//------------------------------//
// Foraging for Food 
// Story: My Little Pony: The Land Before Time 
// by Jongoji245 
//------------------------------//

The herd is in full force as they walk along a river out of the marshes. Apple Bloom took the lead as usual followed by Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Cosgrove, Dinky, Featherweight, Boysenberry, Rumble, Button, Snips, and Snails. Pipsqueak and Zipporwhill rode on Cosgrove's head and tail respectively as the latter toyed Snips and Snails by pulling a berry vine out of reach. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walked a few paces to their right, walking ahead of the group.



So the fifteen hungry dinosaurs set out for Canterlot Crater. Like Scorpan's herd before them, there had never been such a herd before. A Threehorn, a Pebble back, Two Fast Runners, an Ankle Biter, a Longneck, a Flier, an Egg-Stealer, a Hollow Horn, two Screwhorns, a Feather Glider, a Spiketail, a Dome Head and a Crown Head altogether. All knowing that if they lost their way they would starve or find themselves in a Sharptooth's shadow.



A long time passed and the brave little group was getting more tired and hungry with each plodding step. At least they left the swamp behind, but now they were in a hot, sandy desert. Zipporwhill and Pipsqueak sought shade under Snails' frill while the larger members burned under the intense sun, they dared not to touch each other. Featherweight staggered a while before falling onto the sand. The herd stopped to tend to the flier

"I'm tired," moaned Featherweight

"We're all tired," cried Button Mash "I'm so thirsty that I could drink a lake."

Cosgrove inched his neck to the Spiketail, "Me too if we could find one."

Zipporwhill noticed something in the distance and climbed up Cosgrove's neck to get a better look.

"I think I see a waterfall up ahead." She answered.

"You sure it's not a mirage like the last five times?" Responded Scootaloo

Apple Bloom groaned, "What have we got to lose?"

The rest of the herd gulped through their dry throats as they walked in the general direction to the waterfall. The heat was getting the better of them as they slowly became sleep induced. Only when they bumped into the cool rocks do they realize that it wasn't a vision. Joyed, they immediately began drinking the small stream. Sweetie Belle looked up at the falls.

"Green Food grows when there's lots of water." Sweetie turned to stream "If we follow this water..."

Pip shuffled around, "No green food here and I'm so hungry." Suddenly he caught a whiff.

Dinky lowered herself to his size, "You smell something?"

Pip closed his eyes, letting his nose guide him, "I smell, I smell, I smell, I smell..." He opened his eyes "You."

"You smell me?" The Hollow Horn chuckled.

Snails took a whiff, "I smell water."

"I smell" - Snips took another whiff before shooting his eyes wide open - "Tree stars!!"

Snips and Snails snorted and galloped over a small hill. The others followed, staring in wonder at what they saw. There was a small spring of water surrounded by a group of Hollow Horns. Near the spring but standing apart was a cluster of trees full of delicious-looking green-food. 

The children raced down the hill, yelling and cheering. But as they got closer, they saw the hard looks on the Hollow Horn's faces, and the cheers died in their throats.

A stern-looking Hollow Horn, no doubt the leader, came up to them and said, "What do you want little ones?"

"Food and water!", the children cried.

"You may drink," said the Hollow Horn to Dinky - "You are a Hollow Horn like us. But," - he continued pointing at the rest of the group - "no water for them."

"But they need to drink, too!" Dinky protested. "They're my friends."

"These are your friends?" said Hollow Horn next to him "A few horn heads, a flier, a spike-tail and" - he pointed to Cosgrove - "and whatever that is."

"Yes, run away quickly," said the Leader to Dinky, "before spikes and horns grow on you."

Dinky couldn't believe what she was hearing. Even before the Great Earthquake, her mother has shared with others outside of her own kind.  The one moment she knew that they all needed food and water she felt betrayed. 

Diamond stamped forward, reared up her head and said firmly, "Look, we're hungry! All of us!"

The thin Hollow Horn stared at her. 

