> My Little Pony: The Land Before Time
>  by Jongoji245
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Genesis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Discord snapped his fingers on the space-time tear, several universes had either their timelines altered or erased forever from memory. However, as his powers are very unpredictable, the Draconequus' prank also caused several other universes to  form. Some remain faithful to the original show, some have slight alterations, others were mixed with other franchises. A distance away, once such mix is forming as we begin to view a world shrouded in clouds.



Millions of years ago, the planet Equestria was a different place from what it is.



Deep below the atmosphere, volcanoes exploded both ash, smoke, and lava while the nearby seas splashed against them, setting off steam as more water rains from the sky.



The great land masses were ever moving and the temperatures ever shifting.



Deep below the water, microscopic organisms began congregating until they formed into sea sponges. 



Even before there were ponies, dragons, elephants, or griffons, our world has become home to several types of creatures. And they too were changing



A distance away, a forest of jellyfish floated about, their tentacles illuminating the seabed, revealing browsing crustaceans. Higher on the sea level, schools of primitive fish swam around until an early amphibian disturbs them.



Until at last 



The amphibian took notice of a massive lobed fin fish and quickly swam to the surface. 



there was a creature capable of breathing the air



the amphibian continued to walk inland, developing hard scales on its slimy body and losing the fin on its tail. 



and forsaking the sea.



This new animal, a Saurosuchus, crawled about the jungle until it spotted an unusual creature. It is reptilian in nature, but what distinguishes it the most is that it could stand on two legs. When it spotted the predator, the Eoraptor called out to its herd, causing them to scatter about. Three of them jumped from tree trunk to tree trunk across a river.



The greatest of these creatures were called

 

A Riojasaurus browsed a few primitive ferns before raising its neck. 



the dinosaur!



The Riojasaurus bellowed, calling forth others of its herd. Further along the river bank, a pisanosaurus steps forward for a drink. Time moves forward again to where the dinosaurs became much more diverse.



Though they are so unlike us, in some ways they aren't so different at all.

 

In the green plains, a herd of Othnielia scamper about, keeping a good distance away from a stegosaurus. 



Dinosaurs came in all shapes and sizes alike.



A Diplodocus herd stops to feed at a group of trees.



Many had flat teeth and ate the leaves of trees



a distance away, a trio of allosaurus slept under the shade of a tree, one of them raises her head to spy the herd.



and some had sharp teeth, and they preyed on their fellow leaf eaters.



The land continued to change again, but this time for the worst. Between islands of lush greenery were barren wastes. On one such area, a herd of Gryposaurus traverse the area.



But the world continued to change, and the leaves began to die. 



To the right of the herd, a Pachycephalosaurus manages to find a small bush began to consume it.



Ruled by the leaf, this placed even the leaf eaters in a violent circle of life, fighting for their share of what the earth had left to offer....



A Thescelosaurus approaches the bush, only to be given an uppercut in the chin by the pachy. As the latter chased the bird like beast away, the former began a warning cry as it sped away. The pachy turned around to find a shadow quickly loom over. A scream echoed the waste, bringing the attention of one of the hadrosaurs. All that was left of the victim was a head, to its left were a series of clawed footprints with a blood trail - 



Occasionally, becoming a meal themselves.



As night began to enclose, the moon, or Luna in their calling, illuminated a sand bar near a lake. A flock of Nyctosaurus scatter about, occasionally diving to catch a fish. A family herd of Centrosaurus consisting of Twilight Sparkle, Shining Armor, Twilight Velvet, and Night Light walked into the freezing water to cross.



Many of the dinosaur herds journeyed west to search for Canterlot Crater. A land still lush and green, it was a journey towards life.



A distance from the herd, a family group of parasaurolophus rested. One was browsing among the water reeds, her grinding teeth making short work of the vegetation. Next to her, a wall-eyed individual caring for an egg.     

[quoteBoth Leaf Eater and Sharptooth faced challenges and had to develop their own kinds of talents to keep them safe. Especially when they stopped to hatch their young.



At one point Derpy left the nest to feed just a few moments before the egg started hatching. A butterfly hovers over the egg when it explodes, revealing a baby by the name Dinky. Amazed by the flying insect she chases it around while her egg was still hung around her tail. After hopping off the inside of a log, her shackle broke, allowing her to fully roam her environment. She still chases the butterfly until it is swallowed by a snake. The two creatures stared at each other from their own points of view. Unaware of the danger, little Dinky greeted the animal with a good lick on the snake's snout. Agitated, the snake hissed at her, prompting her to flee. Amethyst Star walked over to notice the hatchling missing before hearing a high pitched scream. Dinky was now cornered up on a rock. As the snake towered over Dinky, she noticed a much larger shadow looming over them. Just when the snake was about to strike, a purple "mitten" stamped on it. Just as Derpy lifted her child by the tail, Amethyst grabbed the snake and flung it far away.

"Mama!" Dinky chirped before being brought to the nest.

Over to what is now Central Amareica, the sun rose over to another nest. Inspecting the brood was a mother Alamosaurus, one of many on sentry duty. As she inspects the nest a roar is heard in a nearby forest, scaring a flock of primitive birds. After a close inspection, she returns to her brood to find a Secernosaurus fondling the nest. Braying at him, the larger animal whacks the duckbill with her head, chasing him off. The small animal looks at the Club Tail and Big Mouth nests before stopping over to browse at the forest edge.



Yet



The small duckbill notices a drop of saliva above. Looking upward, he finds that he isn't alone.



Even hatching could be dangerous.



The younger animal darted out of the forest screaming. The larger animals looked at to the sound with confusion. When the Secernosaurus was a good distance away, a Labocania bursts out of the forest. The Sharptooth followed the smaller animal until it spotted much larger prey. While the larger duckbills ran away from their nests, the more armored Clubtails and larger Longnecks formed a wall between the predator and the nests. 

But with the nests unguarded, two Ornithomimus brothers, Flim and Flam, eyed on of the nests. Flam took the egg and fled into the jungle. Choosing a secluded spot over a cliff, the egg stealer was about to claim its prize when Flim snatched the egg. They fought over their prize, but their skirmish caused them to drop the egg into a river.

As the egg floated, a primitive alligator, Brachychampsa, swallowed the egg on accident. Swimming a while underwater, it realizes its mistake and upchucks it. At the surface, a pair of Quetzalcoatlus argue for space when the egg surfaces before them. After a silent moment watching it, they bicker again. As the egg floated along, it is snatched by a passing Geosternbergia.

The flying reptiles passed inland over a family herd of Chasmosaurus. This was the Apple Family, waiting along a nest for their new arrival. One of the calves, Babs Seed, inspects her new cousin when the egg began to shake.



One herd had just lost a few members, but have gained a new one.



The egg quickly hatched open, revealing a much smaller baby doing a handstand.



And they called her



The baby rolls onto her hindquarters.



Apple Bloom.



Apple Bloom chirped before noticing her larger family members. The eldest of the herd, Granny Smith looked down with a smile. Intimidated by the size of the head, the newborn covered its face when the matriarch licked her. Admiring the sensation, Apple Bloom allowed Applejack to lick her. The baby Three Horn returned a lick on her sister's beak, receiving a nudge and even lifting her up.



All that remained of her herd were her brother, sister, cousins, and their grandmother. She knew their sight, their scent, and by their love. She knew they would be together always.



"Now, you be careful, Apple Bloom." Said Applejack

Apple Bloom yawned, giving a tired look at her older relatives before sleeping on her sister's snout.

> It's Always Been That Way
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few years pass and the Apple Family's usual stomping grounds have begun to be affected. After a few days worth of traveling, the herd of Three horns stop and browse at any available food. While ceratopsians as a whole have strong enough jaw strength to cut off a person's hand, eating twigs and branches is tough to shear for Apple Bloom and her cousins. 

"Granny," - Apple Bloom picked up the dropped branches - "is this all there is to eat?"

"Oh," - Granny Smith groaned as she looked at the barren trees and shrubs - "Ah'm awful sorry, sugar cube. The land's been changin'."

Applying all her might, Apple Bloom crushed the twigs with a loud snap before repeating the process.

"Apple Bloom!" - Applejack beckoned her attention - "Quickly come here!"

Apple Bloom followed her sister to the location of a small, fruitless apple tree, though it did have one remaining difference.

"Look, up there," Applejack pointed her brow horns to an apple blossom hanging weakly from the tree which she then picked off with her beak.

"An apple blossom!" Apple Bloom chirped as the blossom fell to the barren ground. She played it for a moment, even giving it a lick.

Applejack and Big Mac looked at each other and chuckled before the herd continued on.

"Canterlot Crater has more food than ya can ever eat" - Granny Smith continued - "and all the fresh cool water that you could ever drink."

"Yowza," - Babs added - "when do we get there."

"Celestia must pass over us each day and we must follow it to where it touches the ground, lil' cos." Apple Fritter answered.

Apple Bloom paused, tossing the apple blossom onto her head, "Have y'all seen the Crater?"

"Nope." Big Mac answered.

"Then, how do ya know it's really there?"

Applejack stopped and turned around, "Somethings you see with your eyes, others you see with your heart."

Apple Bloom cocked her head, "What'd ya mean by that?"

Braeburn nudged his little cousin, "You'll understand, sugar cube. You will."

Though not understanding what they meant, Apple Bloom licked her beak before flicking the blossom up in the air and taking a big chomp. Before she could swallow, the calf heard laughter a distance away and began walking away.

"Apple Bloom, don't wander too far." said Applejack.

Shuffling through some bushes, Apple Bloom found another herd of ceratopsians. In this case, though, it was a herd of Styracosaurus. One of the calves, Diamond Tiara showed off her strength as she chased a bombardier beetle, bashing through rocks in the process. With a grin, Diamond raised a paw to squish the bug when it sprayed a steaming hot purple fluid onto her snout. As it buzzed away, Diamond  shook off the juice when she heard a laugh. Turning her one-horned snout, she found Apple Bloom laughing her butt off.

"What are you laughing at?!"

Apple Bloom looked back at Diamond, stopping her laugh when she noticed the single-horned dinosaur scraping the ground. Since ceratopsians have been famed for their feats of strength, Apple Bloom took this chance to practice her skills. After revealing herself and accepting with a scratch of the ground, the two youngsters charged at each other. But before they could collide, Diamond's mother, Spoiled Rich, skidded to a halt between them. Though having one long nose horn and a short frill, the crown of horns around said frill was just enough to intimidate Apple Bloom as Spoiled lowered her head.

"Come Diamond," Spoiled Rich ordered before glaring at Apple Bloom "Crown Heads never play with Threehorns."

After Diamond Tiara gave out a raspberry before her mother growled at the young Chasmosaurus. Apple Bloom shuffled back when Diamond jumped out into the opening.

"Crown Heads never play with Threehorns!" Diamond repeated.

Both Spoiled Rich and Big Mac grabbed their youngest herd members, giving each other a glare before turning around. Being hung by her tail, Apple Bloom thought of what the adult Styracosaurus meant 

"Threehorn?" Apple Bloom pondered before she curled herself up "Big Mac, what's a three horn?"

Placing her on the ground, Big Mac answered, "That's us."

"Oh," Apple Bloom continued to walk with her herd "Well, why couldn't Ah play with that Crown Head? We could've had fun."

