will not let anything happen to you. Look around us. I can use my power to the fullest here,” Ducky said comfortingly.

   Petrie began to relax, but quickly tensed up again as Redclaw and his cronies got closer. “Ooh,” he moaned, started to cower. The Sharpteeth tromped over to the gang, and the kids tensed for battle. Thud looked down and roared. The ground started to shake, and Littlefoot yelled, “Earthshake!”

   “No!” Petrie exclaimed. “The ground not shaking where Redclaw, Screech, and Thud standing!” The children started to lose their balance and fall to the ground. Then Screech roared, and a bolt of lighting erupted from his mouth coming towards Petrie. He quickly let out a sharp gust of wind and shot back, narrowly escaping the blast.

   The children’s eyes widened. “Redclaw and his Fast Biters have powers too!” Littlefoot shouted.

   “But how?” Cera asked.

   “Dusk has the stone, and he came this way too. Redclaw and his Fast Biters must have been absorbing the energy as they followed us,” Ruby concluded.

   “Just great,” Cera said.

   “You’ve always managed to escape us in the past, but now, you shall meet your end,” Redclaw told them.

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XX: Battle of Body, Battle of Mind

In which a battle begins with power and ends with wits.


   “Redclaw’s talking to us!” Ducky exclaimed.

   “Then maybe they’ll listen to reason,” Littlefoot said. Turning to the three of them, he said, “We don’t want to fight you. Leave now, and you won’t get hurt.” The three Sharpteeth looked at each for a moment, then burst out laughing.

   “Har har,” Screech said. “Pity we couldn’t understand you earlier. We’d’ve gotten plenty of laughs.”

   “Ain’t that the truth, brother?” Thud asked.

   “If you won’t leave, then we have no choice. Ready guys?” They all nodded. “Light, shine within my heart!”

   The Sharpteeth were caught off guard by the brilliant flare, so were dazed for a moment. The children took advantage of that and charged. Spike ran right for Screech and quickly hardened his body. The impact sent the Fast Biter sailing back, and he landed on his rear.

   Thud opened his mouth again, roaring loudly, and the ground beneath the gang’s feet began to tremble. Before losing her footing, Ruby also roared, and the earth shook below the Sharpteeth’s feet as well.

   “Be careful with your power!” Redclaw bellowed.

   “Sorry!” Thud apologized, also thinking it was him that caused the second quake.

   Cera looked at a tree and it lifted off the ground and flung towards Redclaw’s face. The giant Sharptooth batted it away, but Petrie called forth a strong wind and it blew it back hard, smashing against his face this time. He roared in pain.

   Cera grinned and shouted, “Way to go, Petrie!” Petrie smiled back, but a bolt of lightning struck him and he plummeted to ground. Littlefoot ran forward at an incredible speed and caught him. “Is he dead!?” Cera shrieked.

   “Nay,” Littlefoot answered. “Lightning formed by magic is far less potent than that of the sky. He is but dazed. I will began healing his wound.” Then Littlefoot held his front foot over Petrie, and the blast mark started to fade.

   “I wish we had not ran towards them, I do, I do. We aren’t close enough to the water anymore,” Ducky thought desperately, struggling to control the water of the ocean behind them.

   Screech shot another lightning bolt at Spike. He hardened his body, but the blast shocked him hard, and he fell to the ground. “Spike!” Ducky screamed.

   “Heh heh heh. Looks like that hard body doesn’t protect against lightning,” Screech said with a grin.

   Ducky glared at him defiantly, but was powerless where she stood. Screech shot another bolt at her, and she jumped out of the way and began to run, Screech at her heels.

   Thud opened his mouth to create another tremor, but stopped when his feet came out from under him. Chomper had him by the tail, and he lifted him up and began swinging him around. He was about to let him loose and send him flailing threw the air, but Thud got a roar out and Chomper lost his balance and fell. Thud was about to grab him when another quake made him fall back down. He looked around in confusion, eyeing Ruby.

   “You can shake the ground shake too?” he asked her.

   “Let’s just say, anything you can do, I can do,” she replied, running over to help Chomper to his feet.

   Redclaw finally recovered from the blow to his face, and looked down at the children below. “Let’s see how they like MY power,” he thought to himself. Petrie finally opened his eyes, and flew up into the air.

   “Thou hast made a nice recovery,” Littlefoot said. Petrie said nothing, but instead flapped his wings, and Littlefoot was knocked back a great distance.

