To quote Alice, curiouser and curiouser. I wonder what the Black Mountain Monster is. Keep the chapters coming. 
LOL, I'm surprised Justin! You of all people should recognise a description of a gigantic, black-skinned monster that breathes blue fire! But anyways:
[Note: As previously, the dialogue in italics are in song, and the dialogue in bold and italics are sung in harmony]
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The sky above the Valley became a rainbow of rose-hues, with streaks of orange cloud, and the slight hints of a golden lining, as the Bright Circle left its throne above the world and began to sink.
Another day of play for the young dinosaurs drew to a close. Petrie flapped his way towards his nest on the mountainside. Ducky hopped up onto Spike’s back, while Spike munched contently on the melon they had been playing with, now thoroughly tenderised. Ruby trotted gently towards her caves, Chomper resting on her back, exhausted after a day’s play.
Littlefoot and Cera made their goodbyes as they parted ways, each heading to their respective sleeping spot. Both knew that an interesting night lay ahead of them, but neither knew just what was in store for them.
Hours later, The Valley was in darkness. Silence reigned supreme, save for the gentle rumble of the Thundering Falls.
In a clearing in a grove of trees, Cera stirred. Night had fallen, everyone was asleep. It was time.
Stretching and yawning silently, the young threehorn snuck away from the snoring forms of her parents, and past Tricia, her baby stepsister, as silently as possible. Reaching the fringe of the trees, she blew a gentle sigh of relief and trotted towards the Swimmers’ sleeping spot.
Gently nudging Ducky and Spike into wakefulness, the trio hurried to the Caverns, where Ruby and Chomper were eagerly awaiting their arrival. Chomper waved to them, but was gently hushed by Cera as they joined the group.
“Okay guys. Tonight, we’re gonna follow Littlefoot and see exactly what he gets up to with those Blackweed guys. Once we pick up Petrie, we’ll head over to his sleeping spot and follow him from there…”
“But what if he has already left? How will we find him?” Ducky whispered as they headed to the Flyers’ nest.
“Well then, we’ll head for the cave where the Blackweeds are staying and wait for him there.” Cera replied.
They arrived at the base of the small mountain where Petrie’s family had their nest. A few small, well-aimed rocks and Petrie joined them at the base of the mountainside.
“Great, that’s all of us. Now let’s go.”
The group crept as quietly as possible, through the groves and plains of the Valley, until they arrived at the Longnecks’ grove. There were the massive, sleeping forms of Grandma and Grandpa Longneck. But no sign of Littlefoot!
“He must have gone ahead, he must.” Ducky muttered as she looked around the ring of stones, wherein Littlefoot usually slept.
Petrie flapped high into the dark sky, and called in a low voice “Me see him! He headed for caves, but not too far yet.”
He swooped low and joined his friends, pointing towards a series of low hills. The group hurried through the woods, reaching the fringe, just as Cera spotted a figure disappearing over the top of a hillock. “That must be him!” She said as she picked up her pace to a vigorous jog.
The others following behind her, they ducked as they reached the hills. Peeking over the top, there he was.
At first they did not recognise him, as he was once again wearing his honorary blackweeds, tied in a gentle noose about his neck. He was facing away from them, but they were sure he had his black facepaint on too.
Keeping as low and silent as possible, Cera and co. followed at a distance, just behind Littlefoot. Over the hills and through the tall trees the followed him, until they came to the Secret Caverns.
Littlefoot looked about to make sure he wasn’t being watched, before heading to enter the cave. He stopped as he heard the stomp of clawed feet from within the cave. He backed from the entrance as he saw the head of Redback emerge to greet him.
“Ah Littlefoot, excellent, you’re here.”
“Hiya Redback.” Littlefoot replied as he smiled. It was a pleasant surprise to be greeted on the door like this.
“Say…ah... Littlefoot, whadaya say to something a little different tonight?” Redback asked, looking around the Valley.
“Like what?” asked the longneck. Where could this be going?
“Well, “Redback replied “How about tonight, we forget about the Brotherhood for the and just hang out together as pals. Sound good?”
Littlefoot smiled “Sure! With the others too, or just the two of us?”
“Ehh, leave them. I might be their leader, but they can take care of themselves for a night.”
He needed no second bidding. Littlefoot enjoyed hanging around with the Blackweed Brotherhood, certainly. But it was Redback who he seemed to gravitate towards the most. There was something about him that just oozed a paradoxical mix of adventure, and yet, also security.
So Littlefoot agreed, and the pair walked away from the caves “We’ll have to be careful, but if we find the right places, we should have a great time!” Redback said, glad that Littlefoot had agreed.
The longneck smiled as he and his large friend headed around the cave entrance and off for a walk.
Not far behind, Cera and her friends followed in silent pursuit.
As they walked, Redback looked up into the sky. He gazed at the moon, as it glowed with a silvery white light, illuminating the Valley below, bathing it in a pale light.
“Beautiful” He whispered under his breath.
“You say something?”
Redback jumped slightly as he heard Littlefoot’s voice “Oh err…I was just talking g about the sky tonight. It’s so clear.”