"Well, we usually keep to our own kind." Jonagold answered "The Three Horns, the Spiketails, the Swimmers, the Fiers. We never do anything together."

"Why?"

"Well, because we're different." Granny Smith added, "It's always been that way."

"Well, why?"

Applejack chuckled, "Well don't worry so much, Sugarcube. When we reach the Crater there are many many Threehorns for you and your cousins to play with."

Red June, one of AB's similar aged cousins, groaned, "Ah wish we were there now."

"Well it's a long way yet, but we'll get there." Big Mac finished.





The herd walked a great distance until they reached a more green patch of land for which to browse. Apple Bloom and her cousins played around, kicking a small pinecone. Babs, being slightly stronger butted the plant a good distance into some bushes.

"Ah got it!" Said Apple Bloom as she chased the cone.

"Apple Bloom, wait!" Babs beckoned.

Too far to hear the warning, Apple Bloom continued to chase the pine cone. So focused on the plant that she wasn't aware of another dinosaur she would soon bump into. Tumbling down a hill, Apple Bloom came into contact with a creature she never seen. His small head rested on a long neck for his body with a long tail to match. The Long Neck stared at his smaller stranger.

"Hello." -Cosgrove noticed Apple Bloom backing away slowly - "What are you doing?"

"Three horns don't talk to..." Apple Bloom looked up "Whatever you are. You're not gonna tease me are you?"

Cosgrove cocked his head, "Now why would I do that?"

"Apple Bloom!" - Apple Crumble beckoned as she and the rest of the rest of the cousins ran up to Apple Bloom, spying the unusual creature.

"Siblings?" Asked Cosgrove

Babs shook out of her stupor and bridged herself between her cousin and the Long Neck.

"Nah! We're her cousins, pencil neck!"

Cosgrove furrowed his brows, "You got a problem?"

Babs and Cosgrove stared each other down, slowly increasing the volume of their growls.

"Hey," Apple Bloom piped up "why don't you play with us?"

Taking a deep breath, the two dinosaurs calmed down.

"Okay, cuz," Babs turned to Apple Bloom "what game do we play."

"Why not let him decide?" Red June asked, turning to the young Alamosaurus.

"How about The Lone Dinosaur?" Cosgrove suggested

"And how do we play?" Apple Bloom asked

"Well, the Sharptooth chases the leaf eaters around before they are saved by the Lone Dinosaur."

The herd of young Chasmosaurs looked at each other before Babs turned to the Long Neck.

"And who's the Sharptooth?" - Cosgrove stared at her long enough for Babs to take notice, her cousins even further cementing the suggestion. Babs furrowed her brow - "Rawr!!"

Immediately Babs chased her cousins around the wilderness, with Cosgrove following nearby. She cornered them to a mud wall.

"Grrrr!!!" Babs growled.

"Oh please," - Apple Crumble begged - "don't eat us!"

"Never fear," - Cosgrove called from high above them with a deep voice - "the Lone Dinosaur is-"

Getting too close to the edge, the log broke under his weight. The children below screamed as the Longneck fell. Midway to the ground Cosgrove was snatched by an unusual creature. At best it appeared to be a six-meter tall goose with one-meter claws. After being lowered to the ground, Cosgrove turned around.

"Thank you, Big-" - Cosgrove noticed the Therizinosaur's stern expression and curled back - "Hooves..." 

"Cosgrove," - Big Hooves questioned - "how much has Scorpan told you-?"

"Apple Bloom!" - Applejack interrupted as she and Big Mac found their herd members and the strangers - "Who is this? Have ya'll been picking on our young 'uns?"

"No, Applejack, we were" Apple Bloom piped up just before the rest of Cosgrove's herd showed up.

This herd is an unusual one. Rather than being just one species, there were more ranging from Edmontosaurus, a family of Therizinosaurus, Dryosaurus, to even small theropods but no adult sauropods. Scorpan, a Shantungosaurus , stepped forward.

"Greetings, travelers, I am Scorpan." - the large Duckbill announced - "Is there a matriarch in your herd or am I looking at her?"

"You have no business with-"

"What Applejack meant was" - Granny Smith stepped forward - "I am the matriarch of the Apple Family."

With a quick nod, Scorpan bellowed to his herd. The mixed-species group marched and scattered about for a place to rest.

"Come on," - Cosgrove called - "I want you to meet some of my friends."

Going to a more secure site, Cosgrove lead the Apple Saplings to his herd mates. With so many children, it was difficult who could be introduced. 

Cosgrove pointed to a Compsognathus, "Guys, this is Pipsqueak."

Pip took a bow, "Charmed."

Cosgrove then pointed to a young Ornithocherus and Quetzalcoatlus. 

"Zipper and Featherweight," -The two pterosaurs waved their wing fingers before Cosgrove pointed to a couple Einiosaurus', one of whom is taller and somewhat lanky, "Snips and Snails," and to a young Edmontonia and Chirostenotes, "Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo," He then finally pointed to a younger, pie-bald Therizinosaurus - "and Chelsey."

Apple Crumble took notice of a young Parksosaurus sniffing her before jumping around like a happy dog.

"Well look at that," - Chelsey remarked - "usually Dapplewood doesn't warm up to strangers so fast."

Babs, noticing something off on Chelsey's back, said, "Yowza, what a big zit!"

"A good mud bath can clear that right up!" Red June added.

"Excuse me?!" Indigo Blue, a Troodon, revealed herself, her large eyes startling the young Threehorn.

Cosgrove chuckled, "Sorry, Hidden Runners can always be startled easily."

Indigo Blue growled as Apple Bloom met with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

"So why are y'all in a mixed herd?" Apple Bloom asked.

"For protection." Sweetie Belle answered.

"Many of us were on our own until Scorpan showed up." Scootaloo added.

Apple Bloom turned to Cosgrove, "Does anyone know who Cosgrove is?"

"We don't know," - Sweetie Belle added - "Night Dancer's his mom, but we haven't found any stragglers like him."

Ms. Cheerilee approached the group of children, "Get some sleep. We may have a long journey ahead of us."

The children began lying down when a screech is heard. The young Threehorns looked to find a pack of ten Velociraptors squabbling with each other. Their leader, Chrysalis glared at them.

Diver, a Lurdosaurus, noticed their expressions and answered, "Consider yourselves lucky, that's all that's following us."





The following night, Luna illuminated the barren valley as the adults of the mixed herd and the Apple Family conversed with each other.

"Have you found any other fertile places where you came from?" Granny Smith asked.

"My herd has traveled far and wide and everywhere we have seen changes." Scorpan answered.

The Apples gasped and conversed with each other, while from afar Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Cosgrove watched.

"Keep your voices down," - Loopty Hoop requested - "the children are sleeping."

"Does that include Canterlot Crater?" Applejack asked.

Scorpan rose in the supposed direction of the Crater, "Before now, there has been no need to go there. But I could say that our land was once like yours, then rain poured for weeks without end. The land became wet and soggy, strange creatures began making their home on what was once dry land and even made their homes in our sources of food. We had no choice but to leave."

"And what do you propose?" Granny Smith asked of the massive Duck Bill.

"Seeing as we are all heading the same direction, I wish to welcome you all to my herd." - Scorpan returned to being on all fours - "After all, there is safety in numbers."

Apple Bloom watched as Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Applejack looked at each other before nodding.

"Do you accept my offer?"

"We'd be honored." Big Mac answered.

"Then at first light, we leave for Canterlot Crater together." Scorpan finished.

Her face beaming, Apple Bloom leaped up and down with joy, awakening her cousins and new herd mates. A new chapter of her journey began.
> The Great Migration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Celestia rose over the barren wilderness, the massive herd of dinosaurs continued their journey west.



Joined once more, the herd continued their journey to find the great land of plenty.



As the herd walked over a hill to a massive desert, Apple Bloom and Babs looked back. The stomping grounds their forefathers browsed for centuries has become nothing more than the desert they were going into. Apple Bloom lowered her head.

"Apple Bloom, Babs, don't lag!" Applejack beckoned.

Giving one last glance, the two young three horns ran over and kept up with the herd. When Celestia was high in the sky, the desert heat became intense, with very little passes for shade. Scorpan stopped and looked at the sun, now at high noon. He snorted, turning to Thunderhooves.

"We're moving too slow."

"I'll pick up the pace." Thunderhooves responded before the Thicknose bellowed, prompting the herd to pick up speed.

The herd began climbing up a mountain range. As they gained altitude, the heat from the desert gradually gave way to temperatures 45 degrees or less. While a relief at first, the higher they reached, the more intense the wind became, and soon they felt the snow on their feet. Not risking being blown away, the fliers landed walked in-between their larger herd members. Thunderhooves noticed the shine of the ice as they began their descent.

"Be careful, it's slippery!" The Pachyrhinosaurus warned before moving along.

But that warning didn't reach the Crusader's dino counterparts. Since the wind died down, they took this opportunity to play in the snow. Scootaloo, the more daring of the three, took the chance to slide down the hill. Finding the fun in this, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom joined in. But the fun was short-lived when they couldn't stop at the said slippery parts. Bumping into one of the grown-ups, the domino effect caused them to slide down the hill.

Scorpan turned around, "What is going on back-?"

The large Duckbill's eyes widened at the avalanche of dinosaurs before they collided with him all the way down the mountain face. As they groaned, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo popped out of the snow.

"Woo hoo!" Scootaloo popped out last, fist bumping Apple Bloom's shoulder "Yeah who's up for round-"

The Crusaders noticed the angry expressions of their herd, especially that of Applejack.

Onward they marched from the mountains to a dusty volcanic plain. Being far from the volcanoes, the herd is safe for the time being.



Everywhere they traveled the land changed around them and reminded them how going to Canterlot Crater was important.



At one point the herd was in the middle of passing over a dead Saurolophus, no doubt one of the stragglers from a previous herd. Big Mac looked at the corpse when he heard a screech. Looking at the distance, the same pack of velociraptors watched them. Taking one last look, Big Mac kept up to the herd. After going the herd walked a good distance away from the corpse, the Fast Biters began feasting on the dead animal.

Now the herd was in a grassy savanna, a godsend from the harsh environments they passed, but the walk wasn't over. Granny Smith collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily.

"Up an' at 'em, Granny!" - Applejack walked over to Granny's side and began to push - "Can't let those things, eat you! They're out there waiting."

Applejack looked back to notice the raptors not following them. They themselves were still at the ash field wolfing down the animal, unaware that a larger animal was approaching them. Chrysalis looked behind before scattering off. When the pack looked back, they also saw the problem. Grogar, a Carnotaurus, was also following the herd. His huge size deterred the smaller predators before he too feasted on the corpse.

Scorpan stopped, his hoof-like toes scraping the cracked ground of a river bed. He turned to find his herd slowing down to a stop. There is still a massive lake to their side and the greenery to match. But the leader has the final word whether to stop or not.

"Scorpan," Thunderhooves beckoned " there is a more protected spot further down the-"

"We rest here for now." Scorpan interrupted "Go ahead, send them up."

With a nod, Thunderhooves gave the word, prompting the herd to rest. Having walked for quite a while, the youngsters and elders felt the incredible relief on their bones as they lied down. A few stingy members fought for the good spots. 

Night Dancer walked among the rested members before she bellowed, calling their attention.

"Listen up, I will need volunteers to help me on night watch." - She warned - "We have heard that Tirek roams these lands."