   “Petrie?” he asked. Then he noticed a flock of trees flying right at him and he shouted, “Intervention!” just in time to make a protective field around him. “Cera? Why are you two attacking me?”

   Redclaw let out a hearty laugh. “They can’t hear you now. They do as I tell them?”

   “What!?”

   “Let me tell you about my ability. It’s the power of command. I can tell any two dinosaurs to do my bidding, and they obey without question. Now I’ll have the pleasure of watching you beaten to a pulp by your own friends.”

   Screech finally caught up to Ducky, but right before he caught her, she stopped and turned to him. “Heh heh heh, giving up, are we? A wise choice. You stood no chance against me.”

   “Oh, you are wrong, you are, you are. I did not give up,” she told him.

   Screech crossed his arms, waiting to see what she’d do, but things suddenly grew dark, like he was under a large shadow. He looked up to see a giant wave coming right at him. He quickly turned to run but the wave slammed into him, carrying him back up the shore. The wave stopped moving, showing Ducky standing on top. It hardened into a giant wall of ice, and icicles began firing out of it, grazing Screech in several areas of his body. He ran back, clutching his arm, which had taken the biggest hit.

   Thud opened his mouth to roar again, but this time, faced Ruby, not the ground. She felt a great force on her body, and she slid back a small distance.

   Ruby!” Chomper shouted.

   “I thought your power was making earthshakes,” Ruby said, staggering to her feet.

   “And I thought we had the same power,” Thud replied, confused that she didn’t know. “But whatever. No, while my brother controls the power of lightning, I wield the force of thunder. I can shake the ground, or cause direct shockwaves.”

   “Nice to know,” Ruby replied. She roared like he had, facing him, and he was knocked back to the ground like she had been.

   “Ugh, do we have the same power or don’t we? This is so confusing!” he yelled.

   “Since you shared, so will I. I can copy any power I see in action, I just don’t get the understanding along with it.”

   “Just what I need,” he muttered.

   “Shouldn’t keep letting down your guard,” Chomper said. Thud whirled around, but too late to see Chomper swing the tree that had hit Redclaw into his body. The blow was hard enough to stun him, and he fell to the ground. Screech caught up, and fell to his knees beside his brother, aching all over from his gashes.

   “You two are worthless!” Redclaw shouted. He turned to see how his handiwork was doing, and he was pleased. Littlefoot was running out of energy, dodging and blocking so many attacks.

   “Unh,” Littlefoot moaned. “Not enough strength left for any more barriers.” Spike came to, got his feet, and trudged over to Littlefoot. He stood in front of him and stopped. “Spike, nay!” he exclaimed. “Thou art still too weak to block more forthcoming blows!” Spike ignored him, and hardened his body. “Spike…” Littlefoot said with much emotion. Spike was a true friend through and through. He knew as well that he didn’t have much strength, but that did not stop him.

   Cera hurled another large tree at Littlefoot, and Petrie boosted its speed with a gust of wind. Spike knew this may kill him, but he would not budge. A second gust of wind blew the tree away, and Chomper caught it.

   “Nice aim, Ruby.”

   “Thank you for the thank you.”

   “Friends, be on thy guard! That knave can command others to do his bidding!”

   Redclaw uttered a confident, “Heh.”

   Cera and Petrie were huffing hard. Cera lifted a tree, but it only plopped back down, and the blast Petrie called forth was nothing more than a gentle breeze. Ducky finally caught back up with the others, and she looked at the situation in confusion.

   Ruby’s eyes widened. “Looks like controlling dinosaurs really wears them out,” she called up to him. “I guess you’ll be controlling two more of us now.” Then she began to sob. “Please, control me for one. I can’t stand seeing my friends taken over like that. It’s terrifying. Please!”

   Redclaw let out a laugh. “So, my power frightens you, does it? I like to see fear in my enemies. I’ll make sure you get to watch again. Attack them,” he commanded to Spike and Chomper.

   Before they could land a strike, Ruby shouted, “Now tell them to stop!” and Redclaw did so. “Now, release your hold over them,” and Spike and Chomper started blinking their eyes, coming back to their senses.

   “What- what just transpired?” Littlefoot asked.

   “I knew Redclaw wouldn’t control me if he knew seeing his power frightened me, so I put on a little act. Then I watched Redclaw use his power, then copied it to use myself. Now Redclaw is under my control.”

   Screech and Thud began dragging themselves over, so Ruby quickly motioned for Redclaw to bend down, and she whispered in his ear. The Fast Biters finally reached them.

   “Wow, it looks like you have them all under your command,” Screech said.

