When do you think the Great Valley residents found

[LittlefootAndAliTogether]

I think that, more than likely, they already knew a bit about him prior to when he and Ruby got there.

My theory is that maybe Littlefoot at least told Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, who may have asked him why he disobeyed them and didn't stay back in film II, and he told them then.

If not then, then I think it highly likely that the grownups asked tons of prying questions between when they arrived back with their families in V and when they returned to the Great Valley at the very end of V.  It is even not beyond the realm of possibility that the Gang of Five had Elsie bring over Chomper on her back.  (He could have stayed on her back in case the grownups might try and harm him, though I think, to be honest, he'd never have thought of that, as he totally believed his parents wouldn't eat his new friends, so he may not know anymore than that Leaf Eaters don't like to be around his kind and maybe why (I think his parents may have told him some stuff).  

Also, Elsie is also helpful as to how Chomper could get off the island if need be later.  However, why he would be threatened by Red Claw out there.  One surmises that, and this kind of makes sense from what I read, as it seems first the whole path was gone, but more and more of it starts to come back if you look closely.  Perhaps it was only temporarily washed out.  

Another thing is that the Gang of Five, minus the first day, only stayed on the island the day they were with Chomper.  There may be another way to shore, even if the Gang of Five didn't know about it.  Yes, I know the term "island" was used in the movie title, but it doesn't mean it might be, though too deep for the Gang of Five to cross, shallow enough for Chomper's full grown parents to wade across and take him on their necks or whatnot.  

Also, there is also the possibility of a D-Day low tide that could help with the getting across.  

(Heck, maybe there is a mega tree the size we saw in the next movie that Chomper's parents were able to smash and float across on.  It seems likely as Chomper's parents wouldn't bother to eat green food on the log and cause it to go crazy.    )


Anyway, it seems odd that they wouldn't know about Chomper till Ruby came nor that the Gang of Five, who, we can guess, never heard of Ruby till then, would trust her and not think she wasn't bringing a fake Chomper to do harm or something.  (Would you trust a Fast Runner you know nothing about?)  

My best theory still holds that they learned of him in around the time of film V.  It makes the most sense.  What are your thoughts?

[Ducky123]

If the Tv-series had introduced Chomper and Ruby properly, we wouldn't have this discussion   . Well, I think that Littlefoot might have told his Grandparents about Chomper at some point between LBT 2 and the series (or the others told their parents). Leaves the question how the heck the Gang would make friends with Ruby whom they didn't know at all. They sure are accepting of new friends though

[Ludichris1]

It's all quite confusing. I mean, if chomper crossed the ocean on his own or SOMEhow got the attention of Elsie, that's a huge feat in itself him being so small. And knowing where to go across the desert? I mean it was a biiig desert remember. Man that would be- I have no words xD. Basically him and his parents would have had to cross together, and his parents sense of smell probably lead them back near the great valley, though why they let him play (or live?) in the great valley or not knowing that he does is beyond me really

[Malte279]

The way of Chomper to the Valley wouldn't necessarily lead through the desert in LBT 5. On the one hand the movie narrator suggested that the swarming leaf gobblers had been responsible for the destruction (but since there are no trees (albeit leafless) to be seen in LBT 5 that desert was probably one before the leaf gobblers came along), and on the other hand we see that there is a rather comfortable way from the Big Water to the Valley in LBT 9. So if Chomper headed along the coast for a while rather than tracing back the route the Valley residents took in LBT 5 the desert could probably be avoided.

[LittlefootAndAliTogether]

It is established that Chomper stayed with Ruby's family for a while till Red Claw came to call, at which time Chomper and Ruby both went to the Great Valley.

Possibly Ruby and her family snuck away Chomper in the dead of night, at the request of Chomper's parents, and Red Claw kept watching Chomper's parents, expecting him to turn up, and eventually realized that he'd been had and went and, tracing Chomper's scent, eventually was getting near Ruby's family.  

As for how Ruby and Chomper's family met, I'll surmise Chomper met Ruby himself and not his parents (who we can guess, would have found Ruby to be a "Ruby Rhubarb".)  and she came to realize that Chomper wasn't going to harm her and she got her parents to trust Chomper and learn of his situation and eventually Chomper get his parents to trust Ruby and her family and not eat them.


As for deserts, Chomper and Ruby can both eat meat and so it's not as lethal to them as it would be to a flat tooth.  As for Elsie, she already saw Chomper in movie V.  Maybe the Gang of Five sent for her to go get him or whatnot.

[Ludichris1]

Ah you're right @ Malte

Interesting idea for a fanfic, Littlefoot xD
like what if because they protected/hid chomper from redclaw they get on good terms