As mumbling came about the herd, Big Mac, Braeburn, Big Hooves, Hooflock, and Flash Sentry joined the Edmontosaurus. As Apple Bloom and Babs watched them take their posts, Pip scurried past them.

"What's you're hurry, little 'un?" Asked Applejack.

"Lion Tamer's gonna tell us a story!" - answered Pip before turning his small head to the young Three Horns - "You wanna join us?"

Apple Bloom and Babs looked at the much older Chasmosaurus, who merely raised an eyebrow. The youngsters responded by widening their eyes, trying to appeal to Applejack. The larger beast curled a smile.

"Aw shucks," - Applejack admitted - "just be back before it's too long, okay?"

The two young Threehorns got up to their feet and followed the Ankle Biter to their destination. Joining them was all the hatchlings they met on their journey near the reflection of a pool. Lion Tamer rested his great body in front of them.

"Let me tell you of a tale, one that comes way back." - The elderly Duckbill cleared his throat - "A long time ago:" - We move back in time to when the land was much greener. Two young Longnecks were playing around - "Tall Stepper and Posey were having a great time. So much that the wind itself became very jealous. Swirling around her, Posey was taken to the Wind's home, far up in a tall mountain. Though he was scared, Tall Stepper knew that if he was going to save his sister, he must gain courage." - the young sauropod reached the mouth of the cave, finding his sister surrounded by the wind - "The wind made a deal: if he could be beaten in a race down the mountain, then Posey will be released. No one had beaten the wind before, but he had to do it for his sister." - Tall Stepper began to make long bounds down the mountain, gaining the courage before running ever faster - "And with the courage gained, Tall Stepper had beaten the wind and won his sister!"

"Yay!!!" Shouted the children, sans Apple Bloom and Babs Seed.

"Was that really true?" Apple Bloom asked.

Lion Tamer chuckled, "No one knows, but that's one of the great mysteries of life."

"Yeah but-" Apple Bloom was shushed by Scootaloo.

"Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo berated.

"Please do not interrupt!" Added Indigo Blue.

"What happened nexth?" Twist asked

"Tall Stepper's herd, in their journey across the land, founded the most beautiful place in the world."

"Canterlot Crater!" answered the children.

"Yes, and life in there was good, until one day, Sombra appeared. And he wasn't just any Sharptooth, but one with a heart black as shadow!"

The herd of Longnecks fled for their lives until Posey got her foot caught under a tree root. Tall Stepper, taking notice, rushed back and tried to pull his sister out when Sombra caught up to them.

"This is my favorite part!" Cosgrove whispered.

"But just as Tall Stepper thought all hope was lost," - Sombra almost devoured him when he spotted another larger Longneck - "The Lone Dinosaur appeared on the horizon." - Back in the present, the more enticed youngsters scooted closer - "It was a spectacle no one has ever seen before, a lone Leaf Eater taking on a Sharptooth."

Sombra and the Lone Dinosaur sparred around. The Sharptooth's snapping teeth just missed the great beast before being whipped on the back, leaving a red mark. As he roared in pain, The Longneck made another tail attack on the legs, knocking Sombra down.

"But then"

With his foot claws, Sombra raked his foot across the Lone Dinosaur's chest, leaving three brutal gashes. The Longneck staggered back when Sombra bite down on his front leg and swung him to the ground. Posey walked forward before being stopped by her brother. Believing he is dead, Sombra roared into the air. The Long Dinosaur slowly opened his eyes before wrapping his tail around Sombra's leg and dropping him to the ground. When he got up, The Lone Dinosaur kept pushing him until with a final whip of his long tail, Sombra fell off the cliffside with a massive thud. Tall Stepper's herd and the other inhabitants cheered for this great victory. But the Lone Dinosaur was indifferent, and began walking out of the Crater.

Tall Stepper followed him for while, "Come back, come back!"

The Lone Dinosaur gave him a look before sighing and continued on his journey.

"And just as suddenly as he appeared, The Lone Dinosaur went away."  

"No one ever saw him again?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well," Lion Tamer continued "Legend has it that not long after Sombra's death,"

About a week after, the inhabitants of Canterlot Crater were browsing when an earthquake disturbed the peace. As the individuals ran for safety, the collision of continental plates caused a rock formation to rise out of the ground. As it "grew," it began to take shape of a Longneck. The inhabitants awed at Mother Nature's artwork one it completed.

"And they called it: Saurus Rock." Lion Tamer finished "And they say it's still there to this very day, watching over the world as The Lone Dinosaur did many a century ago."

"I hope so," - Cosgrove stepped forward - "I want to see the circle of teeth around its neck."

"Real teeth?" Featherweight asked.

"Sombra's teeth." The young Longneck chuckled.

Snips and Snails were shaking after the intense story. Babs, noticing this, crept behind them.

"They say that Sombra's ghost comes out after dark, searching for his teeth!" Babs then leaped at them, scaring the jeebies out of them.

"Hey, that wasn't cool!" Snips berated as the children laughed on the ground.

Lion Tamer also chuckled, "Well, I haven't heard that part of the story, but they do say that if anything wrong happened to Saurus Rock," - the Edmontosaurus furrowed his eyebrow - "bad luck will descend upon the world."

That laughter quickly died down, taking note of the seriousness of his voice. The silence was interrupted when Loopty Hoop approached them.

"Lion Tamer, are you filling these kids heads with nonsense and just before bedtime?!" - Loopty questioned her husband, who only responded with inaudible words - "I know, but its late, time for young ones to rest for another day."

Zipper was the first to acknowledge that with a yawn and slowly began crawling back to his parents. The rest of the children began walking to their herds until Cosgrove was the only one left. A third figure approached him.

"That means you too, Cosgrove." Night Dancer added.

Cosgrove yawned, "Yes, Mom." - He began his journey back to the herd - "I'm The Lone Dinosaur, I can find my way home in the dark, all-" - He was interrupted when a monstrous roar is heard somewhere, waking even the most drowsy of the herd. After a long awkward silence, the young Alamosaurus turned his head around - "You... coming?"

      
> Tirek and the Earthquake
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The night time was dead silent, save for the snoring of the larger dinosaurs. With no threat around despite the roar heard earlier, the lookouts slowly went to sleep on the fringes of the herd, with Big Mac and Night Dancer resting on a standing rock. As they swept their tails around, flying insects were disturbed and buzzed away quickly. But with insects comes frogs. A few hours into the night, a few frogs leave a nearby bog to go on a nightly bounty caused by the dinosaurs. One froglet, still having his baby tail, was waiting on the back of Cheerilee when he awoke to the sound of a buzzing dragonfly. The insect flew away too late as the amphibian leaped, stuck out its sticky tongue and caught it. It landed in front of Scootaloo with a loud plop, startling her. The frog took a few hops before landing on Sweetie Belle, also waking her up. With one massive leap from her armored body, the frog landed on Apple Bloom's snout. With a large chomp, the frog ended the insect's life in front of her. After showing the chow, the frog leaped great distances away from the herd. Apple Bloom noticed Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle chasing the frog and went after them. Cosgrove, still enticed by the story, occasionally whipped his tail around as if he would hit his dreamscape foe. Hearing the small steps, he awoke to find the Crusaders chasing the frog.

"Hey!" Cosgrove spoke quietly as he stepped away from his herd. At one point he almost tripped over Scorpan's snout. When the large Duckbill turned his head, Cosgrove continued.

The frog stopped for a moment at the mouth of a cave. Scootaloo slowly crept up to the jumper.

"Scootaloo," - Apple Bloom called out, startling the frog again - "we're not supposed to go far from the herd!"

Scootaloo turned around to find her three herd mates following her, "Oh what, afraid of the dark!"

As she went deeper into the cave, Sweetie Belle shook her armored head, "We're not scared!"

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Sliding down a ramp, Scootaloo entered the bog underneath a dead tree, much to the frog's dismay. Just after she picked it up, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Cosgrove bumped her, disturbing even more adult frogs. While Scootaloo gave them a glare, the frogs submerged and began making bubbles. Some of the bubbles became as large as they are, the frogs inside them. Scootaloo was the first to pounce on a bubble before pouncing on another.

"Over here!" Said Sweetie Belle as she stamped on a bubble.

Enticed by this, Apple Bloom began chasing the next bubble, "Hey this is fun!" 

The kids began play in the bog, popping the bubbles and chasing a few stray frogs. But in their fun, they became completely unaware of the danger walking by them. It was only when they saw darkness envelope them. The frogs submerged under the bog. The children kept looking around as the footsteps became louder and louder. Cosgrove turned to find a red and black Tyrannosaurus Rex stomping towards them.

"Sharptooth!!!" Cosgrove screamed.

With a quick burst of speed, Tirek rammed the dead tree, arching back to hit it again. Distracted, the four children dashed to the general direction of their herd.

"Help!!" Sweetie Belle screamed.

Apple Bloom and Cosgrove tripped over each other in the slippery mud.

"Applejack!"

Skidding to a stop, Apple Bloom and Cosgrove looked up to notice Tirek.

"Help!!!!" They screamed before just barely avoiding being stepped on.

The two young dinosaurs ran under the tree and leaped on the splintered interior to avoid Tirek's snapping jaws. Climbing a little higher, they were out of reach from the Sharptooth. Apple Bloom and Cosgrove slowly breathed in and out as the loud growls died down. Apple Bloom and Cosgrove looked at each other, giving each other a slightly scared chuckle. That died when a shadow loomed over them again. Higher on the tree, Tirek spied them through a hole. Immediately he began ripping through the tree. As he dug deeper, the rotted wood split open, shaking the young dinosaurs off and into the bog below.

Quickly they ran up the rock ramp towards home. Hearing the loud footsteps behind, they took their chances with a thorny brush. Just as they ran inside, Tirek lunged at them, skidding to a halt by the sharp vines. Cosgrove himself got caught in some branches. Apple Bloom stopped and watched as the branches dragged the young Longneck towards the beast's gaping maw. Using her small brow horns as a fulcrum, the small Threehorn yanked him out of the vine, whacking Tirek straight in the eye. The beast erupted out of the brush, roaring in pain as one of his beady eyes became engorged in blood.

Apple Bloom and Cosgrove ran deeper into the brush. Again a shadow loomed over them. Thanks to being blinded in one eye, Tirek couldn't see them easily as before. But he could smell them. Using a break in the canopy, Tirek clawed his way down. He was just there, with only a bramble keeping him away from smelling his breakfast and took his scent game elsewhere.

"Go!" Cosgrove nudged Apple Bloom to a tunnel, with him motioning the direction.

Apple Bloom ran first as fast she could, with Cosgrove close by. However, before she could reach the other side, Tirek busted through the brush and roared at her. The young Chasmosaurus just missed being eaten, running in the other direction. Cosgrove ducked as Apple Bloom leaped over him.

"Wait, you're going the wrong-!" Cosgrove looked forward and quickly ran back just before Tirek snapped his jaws.

They tried to run back the way they came, but Tirek now used the opening he sniffed through, just missing them again. Turning around, the Rex dove in, the vines snaking around his neck. Erupting through the brambles, Tirek slowly looked around before hearing the pitter patter of feet. He crouched down and leaped a great distance. Landing on top of them, he dug his snout to the ground before cutting their escape back with a slam of his great tail. Now there was a hard choice: get eaten or wait to be eaten. Tirek raised his upper body.