   “Wow is right. I thought you could only control two,” Thud added.

   “I know! He must have learned to control more and forgot to mention it.”

   “Neat! Nice going, boss!”

   “I never want to see you two again,” Redclaw told them.

   The two Fast Biters froze. “C- come again?” Screech asked, dumbfounded.

   “You two are worthless. You didn’t help me capture these children at all. Our partnership is over.”

   “Y- you can’t mean that,” Thud stammered.

   “I do, and if I ever see you two again, I’ll eat you myself.” And with that, Redclaw let loose a terrifying roar, the two Fast Biters yelled, “Yipe!” and ran far away, as fast as their legs could carry them.

   The gang all cheered for Ruby, but she was not done yet. “Tell me, Redclaw, does your power have a limit besides just controlling two dinosaurs?”

   “Yes. If the dinosaur or dinosaurs go farther than my eye can see, the control breaks.”

   “Good to know. I want you to walk that way,” Ruby ordered, pointing in the direction they had all come from. She said to her friends, “By the time he is out of range, we’ll be safely away from him. Oh wait!” she ordered, quickly turning back to the Sharptooth who’d just halted. “I’ve wondered something. That red mark from your eye down to your claw. Was it done by a fire-wielding Rainbow Face?” Her friends looked at her curiously.

   “Yes,” he replied.

   “Okay, do as I told you earlier,” she said, and Redclaw began walking away.

   “What that question about?” Petrie asked.

   “Remember when those Rainbow Faces said that the one who stole the stone burned a Sharptooth? Ever since, I’ve just wondered if it was him. Now I know.”

   “Oh yeah! I remember Rey and Reina mention that, but I hadn’t thought about Redclaw. Nice, now we all know where he got the mark that gave him that nickname. I’ve wondered where that scar came from,” Cera told them.

   “Release!” Littlefoot said, and he changed back to normal. “So uh, I guess we beat Redclaw?” As usual, he had no recollection of what he did while transformed.

   “Ruby took care of it,“ Chomper said with a smile.

   “Well then, great job, Ruby.”

   “Why thank you.”

   “What should we do now?” Ducky asked.

   “I know what I want to do,” Cera said. “REST!” And she plopped down onto the ground, and the whole group laughed.

   “After whatever happened with Redclaw, we could use a break. I’m tired too,” Littlefoot admitted. Everyone sat down, saying nothing. They were too worn out to speak. It wasn’t long though, before Littlefoot got up. “Okay guys, I know that that wasn’t very long, but if we wait too much longer, who knows how far ahead Dusk will get. Let’s walk a bit more before calling it a day.”

   The group gingerly got to their feet and pressed forward, following the prints left by Dusk’s group. Finally, the tracks stopped. There was a long line in the sand, as if something was dragged to the water. All of them besides Chomper and Ruby exchanged glances.

   “It looks like they got on a log to cross the water…” Littlefoot trailed off.

   “Oh yes, I remember riding a log once. They float very well,” Ruby said.

   “You sounded odd, Littlefoot. Is something wrong?” Chomper asked him.

   “The only place around to ride to is- your home, Chomper,” Littlefoot explained.

   Chomper gasped. “I’ve been so caught up with everything that’s been going on, I wasn’t even thinking about where we are! You’re right. We’re just across from where my parents live.”

   “Oh my, that’s true! I’ve only been around here once, so I’d completely forgotten. I wonder why Dusk would go to Chomper’s island,” Ruby said thoughtfully.

   “I don’t know, but we’ll find out. And I get to see my parents again. I can’t wait,” Chomper said excitedly.

   “Wait a minute. Remember what happened last time we road on a log over here? We may have power now, but the big water still doesn’t agree with me,” Cera told them.

   “Yeah, I don’t want to end up in a battle in the big water either,” Littlefoot admitted.

   “Do not worry about how to get across,” Ducky said with a smile. The others turned to her. She raised her arms, and a line of water arose from the ocean. It took the shape of a bridge from where they were standing all the way over to the island. It suddenly froze to ice, and Ducky relaxed.

   “Nice work!” Littlefoot exclaimed.

   “Thank you,” she replied.

   The group (minus Petrie) began walking over the ice path Ducky had made. The Swimming Sharpteeth below looked up at the prospect of dinner, but they knew they couldn’t leap that high. Nonetheless, they began swimming below the bridge, following the children from underneath the water. Ducky stuck her tongue out at them, and her friends all laughed. The heat of the day took no rest, but the kids continued on without stopping.