"And so are we," he finally said, pointing to the green food.

"Why?" Rumble trotted over to the jungle "there's green food over-"

Rumble suddenly collided with an adult Dome Head. Giving a threatening growl, Rumble ran back to the herd. The other members slowly crawled out of the jungle. Compared to the Hollow Horns, they were down right fat with distended bellies, but with mouths coated with saliva that hasn't been quenched for so long.

"No food!" - He hissed before pointing to Silver Spoon - "Except her!"

Scootaloo has noticed something off between the two herds. The Hollow Horns have water but are just skin and bone while the Domeheads have food but are dehydrated from eating citrus fruit.

"Why don't you share the water with the Domeheads and the Domeheads share their food with you?" Scootaloo asked 

"No, no, no," said the two species at the same time.

"Well, that's just great!" - berated Diamond Tiara as she moved into the middle ground - "You're so greedy! What about me, I'm still hungry!"

Featherweight glared at Diamond, "You're hungry?! I'm empty all the way to the top!"

"We'll be hungry, forever!" Pipsqueak added

Looking between the Domeheads and the Hollow Horns, Cosgrove sighed in defeat.

"Well being middle mice isn't going to solve anything," - Cosgrove began following Celestia once more - "better move on until we find something to eat."

Understanding his point, Apple Bloom and the rest of the herd joined him as they continued their journey.

The Hollow Horn shook his head. 

"I'll never understand those young ones," he said. 

The Dome heads nodded and went back to guard their food.





The herd managed to make it across the desert, but now they came across a large gorge. Tired and hungry as is, it would now take a day and a half to climb down then back up. But it wasn't quite the case, as the gorge was "blessed" with a fallen tree bridging the widest part of it. The herd began to walk towards it when Diamond Tiara stepped forward.

"Oh no, not this Crown Head!" 

"What, too scared? And I thought you weren't scared of Tirek." Said Apple Bloom, making the herd giggle.

"I'm not scared!" - Diamond rebuked - "But every time that my herd had to cross gaps like these I end up at the back of the line, falling off or getting chased by a Sharptooth!" 

The herd looked at each other.

"And what do you want us to do?" Said Sweetie Belle

Diamond stepped forward towards the tree, "I want to be the first this time so that there is danger I won't be the butt of the joke!"

"Go ahead, Princess!" Scootaloo hissed before joining the crossing.





The following evening, Luna illuminated on the stream as vibrations ripple the water. With his great claws, Tirek dug a small hole to allow the water to collect into a puddle. With the puddle full, the Tyrannosaurus dove his head in and sucked up the puddle as fast as it formed. Grogar, having followed him, took his turn to rid the taste of blood from his square jaws. Gathering a combined scent from the tracks, Tirek looked ahead in the general direction, wondering just where they would meet again.

Much further down the road, the herd walking along the canyon walls for a long while. Still haven't eaten a single bit of food from the past morning, their softest expression now was frustration. Diamond turned around to notice their feet leaving small specks of blood behind them. Diamond looked at her paws, finding that they have been cut at the surface.

"Oh joy," - Diamond chuckled in her sarcastic tone - "Blisters."

"Ah got blisters on my blisters." Apple Bloom added.

Snails snorted before looking at Button Mash, "You wanna know where I got my blisters?"

Button Mash widened his eyes before increasing his pace.

"Oh don't feel so down," - Pip encouraged them before his belly rumbled - "it could be worse."

"How?" asked Boysenberry as she winced each time she applied weight to her blisters.

"Could be raining."

As if on cue, lightning begins to illuminate the canyon. As the first few raindrops fell on the ground, the herd glared at Pipsqueak for a while before continuing their walk. As they continue their journey, the elements continue to be against them as the rain poured harder and the wind blew even more. In time even Zipporwhill became drenched in rain. The herd stopped for a moment to get their bearings, huddling together as they can for whatever warmth they have left.

"I'm... So.... Tired..." Sweetie Belle moaned as she shivered in the rain.