"Wait for it..." Apple Bloom warned. When the great beast finished raising himself "Now!!"

With a quick burst of speed, the two children just missed Tirek's lunge, barely missing his tail as he rolled forward. The children quickly ran up a rock ramp as Celestia rose over the sky. Tirek recovered sooner than they thought and leaped at them again, the shockwave bouncing the children onto their backs.

Just as Tirek prepared to feast, a great mass rammed him from the side. The carnivore collided with nearby rock formation, a piece pinning him down on his neck. Apple Bloom and Cosgrove continued to run underneath the adult, joining with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. The young Longneck looked up and saw it was Night Dancer who intervened.

"Mother?"

As Tirek broke out of the formation, Night Dancer moved her head and nudged the children.

"Run, run!"

Freed from his prison, Tirek charged at the Duckbill and almost took a bite out of her. With a quick turn, Night Dancer dodged the attack and whacked him with her head. Scootaloo stepped forward as the larger animal brayed. Apple Bloom, noticing that the Fast Runner was just below her front legs grabbed Scootaloo by the tail and dragged her just before the Edmontosaurus stamped on her forelimbs. Tirek and Night Dancer circled each other, planning their next move. Just when the Sharptooth lunged at her, Night Dancer parried and tripped him with her stiff tail. 

She, her adopted son, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo began to run back to the herd. But with their back turned, Tirek recovered faster than anticipated, ran up to his large foe and grabbed her by the top of her tail. Near the edge of a stagnant lake on the cliff side, Cosgrove watched in horror as Night Dancer was pulled away from the children. In her struggled, the jaws of the T. rex took a large chunk out of her tail. Night Dancer looked at the oozing wound before snorting in anger. Tirek ran towards her, this time dodging her tail strike. He bit down on her midsection, and with one great arc flung her at the shallow water over the children. The wave from the water collected Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, bringing them straight to Tirek's massive legs. The two children tried to get away as fast as they could in the shallows, but Tirek managed to grab Scootaloo's tail feathers, lifting her up high above the ground.  Before he could end her life, Big Mac rammed Tirek on the thigh. Releasing her, Scootaloo "flew" a few feet before scampering back to the others. Joining Big Mac was Applejack, Big Hooves, and Braeburn.

"You four help Night Dancer back to the herd!" Applejack ordered before joining the fight.

Night Dancer, now also having deep tooth marks on her back, slowly got up and hobbled with the children away from the battle. 
When they got to an empty spot, the adult Duckbill lied on the ground, panting heavily from the blood loss. 

"Mother," - Cosgrove stepped forward - "are you okay?"

"I'll be fine..." - She answered - "I just need some rest." 

Suddenly the ground began to shake, becoming more intense as a crack began to form. As it reached between Apple Bloom's legs, she looked down with curiosity. The other children not so much as they began to run away. The young Threehorn almost feel in before joining the others. Back to the fight, the violent tremors brought the others off balance, causing Tirek to fall off the cliffside.
The children, assisting the wounded Night Dancer were cut off when the ground they were on buckled, separating them from their guardian. 

Tirek recovered quickly before spotting the children and running towards them. Seeing the giant charging at them, the Crusaders and Cosgrove ran as fast as they could towards the herd. Being a grown up, Tirek was faster and soon corralled them under his legs. Suddenly a massive fissure shot out under them, buckling the earth and causing them to slide down. Tirek tried to hold on, but the curse of his forefather's arms prevented so.

"Help!!!" They screamed, holding onto Tirek's tail.

"MOTHER!!!!" Cosgrove's call reinvigorated the near exhausted Night Dancer.

Quickly the children climbed up Tirek's back and made a break for the top. The tremors caused pebbles to fall under their feet, bringing them back down the hill. Wanting to have one last meal, Tirek opened his mouth wide when Night Dancer grabbed them by their tails and lifted them up. Tirek screamed as he fell into the deep crevice. Putting them down, they began their hasty journey to their herd. But the earthquake only got worse from there. Aftershock after another divided herds knocked out or even killed unfortunate land dwellers. The Fliers fared better. Babs seed, noticing the five straggling herd members ran towards them.

"Cos!" Babs called out before the crack split the path she was running on. If not for her sister to catch her, she too would be one of the victims.



In this time of the clash of continents, a great earthquake split the land. Herds were divided, families were cut in two, children being separated from their parents.



The earthquake ended on a sour note. When the dust cleared, Celestia revealed a ravaged land; one side was elevated much higher than the other. The Apple Family walked towards the edge.

"Apple Bloom!!!" Applejack called out.



Apple Bloom was on one side of the divide, her family was on the other.


> The Whispering Winds
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours after the Great Earthquake, it began to rain for the first time in months. In a shallow alcove carved by the event, the Crusaders took shelter, though time and again the wind would change direction, bringing the freezing rain to them. They huddled for warmth when they heard the sound of rocks being scattered.

Scootaloo perked her head up, "Cosgrove?"

Not wanting to risk the possibility of being attacked by another Sharptooth, she stayed with her  friends. After waiting a moment, two silhouettes appeared before the Crusaders. Entering the alcove, they are revealed to be Featherweight and Pipsqueak.

"Oh jolly good, you're alive!!" Pip piped up before hugging the Crusaders.

"Got separated too?" Asked Apple Bloom, to which the Flier and Ankle Biter nodded. 

"Wait, Featherweight, you're a flier, why don't you tell them that we're okay?" Scootaloo questioned.

"The earthquake..." Featherweight tried to move his left wing finger before wincing - "broke my wing."

Scootaloo huffed, "Great, now we're stuck and our herd doesn't know where we are."

Sweetie Belle laid down again, "Well Cosgrove should be back with Night Dancer anytime."

"Yeah, so she could berate us for leaving the herd." - Scootaloo curled back to sleep - "I hope he takes his time." 

Just after, a thunderclap got them alerted.

"Ah hope not for too long..." Apple Bloom added.

A good distance away, Cosgrove walked in the freezing rain for his mother. As the Earthquake got worse, he and the Crusaders got separated from Night Dancer again and have tried to find her before the rains came. Though the grown-ups said it was wise to stay in one area until help arrives, Cosgrove, worried about her, set out once more.

"Mother!" - Cosgrove called out as he reached a gap in the path he walked on - "Mother!!"
- Calling upon the reserves of energy he had left, the young Longneck jumped across the gap, his upper body strength pulling himself up the ledge - "Mother, where are you?"

Beneath the hard pinning of the rain, Cosgrove heard a soft moan, the tone familiar to him. Looking around, he found the body of a Duckbill laying on a mound of rubble.

"Mother!" Cosgrove bounded down the hill he stood to Night Dancer - "Mother..." hearing her son's voice, Night Dancer moved her head slowly, her eyes barely open - "Please get up."

"I'm..." - Night Dancer placed her forelimbs to the ground - "not sure I can..."

"Yes, you can." - Cosgrove desperately begged - "Get up."

The Edmontosaurus appeared to be rising onto her full stature, much to her son's delight. But then she slumped and fell once more, her snout much closer to Cosgrove. As he laid down in front of her, Night Dancer mustered her strength to slowly turn her head to Cosgrove.

"Dear sweet Cosgrove," - She said weakly - "do you remember, the way to Canterlot Crater?"

Fearing the worst, Cosgrove sniffled, "I guess so. But how am I supposed to know if you're going to be with me?"

Opening her eyes again, noticing her son tearing up, Night Dancer smiled slowly.

"I'll be with you, Cosgrove..." - She answered - "even if you can't see me."

Raising his head up, Cosgrove asked, "What do you mean if I can't see you, I can always see you! I can take care of you! Like how you cared for me!"

After a leaving the noise to the rain for a while, Night Dancer moved once more.

"Cosgrove... let your heart guide you... It whispers... so listen closely...."

With those final words, Night Dancer's tail became limp, her body relaxed and after one final breath, her head tilted to the side.

"Mother...." - Cosgrove rubbed her snout - "Mother?"

The rains continued to pour as hard as they could well into the day. It was just about the start of the afternoon when the rains finally stopped and the clouds began to part, revealing Celestia's presence on the barren land. Feeling the warmth, the Crusaders, Pip, and Featherweight woke up and shook the rain off their bodies. Still noticing Cosgrove was not around, they looked at each other.

"Ah'm going after him." Said Apple Bloom just when the young Longneck appeared before him, his head held low, but she could notice the tears on his face.

Featherweight and Pip walked towards him.

"Where's Night Dancer?" Pip asked.

Cosgrove sniffled a while when the ground beneath him collapsed. Sliding fast down a slope, Cosgrove landed on a red and yellow mass. After lying there for a moment, he was suddenly shaken off.

"Hey!" The mass revealed itself to be an injured Tsintaosaurus. Shaking the dirt off her, Sunset inspected the intruder, who began to whine - "What's your problem? You're not hurt."

With a sniffle, Cosgrove raised his head up to the Hollow Horn.

"It's not fair! She should've known better to fight against Tirek!" - He sniffled again - "It's all her fault..."

Sunset cocked her head, still retaining her glare, "All who's fault?"

"Mother's..." 

Catching on, Sunset abandoned her stern look. That answer rang into the other children, Sweetie Belle the first to tear up. Scootaloo slid down the slope and held Cosgrove in her arms. 

"Cosgrove, it wasn't her fault, it was mine!" - Scootaloo responded before she starting sniffling through her beak - "If I had only... If only..."

Sunset turned to the young Alamosaurus and Chirostenotes sobbing.

"Kids, listen to me." - Sunset asked in a calm voice, catching their attention - "It is nobody's fault, but you see, not all of us arrive together in the end."

Wiping his snout, Cosgrove turned to the Hollow Horn, "What will I do? I miss her so much."

"And you'll always miss her, but she will be with you as long as you remember the things she taught you." - Sunset rose up on her hind legs - "In a way, you'll never be apart, for you are still a part of each other."

Having yet recovered from a fractured leg caused by the earthquake, Sunset limped away west towards Canterlot Crater.   

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Featherweight, and Pip slid down and joined in the huddle, mourning and weeping until well in the afternoon. As Celestia began to set, the children began following the tracks Sunset had left. They could walk faster, but time and again, Cosgrove stopped and looked at the tracks, being very similar in shape to that of a Duckbill. Scootaloo, still suffering from guilt, responded in kind with a long hug. At one point the trail they followed were missing. They stopped and began to droop their heads and tails.



Then, they knew for certain that they were alone. And though Canterlot Crater was far away, and the journey there was perilous, they had to find their way, or the chain of life would be broken.



Apple Bloom looked up at the sun and closed her eyes.

"Celestia must pass over us many times and we must follow it to where it touches the ground." Granny Smith's voice spoke in her grandchild's head.

Opening her eyes, Apple Bloom started walking in the direction Celestia was. After she was a few feet away from them, the rest of the children began to follow. They walked along a slim part of the Great Divide, looking up at the much larger ledge their families may be on. Apple Bloom stopped for a moment and found a familiar face among three others.

"Diamond Tiara!" Apple Bloom called out before trotting over to her. 

Diamond Tiara, joined up with Snips, Snails, and Silver Spoon (a Domehead), looked over to find Apple Bloom trotting towards her.

"Oh, it's you." - Diamond turned to Silver Spoon - "That's the Threehorn that tried to maul me."

Apple Bloom shook her frill, "Maul you? I was just wanting to have some fun."