   Chomper’s excitement about seeing his parents again had not died down. As a result, he did not notice what the bright circle was doing to the bridge. Tiny puddles were forming on top of it, and the others simply began walking more carefully. Chomper on the other hand, kept up his brisk pace. It was too late before he realized he was slipping. He slid right off the bridge, and a Swimming Sharptooth leapt into the air and caught him in his mouth. Ducky and Ruby screamed. Before anyone could take action, the beast dove underwater and swam away hurriedly.

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XXI: Generous, yet Selfish

In which Dusk tries again to give and take.


   “So Dusky, how’re you gonna find your friends?” Coaley asked.

   “I’m not,” Dusk replied a smug expression, turning to Ceit.

   The Flying Sharptooth sighed. “Very well, ma lord,” he said, taking to the skies.

   “Are we just going to sit around while he looks?” Agu asked.

   “We could use a break after traveling so far,” Dusk pointed out.

   “Aw, I’m not tired; I’m bored.”

   “Why don’t you go exploring then?” Menta suggested.

   “Good idea, but don’t go too far,” Dusk instructed.

   “Can I go too please?” Coaley asked.

   “I don’t know, can you?” Agu joked, starting to laugh.

   Coaley sighed. “May I go too please?”

   “Of course. Have fun you two, but stay together,” Dusk told them.

   “Do we have to hold hands too?” Agu asked sarcastically. Dusk gave him a look which made him shiver, and the two kids ran off together.

   “Mind if I take a nap somewhere on the beach?” Ali asked.

   “By all means,” Dusk replied. Ali walked a ways away and lay down to get some rest, leaving Dusk and Menta alone.

   “I’m not questioning your actions, just trying understand them. Why are we looking for these friends of yours?” Menta asked.

   “Well, I am curious how they and their son are doing.”

********************

   “Agu!” Coaley huffed, “Please so slow down!”

   “Forget it! I can’t have fun exploring when I have to tag along with someone. Copy!” Two more Agus entered the scene, and they all ran in different directions. “Betcha don’t know which one is the real me!”

   Coaley did not even guess. She came to a sudden halt, panting as all three Agus disappeared into the trees. “I hope he doesn’t get himself hurt,” she thought to herself.

   She walked along the edge of the beach. The coolness of the small waves brushing against her feet felt so good. She then turned to the ocean hearing splashing nearby. A Swimming Sharptooth was splashing about, and his head was shaking violently. Finally, it spit something out into the water. She squinted her eyes against the bright circle, and she saw that it was a little Sharptooth! He wasn’t that far from the island, and he was unconscious. She quickly swam out to him, clutching his neck and holding his head above the water. “Warp!” she said, and immediately returned to dry land. She then set him down, sprawled across the sand.

   “Wait!” she exclaimed. “It’s Chomper!” She knelt down, resting his head on her lap. The young, male Sharptooth soon started moving his head around, and he slowly opened his eyes. “Thank goodness, he’s alright,” she thought to herself. “And he’s even cuter up close.”

   “What- where am I?” he asked drowsily.

   “On an island, safe and sound,” she told him. Chomper quickly sat up.

   “Who’re- wait, I know you! You’re one of those mean Sharpteeth with Dusk!” He tensed, expecting her to attack him, but she only looked at his behavior curiously.

   “None of the Sharpteeth with Dusk are mean. Not even Agu. Well, maybe he’s a little mean, but I know he has a good heart. At least, I hope so. By the way, the nameës Coaley.”

   Now it was Chomper’s turn to look out of sorts. She was talking to him as if they good friends. She didn’t seem at all riled that he, one of Littlefoot’s group, was standing before her. He tried to remember how he got separated. “Where did you find me?” he asked her.

   “I saw you get thrown out of a Swimming Sharptooth’s mouth, not too far from the island. I went out and brought you back.”

   “Why would someone from Dusk’s group save me?” he asked with a guarded tone.

   Coaley looked at him, tilted her head to the side, and frowned. “Why do you keep talking as if we’re bad? You’re hurting my feelings.”

   Chomper walked over and sat down beside her. “I’m sorry,” he told her. “I’m just confused. Dusk has done some bad things, so I just don’t know what to think of him.”

   Coaley looked out over the waters, as if in contemplating. “If your mommy was starving, and the only meat around belonged to someone else, would you take it?”

   “Of course! I’m not gonna let my mom go hungry!”

   “But Chomper, stealing is wrong.” Chomper froze at her words. “Sometimes, when trying to do something good, bad things may happen. Dusk’s heart is for all of us Sharpteeth. He is fighting for our kind, Chomper.”