"So... Hungry..." Said Silver Spoon

"S-s-ss-sss-s-so-o-ooo-ooo cc-c-cc-ccc-ooo-oo-o-o-llddd..." Featherweight shivered

"Too... too..." - Dinky sneezed - "too everything..."

Her breath being seen as she snorted, Apple Bloom desperately looked around if there is any shelter nearby. In the darkness, she found a dark circle before beaming.

"Everybody, follow me!" Mustering her strength, Apple Bloom went to a full-fledged gallop. The rest of the herd mustered what they could to move. As if Nature had a bull whip, lightning struck the ground behind them, scaring the children into a full fledged run. In time they all stumbled upon a large cave.

After Cosgrove shook himself dry, he looked around the cave, "It's dark, but at least it's dry."

Snips took a whiff then trotted over to a section of wall covered in moss. He took a bite, chewed it a while as his eyes widened with excitement.

"Hey, guys!" - Snips called out - "Green food!"

The children cheered victoriously before the most hungry of them dashed to the wall and began eating their fill. Featherweight, Pip, and Zipporwhill ate the bugs that nestled between the leaves. Diamond, however, walked the other direction. After Apple Bloom ate her fill, she noticed the Crown Head walking the other direction to a barren wall that had moss on the ceiling. She, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo walked to Diamond.

"C'mon, Diamond!" - Apple Bloom invited - "We got plenty of green food over here!'

"I can get my own green food!" Diamond scratched the ground before ramming the tree. Looking up, she found none of her bounty falling down so she pounded her head repeatedly. Much as they enjoyed this, it would be bad to be hurt and sorry in a time like this. Sweetie Belle grabbed as much of the moss as she could in her mouth and timing just right as Diamond rammed the wall tosses it onto her. Believing that she has won, Diamond wolfed down the moss before securing her own place to sleep on a high up ledge.

"It's much warmer down-." Cosgrove saw once more that Diamond's half of the herd joined her as she became dead asleep.

"If I could sleep like that, I'd be in paradise." Said Boysenberry as she laid on her tummy.

"If you could sleep like that, you'd be dead." Apple Bloom added, before looking at Cosgrove, who again had a look of doubt.

Cosgrove sighed, "There isn't any Tirek..." he then joined with the herd and huddled down to sleep.

Back at Diamond's side of the cave, the group of children snored very obnoxiously. In the jungle they passed, this was fine, but the reverb by the cavern wall stirred Zipporwhill from her sleep. Hoping to drown out the noise, the Feather Glider dug her head under Button Mash's belly. but the noise only got worse. Looking at how Apple Bloom's side of the herd slept so silently, she spread her feathered arms and glided off the ledge. Feeling a twitch on her snout, Apple Bloom opened her eyes and found Zipporwhill sleeping very comfortably. Button and Rumble came next, securing a place between Featherweight and Scootaloo, then Snips and Snails. Silver Spoon was climbing down the ledge just when Diamond Tiara started to stir as the cold started seeping in. She slowly opened her eyes before gasping that there is no one there. She turned to find all of the herd but her together. Diamond tried to remain aloof, but the cold breeze prompted her to start moving. Cosgrove opened one eye as he noticed Diamond approaching them. Diamond's eyes pleaded the tired sauropod. Slowly lifting an arm, Diamond joined in the huddle as they slept so deep, nothing could possibly disturb them.





It was early in the morning, but the rain clouds were still dark enough to for it to be called night time. The rains became hard enough that small streams flowed from the mouth of the cave. Lighting strikes again, flickering light on the ground and revealing the shadows of two large and deadly Sharpteeth. Like spotting an Inn after a long night of traveling, they too were tired and slowly made their way to the cave.

As they got closer, Diamond felt the vibrations moving the rocks. Her listless eyes only spotted two black forms and returned to sleep. Only with a bellow adding to the stormy soundscape did Diamond shoot her eyes up and look out the mouth of the cave. Grogar was much closer to the cave than Tirek was. Diamond shuffled to her feet, whimpering on what to do.

