Great drawing. All the tiny longnecks peeking out while Shorty pauses mid-bite gave me the amusing thought they’re little imps about to make their prey one of their own.
I don’t remember my first impressions of Shorty but I’m fond of him now. He is a character very much effected by his experience. Some of his hostile behavior can be seen as self-sabotage, as he got rejected by parental projects and doesn’t seem close to his former charges, so why bother trying. He doesn’t seem to have spelled out to Bron he wants the latter to be his adopted father. I surmise he doesn’t want to be rejected again and thinks their fond but somewhat distant association is the best it’s going to get but then whoops Littlefoot comes into the scene. Fortunately, Littlefoot’s kind enough invite him into the family (Bron and his bond with him is a bit cricketty, with the showing versus telling clash of Bron’s character but this isn’t a Bron thread.). Shorty would be grateful but I suspect that feeling of inadequacy would continue with Littlefoot’s reputation something Bron would be proud of. Still, with the right upbringing I’m sure he can grow to be more confidant and secure.
At his best, I think he would still have that edge but be a spunky, mischievous brother Littlefoot could play and roughhouse around with. Teasing would be part of his repertoire. I once looked up Shorty’s kind and they grow bigger than Littlefoot’s, so I have the amusing headcanon he would teasingly request to be called “big brother” to mess with Littlefoot, whatever ages the two are. I can see him being friends with Cera with their similar demeanor but I think he could be good friends with Spike. They are both adopted brothers (and green
), so I can see them relating and Spike even helping him with his issues. Spike’s laidback disconcern with social norms can help Shorty relax about how he’s perceived and if he measures up. Plus, he and Spike can be mischievous. The pranks they and Cera can get up to…oh god.
For fanfiction with Shorty, I do have a few ideas with him in ensembles and featuring him. One involves the gang’s parents being de-aged back to kids for a week and Shorty having fun with that with Bron. I might put him through the wringer in some stories because for certain characters, I show love with torment, but one thing I will never do is give Shorty a sad death. I’m not much about killing characters in general but he is an instant “Nope!” for me. Even one idea I have where Littlefoot passes on in old age and meets him in the afterlife is more for the warm fuzzles. All in all, I want him to go on to have a happy life.
In the sadly unlikely event LBT continues I hope he returns. I’m not happy he wasn’t present in 14, but I would keep Etta and Wild Arms (And I have a headcanon to get around the inconsistency of his absence). Those two would be more members of Bron’s herd Shorty could bounce off of in amusing and interesting ways (and more how he gets along with Littlefoot and the gang).