   “What do you mean?” he asked her. “What is Dusk trying to accomplish?”

    Coaley’s body suddenly flew back into a tree, dazing her.

   “Coaley!“ Chomper shouted, quickly got to his feet and rushing to her side.

   “Whew, that close,” Petrie said. “One of Dusk’s friends nearly get you, Chomper.” The rest of Chomper’s friends caught up with them.

   “Chomper, are you alright?” Littlefoot asked him.

   Chomper, however, was too angry to pay that question any heed. “Petrie! Coaley wasn’t going to get me! She saved me, and you attacked her!”

   “M- me sorry,” he stammered. “Me- not know.”

   “One of Dusk’s group saved you? That is more unusual than usual,” Ruby said.

   Coaley started coming to. “Ungh.” Chomper helped her sit up. She looked around at his friends, and deduced what had happened. “Chomper,” she said quietly. “Dusk is doing no different than what your friend just did.” Her words stunned him as they sank in. “I hope to see you again.” She then leaned forward and licked his cheek. “Warp.” And just like that, she was gone.

********************

   “Ugh, I try to eat one, and they all go crazy. Why did I have to leave her behind? Her warp power would be SO useful right now,” Agu said dejectedly as he ran from a swarm of buzzing buzzers. “Copy!” A single replica of Agu popped out and ran to the army of insects. They stung it all over and it vanished. Agu turned back to see if that had thrown them off, but they were still coming. “Come on!” he exclaimed in frustration. “Coaley!”

   “You called?” she asked, standing before him with a grin and her arms folded.

   “Phew, I’m saved. Quick, can you warp us out of here?”

   “I don’t know, can I?” she wondered aloud with a smug expression.

   “Okay okay, I’m sorry about making fun of you earlier. Now hurry up! Ah!”

   The swarm was just about to engulf him when Coaley said “Warp,” and they were gone, back with Dusk and Menta.

   Dusk looked at the two Sharpteeth and raised a brow. Coaley was rubbing her back and Agu was breathing very hard. “Have a little excitement, did we?”

   “Yeah,” they both said at once in a low tone. The group then quickly turned as they heard loud stomping coming from deeper in the island.

   “It seems that Ceit was successful,” Dusk commented.

   “That I was, ma lord,” he told him, landing nearby. “I gave them a brief explanation as to why you won’t be as- recognizable.”

   “Good work.”

   “Thank you.”

   Two giant Sharpteeth emerged from the island’s foliage and stood before the group. The male lowered his head to Dusk’s height.

   “Wow. If I hadn’t seen you with my own eyes, I’d’ve never believed it,” he said to Dusk.

   “Yes. It is the unfortunate side effect of having such power,” Dusk responded.

   The female laughed and said, “You’re kinda cute like that.”

   Dusk made a crooked smile and rolled his eyes, and her mate gave her a bemused look.

   “We haven’t see you in a while either, Menta,“ Chomper’s mother told her. “How have you been?“

   “Oh, alright. Yourself?“

   “Both me and my husband have been doing well, thank you.“

   “How many of you aren’t how you look?“ Chomper’s father asked them.

   “Besides Menta and I, just Ceit, the one who found you two. Now,” Dusk continued, clearing his throat, “I would like to speak to you two- alone, please.” His companions exchanged glances. “Coaley, would you be so kind as to take everyone off the island for a few minutes?”

   “Okey dokey Dusky.”

    Coaley was about to warp them away, but Menta whispered in her thoughts, “Just take us a short ways away. If we’re caught, I’ll make sure the blame is on me. It is very important that you do this.”

   “Warp!” Coaley said, and the whole group vanished- not far from where Dusk and the two Sharpteeth stood. The group hid behind some bushes, eavesdropping on the conversation.

   “How’s that boy of yours?” Dusk asked them.

   “He’s growing into a fine, young Sharptooth,” the male answered. “Although, he has a very unusual choice of friends.”

   “I haven’t seen him since he was just a hatchling. In fact, you hadn’t even named him yet. If I may, what exactly is unusual about his friends?” Dusk reached down and grabbed a large beetle, munching on it hungrily.

   “He made friends with Leaf Eaters,” he replied.

   Dusk started to choke on the insect. Pounding on his chest, he managed to swallow.

   “I was expecting a reaction like that,” the female said with a laugh.

   “The boy- what did you name him?”

   “Chomper,” his father told him.