"Wake up, wake up!" - She pleaded to the herd before taking a look at the beasts again. She nudged Apple Bloom. - "Wake up!"

Stirred from her sleep, Apple Bloom glared at Diamond, "Hey, stop that!"

Diamond shushed her, "It's Tirek!"

Apple Bloom stood up, "Diamond, quit joking-!" - Apple Bloom too saw the massive theropods walking their way - "Wake the others!"

As time was quickly running out, their only hope was to go deeper into the cave where even Tirek and Grogar couldn't reach. Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara woke up each member one by one as they began their journey into the deep cave. Diamond shook Snips from his sleep.

"Ti-" He screamed before being clamped shut.

The resonance of the cave carried that shout out, alerting the Sharpteeth. The herd was dead quiet. After a moment, Grogar and Tirek relaxed and returned to sniffing the ground. The herd continued their stealthy escape. Tirek stamped a few paces more, causing the loose rocks on the ceiling to fall. Featherweight tried to catch the rock, but it was too late. The stone rolled out of the cave, catching Grogar's attention. Some of the herd whimpered as the Carnotaurus slowly peeked into the cave. He tried to find what is inside, but could only see darkness.

Then lightning revealed their presence.

With a roar that the cave amplified, Grogar charged towards the herd, ready to eat his early breakfast.

"Go! Go!" - Apple Bloom yelled at the herd as they raced deeper into the caves - "Don't look back! Keep going!!"

Pip and Zipporwhill clung for dear life as their carriers ran faster than they ever had to. They then stumbled onto a small shaft of light and quickly crowded each other as they dug their way out.

"Me first, me first!!" Diamond yelled as she shoved her way to the front.

Their screams drew Grogar to their location, catching the Crusader's and Cosgrove's attention. Grogar was about to make one more charge when Tirek bumped into him, sending him hurtling towards the wall. Sweetie Belle barely dodged a fallen boulder before she looked up at the loose ceiling. As Tirek stepped closer to his prize, Grogar rammed him as payback for ramming him. Tirek will have none of this and retaliated against him. This clash of teeth, blood spilling, and smashing to stalagmites bought them some time as Cosgrove grabbed a vine with his teeth.

"Hurry!" He shouted to the Crusaders through his teeth.

They pulled as hard as they could to pry a loose rock. Outside the exit, the herd called out to them in hopes of getting them to come. Pinning Grogar down, the Rex clamped onto his head, snapping his neck, tore it off his shoulders and devoured it before his dominance roar echoed the caves. Looking at the four children, Tirek slowly stepped forward. Desperate, Scootaloo shuffled to a high point on the wall, planted her feet and with one final jerk, they finally released the keystone. Tirek strained himself as the large boulders fell on him until all at once the ceiling of the cave collapsed. With a sudden gust of wind, Cosgrove, and the Crusaders were launched out of the exit and to a floor of soot.

Shaking the soot off their bodies, they turned around to find the cave completely sealed. Cosgrove looked away, his head held low once more. Night Dancer had died in vain trying to protect them, and the killer was still alive. The Crusaders wrapped around him, much to Diamond's disgust.

"Now do you believe me?!"

Apple Bloom turned to Diamond, "Sorry, but we're safe now..."

On cue, Tirek pushed his jaws through the hole, snapping his jaws at nothing but air. Though still a safe distance, the kid's jaw the jaws in action an "oh crap" look.

"No one's safe with you!" Diamond rebuked.

"Where do we go now?" asked Boysenberry, now that they are somewhat off course, and the smoke in the sky kept Celestia from being seen.

Dinky turned around and saw something that intrigued her. A few meters behind the group was a rock formation that appeared to look like a dinosaur, the head pointing in a direction.

"Dinky, what is it?" asked Featherweight.

"Mom told me about this rock!" - Dinky answered - "We're going the right way! The way to Canterlot Crater!"

Knowing they are not lost and with Tirek several feet under rocks, the herd started running as far as they could from the prison.