Diamond responded with a simple huff as she walked towards the ledge. A while over, the boys reconciled with Snips and Snails.

"We're trying to get to the other side." Said Snips.

Featherweight hobbled over to the ledge, looking down the gap.

"But we've already looked around, there's no way you could get across."

Diamond inched her nose horn up Featherweight, "Maybe you can't!"

Climbing down a small ledge, Diamond began her climb down.

"Hey, we're going to Canterlot Crater," - Sweetie Belle walked up to Diamond - "maybe we could" - Diamond almost slipped - "help each other!"

Straining herself up the slope, Diamond responded - "A Crown Head, does not need help from a Pebble Back!"

Just after kicking dust at Sweetie's muzzle, Diamond lost her grip and screamed as she fell down the slope into the crevice. Looking up, she saw the rest of the children gathered around the ledge.

"Well, at least you wouldn't be alone!" - Pip added.

Diamond stood back on her feet - "Well when I find my family, I won't be alone! So go away!" - Diamond turned around and began walking, her head and tail held high - "Crown Heads can be very dangerous! They only talk with other Crown Heads and they only travel with other Crown Heads!"

Diamond's rant died down as she walked deeper into the cave. Apple Bloom turned around and lead her now expanded herd towards Celestia, where they may stop, no one knows.    

As the day drew to a close, the majority of Scorpan's herd slept, with Lion Tamer and Loopty Hoop volunteering for the night watch. At the sound of flapping wings, they, along with family members of the other missing children, woke to find Trixie and Zipper land on the ground. Zipper's toothed beak was stained with tears as he hobbled back to his parents and wept. Noticing Scorpan approaching her, Trixie responded with placing a hand on her beak. The families of the children began to break down and cry.

Granny Smith stepped forward, "Don't mourn for them just yet, they will find us." The old Chasmosaurus looked up at the sky, silently praying that the children would be okay.
   
> Saving Dinky
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The herd of small children traveled west so far into the night that they've lost track of time. Celestia rose in the opposite direction, illuminating their current whereabouts as the edge of a mangrove swamp. Noticing there is plenty of water and food to support them, they decided to rest for now. It was about noon when Apple Bloom woke up and looked around. Noticing Cosgrove at the water's edge, she walked up to him and sat down. Watching his tears create ripples in the pond, the Threehorn sighed.

"Ya feeling all right?" Asked Apple Bloom.

"Everything's so different now." - The Longneck answered as he looked up - "I just wish things could be the same..."

"But you remember what that Hollow Horn said, not all of us arrive together in the end." Apple Bloom added.

"And in ways, she is right." - Cosgrove turned his head towards her - "Night Dancer wasn't the only one. A long time ago, my herd was attacked by Grogar." - the sauropod rose onto his feet and walked away from the pond - "Chuckles never made it."

Apple Bloom walked with him, "Look, we all have a chance to get to Canterlot Crater. We look out for each other."

Cosgrove stopped and craned his neck to the Threehorn, "You sound pretty honest."

Apple Bloom chuckled, "Thank's to Granny, It's all I know."

Using his tail as an additional leg, Cosgrove wrapped his hand as well as he could around Apple Bloom's frill. The moment was ruined when a scream is heard in the distant. The herd woke up as primitive birds flew out of the bushes to the sound of screeches. The children looked around constantly.

"What is it?" Sweetie Belle chirped.

"Sharpteeth?" Snips and Snails added as they looked around, even above and below each other.

Hearing the scream again, they realized that another Leaf Eater their age was in trouble. Following the sounds, they came to a frightening sight. Dinky, now much larger and with a more developed crest, was running as fast as she could from Chrysalis' pack. The pack itself also suffered losses from the Earthquake, for now, there are now only five Velociraptors. Five against one was not a fair fight, but the fact that the Fast Biters are just about most of their size, their eyes furrowed as Pip climbed onto Featherweight's back. The raptors surrounded Dinky, Chrysalis ready to make the first bite.

"Tally ho!!!" - The raptors turned to find the other children except Silver Spoon charging towards them. Pip pointed his finger to them - "Charge!!!"

Scootaloo ran up to one of the raptors and bopped it on the snout, causing it to chase her. Just as the beast was close,  Sweetie Belle charged at it, her underdeveloped literal shoulder blades toppling the carnivore down. As the raptor tried to get up, Scootaloo kicked it in the head.

Being the tallest of the group, Featherweight extended his unbroken wing finger. waving it around like a bayonet, keeping the raptor's distance from the flightless Azhdarchid. Pip, noticing another raptor running towards them, leaped off of his friend onto the beast's snout. Turning his head a little, Featherweight noticed the Fast Biter trying to buck Pip off it.

"Yeah, Pip, ride him!" Featherweight looked back to notice the raptor lunge at him. Bounding back a few feet away, the Flyer rose up and spread his massive wings to make himself bigger, risking the pain he has on one of them.

Snips and Snails charged at the second to last raptor. Unique among Centrosaurs is that as children, they have brow horns that disappear when they grow up. Seeing that their kind's nose horn is starting to become crooked, they decided to use their brow horns while they still existed to their full advantage. Time and again, they collided their heads with the raptor, knocking the wind out of the beast. With one last shove, Snails tossed the Fast Biter away. With a chuckle, the two "Screw Horns" bumps their hands together.

With Dinky safe behind them, it was now Apple Bloom and Cosgrove against Chrysalis. The young Alamosaurus shifted to the side to wave his whip-like tail back and forth. The Fast Biter Leader charged at the group of three and leaped at the larger but mostly defenseless Longneck, barely missing the tail strike. Cosgrove brayed as he tried to get Chrysalis off his back, but the beast dug her famed toe claws deeper into his skin. Rising on her back legs, Apple Bloom snatched the raptor off him, dragging her by the tail. Chrysalis quickly turned around lashed her leg, tearing into the right hole of Apple Bloom's frill. The Velociraptor lunged at the small Threehorn, holding her head down to expose her neck. Knowing this, Apple Bloom bopped her head at the raptor. Trying again, Chrysalis constantly snapped her teeth, always missing to get a piece of flesh. At one point Apple Bloom felt the Fast Biter's arm through the hole scratching at her brow. With one quick jerk, the Chasmosaurus snapped the bone in a loud crack. Chrysalis howled, calling the attention of her pack. While in pain, Apple Bloom now had the upper hand and began shoving the raptor towards the brush. With one good push, Chrysalis fell to the ground. Apple Bloom rose on her hind legs, flailed her front legs and stamped them right at her body.  

Apple Bloom turned the rest of the pack as they cowered before the victor. Unaware, that the one winged Chrysalis slowly got up.

"Y'all coming home hungry and sorry tonight!" - Apple Bloom yelled - "I'm the A to the P-"

As Apple Bloom continued, Cosgrove suddenly noticed Chrysalis leap at Apple Bloom. Just before she could sink her teeth, Chrysalis was smacked dead on in the snout by his tail, shattering several of her teeth. Apple Bloom turned around to the now limp Chrysalis breathing so shallow. The other young Leaf Eaters joined Cosgrove, Apple Bloom, and Dinky as they glared at the remaining Fast Biters. Uncertain of what to do, Cosgrove gave them their answer with a snort and fast jerk of the head. Immediately the pack ran into the bushes. The victors turned to the dinosaur they saved.

"Who are you?" Asked Sweetie Belle.

"My name's Dinky." - Answered the Parasaurolophus - "I've never seen Leaf Eaters my age take down Fast Biters."

"Well, they have been following us for quite a while," - Pip answered before turning to find Chrysalis gone - "but only when their numbers were greater."

"Dinky!" - The herd turned to find four additional young dinosaurs come out of the bushes, Button (a Wuerhosaurus) being the one calling her name - "Dinky! We came as fast as we-" 

They stopped at the sight of eight additional kids in view. Dinky stood up and walked over to her friends.

"This is Button Mash." - Dinky then pointed to the Microraptor on Button's back - "Zipporwhill" - She pointed to the Thescelosaurus and the Ornithomimus - "Rumble and Boysenberry."

"Well now," - Apple Bloom continued - "Ah'm Apple Bloom and this here is my herd." - She looked at her herd, noticing something off - "Hey, where's Silver Spoon?" 

The herd looked around for the Domehead when Silver Spoon walked out of the bushes and joined them.

"Where were you?" Scootaloo questioned, not receiving an answer from Silver Spoon.

"So..." - Rumble asked - "same story as us?"

"Yeah..." - Cosgrove added - "although Tirek was involved with four of us."

The newcomers gasped.

"The four of you saw Tirek?" - Said Boysenberry - "The Tirek?

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Cosgrove nodded.

"We are going to Canterlot Crater," - Sweetie Belle walked over and wrapped her arm around Button - "you're welcome to come with us."  

The four new children nodded at them. With a smile, the herd once again traveled deeper into the mangrove swamp. Noticing Cosgrove's sad expression, Zipporwhill leaped off one of Button's back plates and glided onto the Longneck's head. 

"What's wrong with you?" The Feather Glider asked.

Cosgrove looked down for a while, then looked back up.

"It's a long story..." - Cosgrove answered - "and a sad one at that."

"You know, this could be bad luck" - Zipporwhill responded, not noticing her carrier widening his eyes - "but a good case of bad luck."

"Yeah..." - The Longneck calmed for a moment - "Good side is Tirek is also dead.





Much further away, Diamond Tiara continued her journey deep underground. She thought she was going blind until Diamond saw a faint light. After hopping a few rocks, she continued her journey. Looking up she found another split in the earth, Celestia was just above her as cumulus clouds floated below. Not paying attention, Diamond fell down a slope and into the ravaged rubble below. As the cloud moved away from Celestia, something revealed before her.

It was Tirek... For the past few days since the Earthquake, his body laid in the exact same spot. 

Diamond screamed so loud that it caused the cave to vibrate, the walls letting loose a few loose rocks. Expecting the worst,  Diamond hid behind a pillar. After the echo of her scream faded, the Crown Head looked out. Tirek wasn't moving an inch. But she had noticed gravity pulling down his lips and exposed his large bone crushing teeth. Diamond curled a toothy grin and began stepping towards the limp animal. Be it Crown head or Three Horn, if Diamond could bring back a tooth from a Sharptooth this famous to her family, it would bring her to such a place of honor that she could die happy. She tried to fiddle her nose horn on Tirek's gums but could do no more than cause blood to ooze out. Giving off her disgust, Diamond then resorted to ramming the beast. After doing so a second time to no avail, Diamond moved further away, turned, scraped the ground and charged at the Rex.

But just as she reached him, Tirek's damaged eye shot free from its blood crusted lock, exposing a sphere of black and red. Diamond screamed her heart out, stopping just as her nose horn reached the eye. Quickly she ran down another path as Tirek bellowed for the first time. Slowly rising onto his hind feet, the World's Largest Sharptooth stood to his full height. Catching Diamond's scent, he looked in the direction she went, Tirek roared so loud that it could be heard out of the crevice above him.
> The Marshes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the herd of young dinosaurs ventured deeper into the swamp, the environment around them progressively became different. The hard ground they have walked for so long became muddy, keeping a historical record of past herds and fights. This only deterred Pipsqueak and Zipporwhill as they rode on the backs of their larger kin. In daylight, the steam appeared to give them a tiny of green on their usual skin/feather color.