   Dusk was dumbfounded. What he meant to be simple chit-chat before his main point ended up becoming a revelation. He quickly regained his composure and said, “That’s a nice name.”

   “Thank you,” Chomper’s father replied. “Now Dusk, I know you came here to do more than ask about our child. You have a way of easing into serious issues, but we’re good friends, so there’s really no need to warm us up. What’s on your mind?”

   “Aren’t you worn out from fighting Flatteeth for food all the time?” Dusk asked them.

   The two adults looked at each in surprise. “What do you mean by that?” Chomper’s mother asked. “We’re not that old.”

   “No no, sorry, that’s not what I meant,” Dusk said quickly. “What I mean is, are you tired of meals always having to be a chore? Wouldn’t you like to just relax and eat whenever with no hassle?”

   “Of course,” Chomper’s father replied. “What Sharptooth wouldn’t?”

   “Ceit explained the stone’s power to you, I presume?”

   “Well,” the male began, “He said that it grants special abilities.”

   “Good. He was wise to leave the other part to me. This stone,” Dusk told them, holding it out in front of him, “Will grant someone a single wish, provided four others wish for the same thing at the same time. I need your help in making a wish. I want all Sharptooth kind to be able to live off of green food like Leaf Eaters. No more needless tussles and food available all over.”

   The two adults grew silent in thought for a time. “An intriguing proposition,” the male finally said.. “Our son would grow up in a peaceful world. He’s so gentle. I’ve worried that he wouldn’t be successful when the time came for him to hunt. I like the idea.”

   “I do too. But I don’t understand something. I saw four others with you- three Sharpteeth and a flying one. What do you need us for?” the female asked.

   “A few of my companions aren’t fond of me making that wish, so I don’t have enough to do so.”

   “What don’t they like? They love hunting their meals that much?” the female wondered aloud.

   “That’s not it!” Menta shouted, coming from behind the bush. “Dusk hasn’t told you everything. Tell them, my lord. Tell them what must happen to one of the dinosaurs who make the wish.”

   “Menta…”

   “Well, Dusk, what happens?” the male asked.

   “For the wish to come true, one of the wishers must give up his or her life. I’ve already established that I’d give up my own.”

   “Dusk, I can’t believe you!” the female exclaimed. “You’re being generous and selfish at the same time.”

   Dusk raised a brow.

   She continued, “You have friends that really care about you, friends who can’t bear the thought of seeing you die, and that includes us. While giving to the world, you’re taking away from those close to you. My husband and I would never help you do such a thing.”

   “I am being generous to them as well!” Dusk retorted indignantly. “I am giving them a better life to live.”

   “No life without you, my lord, could I ever call a better one,” Menta told him, lowering her head.

   Dusk was furious that Menta had interfered, having come so close, but he veiled his emotions. “I am sorry for causing you distress,” he told her. “There’s nothing more for us to do here. We’re leaving.”

   “You really have to go so soon?” the male asked him. “We haven’t seen each other in a long time. I’d like to catch up.”

   “I’m sorry, but we must be going. Nice seeing you two again.”

   “Dusk…” the female said sadly.

   Dusk turned his back on the two parents and started walking to where Ali was resting. His companions followed. Chomper’s parents watched Dusk leave with a heavy heart. They could see that he was upset, much as he tried to hide it, and they didn’t want this visit, the first one in a long time, ending on such unhappy terms.

   “Would you at least consider spending the night?” the male asked him.

   Dusk stopped, half turned, and looking him right in the eyes said, “No. And if anyone asks about why I was here, tell them nothing.” The two adults nodded.

   The group met up with Ali, and Dusk gently woke her, saying it was time for them to go. “Coaley?” Dusk asked.

   “Uh, where to?” she asked back.

   “Anywhere but here.”

   “Oh. Okay. Let’s see... Warp!”

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

Chapter XXII: The Secret of Maturity

In which Littlefoot and his friends learn that some foes aren’t as they seem.


   “That doesn’t make any sense,” Cera pointed out. “Why would one of Dusk’s group save one of us?”

   Chomper, who was still holding his cheek and blushing, said, “I don’t think they’re really bad dinosaurs.”

   “I think you’re still dizzy from being nearly swallowed by that Swimming Sharptooth,” Cera said flatly. “Rey said that the world will suffer if Dusk gets his wish. Did that super sniffer of yours smell good that none us can?”

   “Maybe he did, Cera,” Ducky stated, entering the conversation. “Don’t you remember Pterano? He did bad things, but he thought he was doing what was right.”