“Don’t you get clear sky in the Beyond?” Littlefoot asked
“Not the parts I’ve been to. The Smokey Mountains make it cloudy and smokey all night. You might get a clear-ish day or night, but nothin’ like this.”
Littlefoot smiled gently as he looked up at Redback. It was strange to see such a large, potentially brutal creature, here commenting on how beautiful something was! He thought to himself, there must be so much more to him that at first appears.
“Yeah, it is pretty here at night.” Littlefoot said, for lack of anything better to say.
The pair walked together, heading to the ridge. The view was always spectacular up there and on a night like tonight, what better place to sit and watch the world pass by?
“I wonder if your friends would think so too.”
He was taken off guard by this comment. Littlefoot looked up to his friend, asking “Friends? You mean Cera and Ducky and the rest?”
“Sure” Redback responded offhandedly “Didn’t you notice? They’ve been following us since we left the caverns. Don’t look back, just pretend you don’t know.”
Littlefoot was shocked. “Why are they following us?”
“Heck if I know. Climb aboard and we’ll give them the slip.”
Redback stopped and lowered his neck. Littlefoot was unsure “What’s your idea?” he asked as he clambered up onto the sharptooth’s neck.
Redback simply grinned “Hey, I might be big, but I’m faster than I look.”
Littlefoot gulped and held on tight. Redback reared sharply and galloped into the night. He wasn’t kidding, Littlefoot thought. He really
was fast! The longneck’s eyes watered as the rushing cold air bit at him. His paws felt as if they were glued to Redback’s skin. The pair sprinted along the base of the ridge, until a slope appeared.
“Up we go!” Redback called to Littlefoot as he veered up the pathway that led to the ridge. He skidded to a halt as they reached a ridge.
“Alright, you can let go now.”
Littlefoot slid off of Redback’s neck, stunned by the sudden adrenaline rush. Once you get over the initial shock, he thought, that was kinda fun!
The pair sat down upon the ridge, Redback’s legs and Littlefoot’s forepaws hanging over the ledge. Not a word passed between them as they gazed out at the peerless vista that lay before them.
“Hey Redback?” Littlefoot suddenly spoke up “Would you like to live here? In the Valley?”
Redback lifted his head, the blackweeds rustling as he moved “….You mean…forever?”
Littlefoot nodded “Well, maybe not that long, but I mean, for life.”
Redback mulled over this in silence for a moment. Littlefoot rested his head on the ground, as suddenly, the muse took him over and he began to sing:
“These days have been like a journey on a road that's within
My head said to be careful, but my heart threw me in
So I go
And now here we sit, you know.”Redback turned to his friend and smiled, and sang a verse in response;
“The life I had beforehand
Wasn’t really filled with ease
But I’ve found my paradise in these grasses and the trees
So I stay
Livin’ peaceful is my new way”“
Time stands still in the Valley at night
Time stands still in the darkness
There's no point in a fuss and a fight
As we look over the land
And I'd be satisfied just to be not denied
To reside with some pride
By your side
In the Valley, the Valley tonight”
As they sat together, Redback sang in his head, words he longed to say. But his nerve failed him
You shone like a star as you entered my life
In the shine of that star, I saw the end of my strife
Now I know,
The Plan will have to go.“If I can find a way to show
that he’s not like the rest
Explain things to the others
And this friendship will be bless’d” Sang Littlefoot
“From this night,
All the Wrongs will become Right.”
Time stands still in the Valley tonight
Time stands still in the Moonlight
There's no time for a fuss or a fight
As we survey the land
And we'd be satisfied just to be not denied
To reside with some pride
Side by side
In the Valley, the Valley tonight.”Cera stomped back towards her sleeping stop, in a spectacularly foul mood. Just when they were about to get in hearing range of Littlefoot and Redback, they zoom off for some reason! She had tried her best, but there was no keeping up with them! That Redback could give Ruby a run for her treestars!
The others had all headed home, demoralized and disappointed, but none moreso than Cera. She was still no closer in figuring out this Blackweed Brotherhood.
She froze as she heard a voice not too far away. Standing perfectly still, her ears pricked up to listen. Rheddo’s rough voice and Celya’s thin, reedy voice floated upon the night air to her.
Sneaking towards the voices, she spotted the pair sitting in a rocky copse, along with Tero, who paced back and forth.
“Ah forget it, Tero.” Celya said, “Looks like Red’s not gonna show. He’s probably still off with that longneck kid.”
“Sheesh, he’s really taken a shine to that squirt.” Rheddo scoffed, before his voice became serious “You think we can rely on him for the plan?”
Tero shook his head, his pacing stopping.
“Well, it don’t matter anyways. If they don’t go along with us, they’ll get what’s comin’ to them, like everyone else.” Rheddo said, with a malicious grin.
Celya stood up “Speaking of which, we’d better make sure we know just how we’re gonna do this.”
Tero cleared a patch of dirt, patting it flat, and then with a claw he scratched a loose depiction of the Valley from a flyer’s-eye view. Celya and Rheddo gathered around the image and began their discussion.
Cera could only listen in horror as their plan unfolded.