"You think that our families are going to Canterlot Crater too?" Boysenberry asked.

"Maybe," - answered Scootaloo - "Scorpan said that's where all the herds are going."

Button lowered his head a little, "I hope."

Suddenly they heard the sloshing of mud. The sound of tropical birds and frogs, along with being partially blinded by the mists, hindered just where the sound in question is heading.

"Stay close!" Apple Bloom ordered.

The herd made a huddle so that they could look in thirteen different directions. Wildly they flicked their heads around, with their two smallest members bounding between members. The noise became louder and louder until it became clear that it is coming from the opposite direction from where they walking. The figure starting to reveal itself, the herd turned towards the sound.

As in the Equestria Girls Universe, Schnookums is also a monitor lizard, in this case, the prehistoric Paleosaniwa. The four-legged beast stopped and stared at them, noticing their heat signature rising. Having already fought a pack of Fast Biters, the more readily armored members stood their ground. After a long moment of flicking his tongue time and again, Schnookums began trekking around the herd. Whether he was scared or already had a meal some time ago he never answered as he slowly disappeared into the mist behind them. The herd calmed down and followed the muddy footprints.

They continued their trek until they came across a large body of water. They looked around to find their path sliced by water. With the footprints of other herds, including their own possibly, entering the water, they understood how deep the water is. Sweetie Belle dipped her foot into the water, feeling a grime between her fingers.

"I wouldn't swim in this water even if this was the last bit of water in the world."

"Guess we wait until another herd comes by." Said Cosgrove before he walked over to a bush, his pencil-shaped teeth making short work of the branches.

Dinky studied the water before her face beamed.

"Maybe we don't have to!" The herd looked to see Dinky walking over to a series of rocks and logs lined up "We could use these rocks to get across."

Despite being an animal not adept at mountain climbing, Dinky effortlessly bounded from rock to rock, much to the confusion of her herd.

The Hollow Horn turned a little, "What, your families never let you play in the bubbling mud?"

The herd looked at Apple Bloom. Having no choice Apple Bloom stepped back, charged forward and jumped at the first rock she saw. The three horn slipped, her hind legs falling into the bog.

"Ewww..." Said the herd.

Dragging herself back on the rock, Apple Bloom leaped over to the next rock.

"Come on y'all, this isn't too hard!" Said Apple Bloom as she followed Dinky.

Sweetie Belle hopped next. Hopping to the next rock, the Pebble Back started to beam.

"Hey, this is fun!" She turned around "Come on guys!"

The rest of the herd shrugged before Scootaloo joined the rock hopping, then Cosgrove, and so forth. They continued to hop on the path given to them so deep into the swamp that they lost track of time. It was already afternoon when they stopped to rest at the trunk of a sunken tree. Dinky scouted around for any paths to follow.

But a swamp is a dangerous place to stay in one spot. Ten meters from their resting place, an orange Deinosuchus was spying them from underneath a mangrove. In the tree next to her, a blue belly dragger of the same species spied the small herd as well. In her haste Sonata plunged too hard into the water. This disturbance alerted the group. Having mastered rock hopping, Apple Bloom took the lead once more. With an irritated hiss, Adagio slowly submerged into the swamp below.

As the mists cleared, Apple Bloom stopped before a violet rock and a smaller moss covered rock farther away. Her confusion with the former stopped the herd.

"Apple Bloom, why did you stop?" asked Scootaloo as she shuffled around to accommodate herself with Apple Bloom on the rock.

"Ah'm just not sure which rock to step on next." - Apple Bloom looked at the violet rock - "This one's closer, but kinda slippery."

Aria the supposed rock slowly opened her eyes after hearing that before going back to sleep.

Sweetie Belle pointed to the other rock, "That one's farther away, you might not make it and fall into the icky bog."

"Well, Ah don't want to slip on that close one and fall all the way in." - Apple Bloom added - "Ah can make it across to that far one."

"Not saying you can't, but what if that far one is as slippery as this one?" Scootaloo questioned.

Aria opened her eyes again and looked up at the three children. The children behind the Crusaders shuffled around heads, trying to wonder what's holding them up.

"Huh, never thought of that." - Apple Bloom responded

"Rarity said that you must always think of everything in places like this." Sweetie Belle added.

"So which rock do we jump to?" Scootaloo questioned.

Aria rolled her eyes at such a stupid question.

"Hey!" - The Crusaders turned to Silver Spoon - "Are we going or what?"

Waiting for the right answer, Aria slowly gave a sly sneer, closing her eyes in happiness.

"Ah got it!" - Apple Bloom turned around - "Ah'll step on the close one with my back feet first."

Taken completely out of surprise, the violet Belly Dragger was now irritated. 

"Then Ah can-"

Not standing anymore of this, Aria erupted from the water and growled at them. Her huge size for a crocodile was enough to have the herd running away. Aria then plunged into the water so hard that the wave sent them back to the fallen tree they first rested on. Looking back, they saw no trace of the crocodile. The children eyed the swamp slowly, looking for any trace signs of danger. The natural ambiance was disturbed again when Adagio vaulted herself to their spot, barely missing them as she snapped her jaws.

The herd scattered in all directions. The Crusaders, Cosgrove, and Zipporwhill ran in the direction towards a highly elevated tree where they cannot possibly reach. Noticing them climbing up the vines, Sonata submerged, grabbed the roots to the tree and pulled on them. The shock knocked the Feathered Glider off. As she slowly descended into the water, Sonata rose up and opened her toothy jaws, waiting for the pseudo-bird to land on her tongue. Wrapping his tail around a vine, Cosgrove stretched out and snatched Zipporwhill just as Sonata slammed her jaws shut. Frustrated, the blue Belly Dragger pounded her fist on the water surface as if it was a table.

Button, Snips, Snail, Featherweight and Pipsqueak hobbled across stone after stone.

"Hurry up, Snails!" Berated Snips.

"I'm going as fast as I can, eh?" Rebuked Snails.

Fast as they could hobble, Aria had chosen her intended victim. She quickly cut off Featherweight and Pipsqueak as the Deinosuchus spun around them constantly. There was no way to run, but for Featherweight there was always another option.

"Hold on tight, Pip!" Swinging his long neck upwards, Featherweight vaulted off the rock just when Aria lunged from behind. Spreading his wings, the Flier really did fly.

"Featherweight, your wing's okay!" Cheered Pipsqueak.

"Actually my wing still hurts." Featherweight got out of his confident mode as he suddenly winced in pain.

Having done so just above Sonata, the sudden shock caused Pip to fall off, bounce a little around the Belly Dragger's armored plating and into the icky marsh. Having felt him, Sonata turned her sights to the Ankle Biter, splashing water onto the tree. As the blue Belly Dragger opened her jaws, Pip swam as fast as he could to more dense roots that snagged her jaws. Pip crossed his arms, demonstrating his show of wits. But even as the ditziest of the three, Sonata knew one vital disadvantage: he would need to breathe and there's no other hole to get out than the one she's looking at.

Back at the surface, Dinky, Rumble, Boysenberry, and Silver Spoon hid under a partially sunken log. Adagio first poked her jaws into the hole, trying to nip on their tails and pull them out. Frustrated, the orange crocodile pulled out and submerged. Hearing nothing but the carnage outside, Dinky tried to move when Rumble stopped her.

"Are you crazy?! That's what they want you to-" Rumble was interrupted when four rows of teeth stabbed through the log.

Using her characteristic Death Roll, Adagio spun the log around, rattling its contents constantly. Dinky was suddenly flung out of one entrance of the log and would have been Aria's snack had the lamed Featherweight not collided with her.

A distance to shore, Diamond Tiara was running as fast and far as her legs could carry her. Looked back, she found no Sharptooth chasing her, but when she looked forward she collided with a rotted tree. Still worried out of her wits, Diamond struggled to get her horn unhooked.

Featherweight surfaced from the water, flicking off any muck on his beak just before noticing Aria angrily swimming towards him. Like a goose taking off from a lake, the flier desperately flapped his wings in hopes of flying again, pulling his rear end as Aria snapped at him.

The chase on the surface distracted Sonata long enough for Pip to surface. Clambering onto the vines, he took several shallow breaths just when Zipporwhill swooped in and brought him to her group. Seeing Adagio continue to pummel the log that three members of their herd hid, they had to do something. Noticing the bubbles rising in the water below, they each gave a gulp for thinking the exact crazy thought. As soon as Sonata surfaced, they jumped onto her back. The Belly Dragger thrashed across the water as they tried to guide it towards Adagio.

After moments of struggling, Diamond finally breaks free but noticed that the hole she made caused a crack to rise in the tree. What she broke out of was supporting a much larger tree. Diamond screamed just before the smaller tree gave to the weight of the fallen tree. Just before Adagio can make one last bite to the log, the tree smacked her down to the depths, the waves pushing the log to shore. Aria was just about to taste Featherweight when the end of the tree pinned her midsection down. Sonata was so distracted with getting the Leaf Eaters off her back that she didn't notice the log and bumped into it.

The children regrouped as they watched two of the defeated Belly Draggers struggle to get free.

"That's not going to hold them down isn't it?" Said Dinky to others.

After a short while standing there, the children quickly made a mad dash in the direction they were going to, not even using the rocks and logs this time.

Aria managed to get her head to the surface, noticing Sonata's "cheerful" smile. Adagio managed to get her upper body out of the water to notice her two sisters squabbling over each other. With a soft hiss and a roll of her eyes, the orange Belly Dragger laid her head on the water's surface waiting for them to shut up.

Just at the fringes of the mangrove swamp, Lyra and Bon Bon were walking towards their destination. In the bushes, Chrysalis was devouring a small mammal. Injured and now without a pack, it's all she could do for now. Hearing the snap of a twig, she looks up and looks around. Noticing a rustle in the bushes, Chrysalis crouched, ready to attack her next course. Just when she got close, a shadow loomed over her. The two dinosaurs stopped at the sound of a screech. They looked around, wondering what happened, unaware of a much larger threat.

Lyra began stepping forward, "Must have been a Fast Biter." 

Suddenly Bon Bon was yanked by her tail. The yellow Hadrosaurus screamed as Tirek dragged her into a dark part of the forest. Lyra stood horrified when she heard another roar. Grogar, now having a broken horn from the Earthquake, swallowed Chrysalis before charging at her. Unable to save her friend, the Corythosaurus dodged his attack and raced her way towards the thickets.

Back in the interior, the children continued to swim in the murky water.

"Keep movin'" Apple Bloom orders, paddling faster. "Ah see the shore!"

For the first time in all day, they reach dry land. Some of the children kissed the ground, even making a mound of dirt to snuggle. The Crusaders did spot Diamond Tiara on her back, panting like a racehorse.

"Diamond Tiara," - Apple Bloom trotted to the Crown Head, to her dismay as Apple Bloom was directly above her and two of her friends side by side "What happened? Why are you so frightened?"

Diamond rolled forward, "Frightened, me?" Diamond chuckled as she looked at the others "Why are you so frightened?"

Getting his breath back, Rumble answered, "We're not frightened." He turned to Silver Spoon "Are we?"

"No." Silver Spoon answered.

"Have you found your family, eh?" Snails asked before sucking up a little air into his lungs.

"I could've been with the other Crown Heads but for Silvie's sake I came back to warn you." Diamond slowly stepped towards the Dome Head - "I saw Tirek!"