   “Exactly. But just because someone thinks they’re doing right, doesn’t mean they are. If I hurt Littlefoot, believing it would help him, are you still going to call that good? I don’t care what Dusk’s intentions are. He is causing harm and will keep causing harm until we put a stop to him,” Cera concluded.

   “Rarely as it happens, I must agree with Cera. We have to stop Dusk at all costs,” Littlefoot declared.

   “Whatever we do, leave Coaley alone,” Chomper told them.

   “You mean that little Sharptooth who saved you?” Ruby asked.

   “Yeah.”

   Cera snorted. “If she attacks us with the rest of them, I will defend myself.”

   “No, you won’t,” Chomper said defensively, clenching his teeth.

   “Easy you two. Our enemy is Dusk, not each other,” Littlefoot reasoned. “Now let’s see if we can find them. I don’t see any footprints. Cera?”

   “On it,” she replied. She closed her eyes, then opened them saying, “They’re- they’re not here.”

   “What? But their tracks led right to the water’s edge,” Littlefoot said in a worried tone. “We can’t let Dusk get too far ahead.”

   “Dusk was here, but he left a little while ago,” a female’s voice rang out. The group turned to see Chomper’s mother standing beside them.

   Chomper rushed forward, hugging her foot, and she lifted him up. “I’m so glad to see you again,” he told her.

   “You aren’t surprised that you can understand us?” Ruby wondered aloud. “Dusk MUST have been here to explain then.”

   “So you saw Dusk here? What did he want? Do you know him?” Littlefoot inquired.

   A loud, rhythmic crashing started to draw near, and a male Sharptooth emerged from the woods. “Know him? Dusk and us two are old friends. And yep, his flying friend did mention that the stoneës power makes universal speech possible.”

   “Dad!” Chomper squealed with delight, and his father came forward and nuzzled against his face.

   “Wait, how can you be old friends with him? He’s our age,” Cera pointed out.

   “You’re friends of Dusk and didn’t know?” Chomper’s mother asked in surprise.

   “We never said we were friends of Dusk, and what don’t we know that we need to know?” Ruby asked her.

   “Well, since you aren’t shocked that we can understand each other and therefore must have power, I take it you at least know of the stone of cold fire?” Chomper’s father asked them.

   “Yes,” Littlefoot replied.

   “Well, not even Dusk knows why, but when he and some of his friends got the power of the stone, they became young again. Dusk, Menta, and that Flying Sharptooth Ceit are all adults in kid bodies,” Chomper’s father explained.

********************

   “Hey, I think I understand what Dusk meant a while back,” the child cut in.

   “Hm?”

   “Remember when Dusk said, ëI know I lost a lot of weight, but only half my strength is gone?’ Well, I’ve been wondering what he was saying back then for a while now. Now it makes sense. Since he’s in a kid form again, he lost tons of weight, but he is still half as strong as he was as an adult. Did I make the right connection?”

   His father was impressed. He’d nearly forgotten reading that, having been said so many pages ago. “You sure did.” The boy crossed his arms and looked very proud, so his father laughed then continued.

********************

   “Wow, that is amazing, amazing that is,” Ruby said, being the first to get over the shock.

   “I have to admit, Dusk did seem a lot more mature than a child,” Littlefoot said. “Now it all makes sense.”

   “Wait, why you two no get young?” Petrie asked Chomper’s parents.

   “Oh, Dusk didn’t stick around very long. We didn’t get any power,” she replied.

   “Would sure have been nice to though. I’d’ve loved to have had the energy I had as a kid,” he added.

   “Aw dad, you’re not that old,” Chomper told him. He smiled in return.

   “But anyway, if you’re not friends of his, why are you looking for him?” she asked them.

   “Dusk is going to cause big trouble if he gets a wish from that stone. We have to stop him,” Littlefoot told them.

   “Trouble as in…?” she asked, confused.

   “We’re not sure, but we know it’s really bad,” Littlefoot continued, though realizing how silly that sounded.

   “Do you know what he plans to wish for, Chomper’s mom?” Ducky asked her.

   “Yes, but, we were asked to not say anything. And as we said, Dusk is an old friend,” he said to the kids. “I can tell you though, the only trouble there’d be from his wish is some sad friends.”

   “That can’t be right!” Littlefoot exclaimed. “The whole world will be in danger if he gets what he wants.”

   “Maybe he lied about his wish to you?” Cera suggested.

   “No, if you’d been here, you’d have clearly seen the sincerity of the situation. We don’t want Dusk making that wish anymore than you do, but it’s his life, his to do with as he pleases. We just didn’t want any part of it,” the father said.

