Reply To: The Land Before Time XX: Tale of a Spiketail
CHAPTER THREE: STELLA
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“Ducky, why do you keep sticking up for him? He’s got to fight his own battles someday. You can’t shelter him forever.” said Derek.
Ducky said nothing. She felt that it was true. Yet she didn’t like to think about Spike being bullied and her not around to help him. She’d fight a Sharptooth to save him if she had to.
“You are not nice Derek. Spike does not like you.” said Ducky. She and her twin brother did not get along very well. In fact, one day she had said that she’d rather have a Fast Biter as a brother than him. Spike shook his head at Ducky. “Well, he is nice, for which you should feel glad that he is not upset that you did not help him. You should be glad for that. Yep, yep, yep, you should.” she said to her twin brother.
“I wish you and your twin brother wouldn’t fight Ducky. It’s so not like you.” said Cera.
“You and Tricia fighted last week.” said Ducky.
“It was just some friendly horn-butting.” said Cera innocently.
“You should feel lucky that you have a brother Ducky. I have none.” Littlefoot reminded her.
“I’d rather have a Swimming Sharptooth as a brother.” said Ducky, glaring angrily at Derrick. She and her twin brother resumed arguing. Littlefoot sighed.
“A Swimming Sharptooth? Boy she mad!” gasped Petrie.
Spike got bored with the arguing, which he really hated anyway, and started eating again. He belched. He happened to be near Derrick when he did this. “Oops.” he said.
“You are nasty! Watch where you burp tubby!” said Derrick angrily.
WHAM! SPLASH! Ducky rammed him and he fell into water. She grabbed him and started splashing water in his face. “Take it back!” she snapped angrily.
“Ducky, what is this?!” he said angrily.
“You insulted Spike! You did! You did! I said to take it back!” she growled. She pummeled him.
“Ducky, stop!” came their mother’s voice.
The two stopped fighting. Ducky paused, her fist raised. They were both really wet from all the splashing. “Apologize to your brother now!” demanded Mama Swimmer.
“I am sorry that you are a creep Derrick. I am. I am.” said Ducky angrily to Derrick.
“DUCKY!” said Mama Swimmer angrily.
“Kiss my tush Derrick!” said Ducky, shaking her hind end at her twin brother. He was her least favorite brother.
“That’s enough Ducky!” said Papa Swimmer. Ducky got grounded for the rest of the day for her bad behavior. The others in the Gang were totally taken aback by her actions.
“Ducky’s never done this before. I know she and Derrick don’t get along too well, but this has never happened before.” said Littlefoot.
“Perhaps we should try and see what is the matter.” suggested Littlefoot.
“But she grounded. We get in trouble if we…” protested Petrie. Littlefoot ignored him.
“Ducky, what the matter?” asked Petrie.
“You should not be here. Oh no, no, no.” whispered Ducky.
“Me want to know what bothering you?” he asked.
“Oh Petrie. We all have family. Even Littlefoot has some. Spike has nobody. It is not fair. Oh no, no, no!” said Ducky.
Just then, Tippy’s herd was spotted coming into the Great Valley. Spike was glad to see his old friend back.
There were two new Spiketails with the group. One, an adult female and the other, a female of Spike’s age. They were Stella and Lisa.
Stella looked at Spike. “I think I’ve seen you before, but I don’t recall meeting you.” she said thoughtfully.
Spike shook his head to show that he didn’t recall meeting her before either. “You remind me of someone.” she said.
Spike wasn’t sure who he reminded her of. He went up to Lisa. “Hello, I’m Lisa.” she said kindly.
“His name is Spike. He does not like to talk.” said Ducky.
“That’s ok.” said Lisa.
They learned that Lisa had lost both of her parents to Sharpteeth and had gone with Tippy’s herd.
Stella had bright pink eyes. Lisa, meanwhile, had cute turquoise colored eyes.
“Now Spike, I’d like to spend more time with you. There is just something really familiar about you. You remind me of my brother Steg.” she said.
“What was Steg like?” asked Ducky. It was lucky that Stella was more tolerant, as many herds didn’t associate with other kinds. As it was, she was tolerant and hence talked to Ducky.
“He looked quite like Spike, only he had blue eyes. His wife had purple eyes though. Both of them died around the time of the Great Earthshake. There was some kind of rockslide in the fight. No survivors. Appears that they got into a fight with Fast Biters and somehow, during the fight, the rocks fell, killing all of them. I found dead Fast Biters along with their bodies. They had told me earlier that they had lost all but one egg to Egg Stealers. Nasty things.” said Stella.
“What happened to the last one?” asked Ducky.
“It got taken. I’d have said that it was taken by Egg Stealers, except that there were footprints near the nest. They weren’t Egg Stealer footprints or Sharptooth footprints. They were Leaf Eater footprints. And there were Spiketail footprints too going with them. I think my niece or nephew might still be alive. I just don’t know where.” sighed Stella.