Now out of his wits, Snips screamed, "Tirek!!", before he jumped onto Cosgrove, holding his neck.

Apple Bloom didn't believe her, " C'mon Diamond, Tirek is dead! He fell into the big underground."

Diamond turned to the Three Horn, "And where when he met me!" Diamond raised her snout, showing her honor.

"Oh, dear brave Diamond." Silver complemented.

"Dear brave Diamond." Snips repeated, getting a look from Cosgrove.

Accepting these compliments, Diamond responded, "Yes, I am brave." 

Cosgrove shuffled to his feet, shaking off the fat Screwhorn, "Tirek is dead!"

Hmph, funny coming from you." Diamond turned her smug head to the Long Neck "My daddy said that Flat Heads have very small brains."

This insult raised a few eyebrows on Button, Rumble, Boysenberry and Pip, having no fancy decoration.
Apple Bloom turned Cosgrove away.

"Don't listen to her, there isn't any Tirek."

Still showing the benefit of the doubt, Diamond stepped on a piece of rotting bark to make herself taller.

"I was all alone in the dark, just the Sharptooth and me." She turned to Zipporwhill hiding under the other end "I can hear him breathing." With a series of deep, scary breaths the Feather Glider tried to flee by was stopped by the boorish dinosaur "And I saw one big mean ugly eye looking for me!"

"Wh- what did you do then?" Zipporwhill cuddled her tail.

Diamond turned around, "I walked right up to him, looked at him straight in the eye... And said... RAWR!!!!"

Jumping on the end of the wood so hard, Zipporwhill was flung so far ahead of the group she didn't know where she was. Spreading her wings, she slowed her descent, landing in front of a red boulder. The herd soon caught up to her.

Zippy, are you okay?" Asked Button.

"I think I should lie down for a while."

Diamond huffed before walking away, "See, I can take care of myself. All by myself. I know my way to go and I'm not afraid of Tirek!" She laid down, giving them a snide look "I hope he doesn't eat any of you!"

As the herd ate their last meal for the evening, they began to settle down. Thanks to Diamond, the herd became divided; Cosgrove watched as Button, Rumble, Snips, Snails, Zipporwhill, and Silver Spoon huddled next to Diamond Tiara. Now the thought began to sink into the Long Neck as well before he turned to his share of the herd. Scootaloo comforted him as she wrapped her arm around his body. He looked at the night sky before closing his eyes.

The following morning was greeted with the sounds from a flock of Pteranodon flying over them. Apple Bloom's side of the herd woke first, turning to find Diamond's side of the herd snoring. Feeling the firm ground the three horn rose on her hind legs and slammed them. The noise startled them.

"Rise n Shine!" Apple Bloom greeted "We have quite a ways to go." Apple Bloom still noticed snoring "That means you Di-"

Apple Bloom turned to find Diamond's side already awake, causing her to raise an eyebrow.

"That was not us." Said Boysenberry

"Boulders shouldn't snore." - Dinky turned to the boulder they slept next to - "Do they?"

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked up

"They can't." Said the former

"But Sharpteeth can!" Screamed the later.

Garble woke up and rose to his full height. A few snorts in the air, the Gorgosaurus found his breakfast. The children's screams echoed the jungle as the chase began. While not as big as Tirek, Garble is much faster than him and easily began catching up to the children. With a quick turn, the children hid inside a cave. Garble looked around before bellowing, frustrated that his breakfast has evaded him.

"Is he gone?" Asked Sweetie Belle

"I don't know." Featherweight answered

"That is the last time we let Zipporwhill choose which boulder to sleep!" Said Pipsqueak

"Hey, it was dark!" Zipporwhill rebuked.

The children heard the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching them. Fearing the worst, they stayed inside.

"You can come on out now, youngsters, he's gone."

The children walked out to find an extraordinary sight. It was another Long Neck like Cosgrove, this time much older.

"Are..." Cosgrove gulped "you sure?"

"Oh yeah." Mr. Green Hooves answered "Those critters are big, but dumb. You kids fooled him good."

Diamond stepped forward, her horn in the air, "Yeah, I meant to do that!"

Her herd mates looked disgusted.

"You little ones going to be okay on your own?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine." Answered Apple Bloom

"Then I'll just mosey along."- The Long Neck began to walk away - "Happy trails to you."

The herd looked at Cosgrove as his face beamed with excitement.
> Foraging for Food
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.  
> Discovery of Canterlot Crater/The Rescue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the day progressed, the herd was a good distance away from Tirek. The sky wasn't covered in clouds, but smoke from a nearby cascade volcano. Embers and ash soared from the sky as the larger members of the herd were now ankle deep in soot; Pip, and Zipporwhill as usual rode on their backs.



Apple Bloom had been wrong about Tirek, but the others followed her, for their only hope was to reach Canterlot Crater and they knew the way.



They were now halfway up an extinct volcano when they began to tire from the lack of available oxygen. Several members of the herd were almost to the point of fainting and lied down for a while, blocking the less tired members. The Crusaders, being ahead, looked down at their tired herd members.

"Come on, up'n at 'em fellas!" - Apple Bloom ordered - "We gotta keep moving up!"

Apple Bloom's side of the herd understood as they continued their walk, leaving only Diamond's side lying down.

"We're so tired..." Said Snails as he strained himself to get up to no avail.

"You can't give up, now!" - Apple Bloom rebuked - "Our survival could be just beyond these rocks!"

The rest of the herd struggled to get up as they continued their journey up the mountain.



Though they were sourced out and tired, Apple Bloom urged them on. She's never seen the Crater but her heart told her that they were close. Surely at the top, they behold it finally.



With a hard wind blowing ash and embers into their faces, the herd couldn't see where they were going. While walking along a plateau, they fell down a large hole, getting cuts and bruises on their body that the wind seeped through. The herd looked around to find various structures around them, raising their hopes up that they found the green wilderness. When the wind finally died down and Celestia shined once more, that hope died instantly. There are no signs of greenery, no water, just sand and more rocks.

Diamond Tiara couldn't take it anymore and stamped her foot in the sand, "THIS IS YOUR CANTERLOT CRATER!? YOUR CRAZY!!!"

Knowing that Celestia is beginning to set over the massive mound of bedrock, Apple Bloom began her climb up before she and the rest of the herd saw Diamond began walking the other way towards a dark canyon.

"Diamond, where are you going?" Asked Rumble

"I don't know about you guys but I am taking the easy way for once!"

"But you're goin' the wrong way!" - Apple Bloom rebuked - "We must keep following Celestia!"

Diamond turned her head around, "Who says?"

Getting irritated, Apple Bloom stepped down from the mound and rose to a stature of dominance.

"My Granny!" Apple Bloom answered.

The herd slowly backed away while Diamond Tiara continued her walk.

"Then she is stupid just like all those other Three Horns."

That tore a nerve from her; no one dares insult a Three Horn without getting said horns. Apple Bloom charged at the Crown Head and rammed her to a rock. The herd was stunned at how out of place Apple Bloom had become. With a snort, the young Chasmosaurus began to walk back to the mound.

"You!" - Apple Bloom turned to find Diamond Tiara charge at her. A head-to-body collision sent Apple Bloom flying towards one of the stone pillars. The young Styracosaurus ran up and rose on her hind limbs, ready to crush her ribs. Apple Bloom crawled forward and clamped her jaws onto one of Diamond's hind limbs - "Let go of my leg!"

Drawing a toothy grin, Apple Bloom pushed forward, sending Diamond rolling to a stone slab. Destroyed, Snips, Snails and Button Mash hid behind another rock. Sand scattered in the air as the two young ceratopsians pushed and shoved each other in feats of strength that they will do anyhow in their adult age. Sweetie Belle, in an unusual feat of strength and agility, bounded back behind another stone slab, taking Dinky and Scootaloo with her. Watching from behind Featherweight's wing, Pipsqueak winced at how painful each collision of their head felt.

Apple Bloom, now covered in large bruises, flung Diamond to the ground. The young Crown Head looks up in fear as Apple Bloom rose on her hind legs, ready to dish out some serious damage when a gray blur came out of hiding and rammed her by the side. The Three Horn looked up to see the young Domehead taking deep breaths, shaking at what she had done before walking to her closest friend and got her up to her feet. The rest of the herd watched as the two defectors walked away.

Diamond gave Apple Bloom one last look.

"Crazed Three Horn..." She hissed.

Adding more pain to her wound, Apple Bloom tears before sucking up and rose to her feet.

"Go on! Go the wrong way!" - Apple Bloom lashed out - "We never wanted you with us anyway!!"

Even Silver Spoon stopped and watched Apple Bloom began climbing up the hill. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Dinky, Boysenberry, and Featherweight joined her while Cosgrove and Pipsqueak watched the other half of the herd standing still.

"Diamond's way is easier..." Said Snips sadly.

"I think so... too..." Added Snails.

Feeling betrayed, Pipsqueak sniffled before hopping onto Cosgrove's back and joining them up the mound climbing. As they climbed higher, they could hear them calling out for Diamond Tiara to wait. The herd was once again divided... This time for good.

Having climbed the mountain of gravel, the walk became much easier, but Apple Bloom's company lagged behind. They had a good reason to as Three Horns take some time to cool off. Apple Bloom looked up to find a rock her size and charged at it. She pushed and shoved it as hard as she could but couldn't even budge it. She looked as her herd stared at her from a distance. Tears streamed from her eyes as Apple Bloom took out her rage on the next rock, then the next one, braying in anger. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle walked up to her as she flopped to the floor and cried.

"It's okay, Apple Bloom," - Sweetie Belle comforted - "we'll be with our families before you know it."

"What family? They're gone!" - Apple Bloom lashed out - "We're probably dead to them..."

Dinky, Boysenberry, Featherweight, and Pipsqueak stepped forward. Cosgrove was about to join them when he heard a faint sound. 

"How dare you?!" - Dinky scolded - "Wherever Canterlot Crater is, they would still think we are alive, they have to!"

"If they did, then why haven't they sent help?" Apple Bloom sniffled again.

Now realizing that fact, the children begin to doubt themselves. Never thinking that her mother would call her dead, Dinky also sat on the floor and began to cry. Scootaloo teared up as she kicked a rock.

"None of this would've happened if it wasn't for me!"

High above a ledge, Cosgrove watched his friends cry as he too teared up.

"Cosgrove..." - A voice whispered, prompting him to make one last step up the ledge - "...Cosgrove..."

"Mother!!" He called out.

The young Long Neck looked around, wondering where the sound is coming from. Just across from him, a rain cloud began to take shape into the form of a Duckbill.

"Cosgrove..."

Cosgrove looked at the cloud before sitting down.

"Mo-Mother..." - Cosgrove sniffled before stepping forward - "We tried to do what they told us... but it's just too hard... We'll never find Canterlot Crater..." - Cosgrove looked ahead to find the cloud floating away from him - "Mother. Mother?! DON"T GO MOTHER!! DON"T GO!!!"

Running down the ledge, Cosgrove caught his herd's attention as he followed the cloud up a large hill of gravel, through a tunnel and out to a steep hill. The cloud formed a heart shape before shining a ray of light on him. The hole in the cloud expanded, revealing a walkway along a great wall near a waterfall before finally revealing a massive green valley. Cosgrove's mouth was agape as he looked in splendor.