   “Huh? What about his life?” Littlefoot asked.

   “You certainly don’t know a whole lot, do you?” he asked with a laugh. “To make the wish work, someone has to give up his or her life. Dusk already agreed that he’d give up his own.”

   “Dear, you’re telling them an awful lot. He asked us to say nothing about why he was here.”

   “And I haven’t said a word about what brought him here, sweetheart.”

   “What wish could someone possibly want that they couldn’t even enjoy?” Ruby wanted to know.

   “Dusk has a generous heart, but she is right. We are saying a bit too much. Now, it is getting late. Would you all like to stay the night here?”

   “No, we have to stay on Dusk’s trail. Our mission is to stop him, and stop him we must,” Littlefoot declared.

   “But Littlefoot, we’re tired, and we have no idea where they went this time. We need some rest,” Cera complained. “We can try to figure out how to find him in the morning.”

   “Fine,” he replied.
   
   “Anyone want a bite to eat?” she asked them.

   “Uh, no, we’re good, really,” Littlefoot answered, not wanting to think about Sharptooth snacks. And with that, the small band of Flatteeth and a Sharptooth followed Chomper’s parents to their nesting area.

********************

   “Are you angry with me, my lord?” Menta asked him.

   “No,” he replied, but before she could breathe a sigh of relief, he added, “Furious.” Her heart sank. “You oppose me at every turn. I should have made you leave us long ago, after that stone-stealing stunt you pulled earlier.”

   “My lord, if I may be so bold as to speak, I am doing everything for your sake.”

   “If one must die to save many, so be it.”

   “No!” she exclaimed, but she grew silent after he gave her a chilling glare.

   “If you try one more thing, you’re gone. I want nothing to do with a team member that isn’t a team player. Are we understood?”

   “Yes, my lord. Completely.”

   “Good. Now, Coaley, why exactly did you take us back to the Great Valley?” Dusk asked, as the group all stood atop the wall bordering Littlefoot and the others’ home.

   “Sorry, Dusky, I just couldn’t think of anywhere else.”

   “It’s alright, no big deal. Might as well make the most of it though. Besides, there really isn’t any specific place I wish to be. Ceit?”

   “On it, ma lord.” It wasn’t long before all of them, including Ali, resembled Three Horns. Ceit looked like a baby Three Horn and hopped on Dusk’s back.

   “Why this type?” Dusk asked, as they climbed to the bottom.

   “Well, there is a rather uncanny fellow in this abode, and I am hoping that by taking on his kind, he won’t be quite so gruff should we run into him again.”

   “You kids! What are you doing up, chattering away at this hour?” a familiar voice rang out.

   “Or not,” Ceit said with a mental sigh.

   “My apologies,” Dusk told Mr. Three Horn. “We’ll head to sleep right now. Sorry for disturbing you.”

   “I don’t recall seeing any of you around here. Where exactly do you stay?” he asked them.

   “None of your business,” Agu wanted to say, but he refrained.

   “We are visiting so don’t have a place set up yet,” Dusk answered.

   “Where are your parents?”

   “Not here,” Dusk replied.

   “I see. Well then-” The group braced themselves for a harsh comment. “You can stay with me.”

   The group looked up to him in surprise. “Don’t act so shocked,” he said with a chuckle. “We Three Horns look after each other.”

   “Excellent job, Ceit,” Dusk thought to himself. The group followed Mr. Three Horn back to his nest, finding two females, an adult and a child. “Don’t make any noise. They are resting now,” he told them. However, Mr. Three Horn had made so much racket on his way over, Tria was now awake.

   “Who are they, Topsy?” she asked him, smiling at the kids.

   “Oh, just some kids visiting who didn’t bring their parents. Thought they could stay with us.”

   “That’s so sweet of you, but shouldn’t you have asked why their parents aren’t around?” Tria pressed him.

   “Oh, well uh, I- that is to say-”

   “Relax, Topsy. So kids, where exactly are your parents?” Tria asked them.

   Dusk and his companions looked at each other. Most of their parents were dead. Ali’s memory of hers was sealed, and Agu had ran away from his.

   Dusk simply said, “Dead. We’re on our own.”

   Both Topsy and Tria looked at them in shock. Before they could ask anymore questions though, Coaley yawned and said, “I’m sleepy. Can we just go to bed now?” Dusk silently thanked her.

   “Fine, we can sort this out further in the morning,” Topsy told them. The “Three Horns” curled up near the nice family and they all soon fell asleep.