"APPLE BLOOM, SWEETIE BELLE ,SCOOTALOO, DINKY, GUYS OVER HERE!!!!"

Hearing the call, the herd followed the same path, Scootaloo doing a wall jump as they make the turn. Coming out the other side, the children skidded to a halt at their amazing first view of Canterlot Crater.

"Cosgrove, you found it!" Said Featherweight

"Good show!!" Pipsqueak added.

Cosgrove hopped down the path to the base of the Thundering Falls, laughing.

"No, we did it, together!" The Alamosaurus responded.

Apple Bloom's joy then became one of determination as she turned back to the tunnel.

"Where are you going?" Boysenberry asked

"There's still time to get the others!" Apple Bloom answered before racing out of the tunnel.

The others looked at each other before joining her. Sliding down the gravel that stopped them before, they followed the displaced sand caused by the other half of the herd into the dark canyon. Just behind a large shadow loomed over the dead zone.





The small canyon led to a series of very active cascade volcanoes that erupted every three minutes. Billowing smoke, the sky was as black as night, hindering any chance of plant growth despite the volcanic soil being fertile. There are telltale signs that this place was once inhabited, but like the land surrounding it, changes have occurred, leaving only a few dead trees as evidence.

Diamond Tiara paid no attention to the dangers as she led her herd across volcano after billowing volcano. Her followers, even Silver Spoon, were getting scared. If the swamp was bad enough, then they walked barefoot into Hell.

"I-I-I w-wish Ap-pll-ple Bloom was here wi- with us now." Rumble shivered.

"Mu-mu-mu- Me too." Button Mash added with a sniffle.

"'Apple Bloom' this and 'Apple Bloom' that," - Diamond Tiara growled before turning around - "Apple Bloom and her stupid goons aren't here!!"

"Well, they would if you hadn't chased them off!" Zipporwhill rebuked

Diamond began stamping on the burned ground, almost shaking the Feathered Glider off her back, "No, no, NO!!! I didn't chase them off! Apple Bloom's just as stubborn like the rest of the Three Horns; did she even take one glance of you when she left? No! And now I am stuck with some bird thing, two of the most stupid Screw Horns, a Fast Runner, a Spike Tail who keeps moping about not getting enough playtime and a Domehead who keeps following me LIKE SOME STUPID PET!!!!"

In a soundscape that consisted of volcanic eruptions, embers falling and steam hissing, that scream echoed throughout the area. Snips and Snail looked at each other. Even Silver Spoon can felt that in her heart. Button Mash and Rumble gave each other looks before turning around and heading back the way they came. 

"Anyone else?!" - She asked the remainders of her herd. An awkward silence had her continue on - "Good! 'Cuz from now on, there are no breaks!!!"

Even if insulted, Silver Spoon still followed Diamond Tiara. Snips began to step forward when he noticed Snails devouring a small plant that was growing in the ash for some time now.

"Snails, come on!" Snips pushed his taller friend.

"I can't, eh! I'm concentratin' or else I get cramps!"

Snips shuffled his stubby legs nervously as Snails pulled the plant. In a dangerous place such as this, nothing can be predicted.

Diamond Tiara, Zipporwhill, and Silver Spoon have come across a very dark part of the volcanic range. Following a blackened path, they came across a sight that made even Diamond Tiara scared stiff. In front of them was a tar pit, one of the many additions to the changing world. Dotting about were the bones of various large dinosaurs that have become bleached as the years passed by, and some still had pieced of rotting flesh attached to them. What caused this was unknown, but the presence of Sharpteeth skulls tells without a doubt that a few desperate carnivores tried to get a bit of free food and failed... miserably.

Diamond Tiara sucked up some courage before continuing to a bridge. When she applied weight to it, the midsection of the bridge collapsed, splashing sticky tar up in the air. Diamond looked down into the bubbling void. If she could not make the jump, she would be just like the poor, unfortunate souls that have tried. Diamond stepped back and began to crouch. A volcano nearby started to rumble, shaking the ground next to it. Silver Spoon noticed Zipporwhill shaken off Diamond's head and clung onto her leg.

"Diamond!" -Too late, Diamond Tiara successfully leaped across the gap, but Zipporwhill lost her grip and was flung in the air right above the pit. Silver Spoon ran to the Feather Glider, paying no attention to the gap and with no wind to glide from, Zipporwhill screamed as they both fell into the death trap. Diamond didn't even turn around as she continued her walk. Silver Spoon erupted from the tar pit and struggled to get out - "Diamond, help!!" Silver Spoon cried out, but to no avail."

Zipporwhill, sitting on Silver Spoon's head, looked back at the path they came, "Snips, Snails, HEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPP!!!!"

Apple Bloom's share of the herd just reconciled with Rumble and Button Mash when they heard the screams.

"Cosgrove, take the boys, find Silver Spoon and Zipporwhill!!" Apple Bloom ordered.

The nearly reformed herd split once more, this time for a purpose.

"Help, Diamond!!" Shouted Snips from a distance.

"Where are you, eh!?" Added Snails

Following their cries of help, Apple Bloom's herd found Snips and Snails on a single pillar surrounded by a river of lava. Snails looked up and spotted them up a ledge.

"Apple Bloom, Help!!!" Snails beckoned.

"Hang on, we're coming!!" Apple Bloom and her rescue team raced down the hill.

What Snips and Snails haven't noticed was that the rock they stood is sinking slowly to the molten earth. Sweetie Belle turned to a rock that's just the right height to become a bridge. Apple Bloom joined her as pushed the rock with all their might, tipping it over to the lava flow. Snips hopped onto his friend's back as lava splashed on his side of the sinking pillar.

Scootaloo jumped forward to the two Screw Horns, "Quick, this way!"

The three dinosaurs ran to safer ground as the river swallowed the rocks. Cosgrove's rescue team heard Silver Spoon's cries of help and followed them to the asphalt lake. Silver Spoon was now up to her neck.

"Silver Spoon, stop moving!" - Featherweight called out - "It'll only make you sink faster!"

"Everyone line up!" Cosgrove wrapped his tail around a pillar before holding Featherweight's right hand with his mouth. 

The flier then grabbed Rumble's tail, and Rumble (carefully) grabbed Button's spiked tail. With a living bridge just reaching the two trapped Prisoners, Pipsqueak ran onto Button's head and grabbed Zipporwhill off the Domehead.

"Grab Silver Spoon!" Featherweight called out

Pipsqueak and Zipporwhill Held Button's nostrils with their toes and Silver's nostrils with their hands.

"Pull!!" Shouted Pipsqueak.

In an intense tug-of-war, the rescue teamed struggled with the asphalt as it pulled them back and forth. Button and Silver teared up as the forces of them being pulled was too much for their noses. Just when they were about to turn the tide, the pillar Cosgrove took hold gave. The rescue gradually slid down the ramp despite their efforts not to.

"Help!!" the group called out.

Just when they are about to meet their end, Apple Bloom bit down on Cosgrove's tail. With additional leverage from the rest of the herd away from the pit, they turned the tide once more.

A good distance away from both of them in an underground cave, Diamond Tiara had problems of her own. 

"HEEEELLLPPPP!!!!"

Though Chrysalis was no longer among them, her pack still proved very effective against the lone Crown Head. Diamond ran one way, a Fast Biter blocked her path. She ran another way but was stopped by another Fast Biter. Noticing a column of light, Diamond made a mad dash towards the way she came. Suddenly, another Fast Biter jumped in front of her. With the other three Fast Biters cornering her into one spot, she was afraid.

"Help me, help me, Heeeelllppp!!!"

Diamond watched as one of the raptors drew it's toothed jaws towards her throat. Just as Diamond winced, the hunt was stopped by an unusual sound. The raptors looked and found a shocking discovery. The creature they saw was no dinosaur, let alone any kind of creature that ever existed. It was an elephant-like beast with wings jutting from behind it, its lower half appeared to be a six-legged, two-headed turtle with horns jutting out of its nose. The creature began creeping towards them as it echoed the caves with a sound like that of a mad man. Scared senseless the pack ran away to the dark caves. Diamond looked up and saw the creature approaching her before flopping back on the ground, covering her eyes. When the noise stopped, she lifted her hands. The monster was still there, towering three times her height.

"Get away! Get away from me!!" - The monster responded by lifting Diamond up with its trunk - "Let go of me!!" - The monster didn't do as she said as it raised her even higher - "Help! Help!! Silvie, Zipporwhill, Snips, Snails! Heeeelllppp!!!!!"

Diamond flailed her hands around as she waited to be devoured.

"Diamond, it's us!"

The Crown Head opened her eyes to find the Crusaders, Dinky, Pipsqueak, Rumble, Boysenberry, and Button Mash looking at her from below. Diamond slowly spun around to the monster; Snips and Snails formed the legs, Cosgrove operated the trunk with his tail while Featherweight stood on his shoulders, Silver Spoon stood on top with Zipporwhill using her arms to give the impression of ears. They were all just covered in tar and other debris. Dinky began to laugh before Boysenberry joined in.

Quickly regaining herself, Diamond crossed her arms, "I knew it was you all along."

"Sure you did..." Scootaloo pointed to the ground, leading the young Styracosaurus' eye to a small puddle of urine just below her.

The children noticed Diamond blushing in embarrassment before they started laughing. In his hilarity, Cosgrove lost his grip, dropping Diamond onto the puddle. She watched as Snips and Snails leaned to the left, causing the dog pile to fall on the uncovered members. This made the children laugh even more. Diamond looked at Silver Spoon, who still looked angry.

"Silvie, how could you!? I thought we were friends?"

"Friends?" Silver Spoon stepped forward "Since when do friends leave their own?! You left me and Zipporwhill to die in this muck!! What friend are you anywho?! You are nothing more than just a fibber!"

That backlash echoed the cave as the herd remained silent. Diamond Tiara looked down in shame.

"Well?!" Silver Spoon added.

"Oh," Diamond Tiara shoves the tar covered herd "get out of my way!" 

Diamond raised head and tail up just when she slipped on another puddle of tar. Pipsqueak chuckled when Diamond turned a glare. She stood up again and stuck her tongue out just when she walked to a stalactite. Giving them one last glare, Diamond abandoned her pompous posture as she trudged out of the cave.

"Apple Bloom..." Silver Spoon asked of the Three Horn "I'm sorry I tackled you back there. You see, when I lost my family after the Great Earthshake, I was all alone until Diamond showed up. At first, I considered it for safety's sake, but as time came..." Silver Spoon started to tear up when Apple Bloom comforted her.

"We're sorry we dragged you guys into this," Rumble apologized "we just wanted to find our home."

Featherweight and Dinky looked at Cosgrove.

"And in a way, you succeeded." Dinky broke the silence.

"What?"

"Have we not split up, we wouldn't have covered more ground." Cosgrove answered.

The other half started looking at each other before Zipporwhill's eyes widened.

"You mean...!?"

Apple Bloom and her herd answered with a nod. The other children cheered, splashing about the muck. After their cheering died down, the only other sound aside from the dripping of water was that of weeping. Following the sound, the herd found Diamond Tiara weeping near a waterfall. Hearing the slouching sounds of tar, she turned to see their concerned looks.

"Well," Diamond sniffled "go on! Laugh!! See what I care!"

"Diamond, when Ah first met you, you were one of the most boorish dinosaurs I have ever met." Apple Bloom walked towards Diamond "But now I am feeling you are not being honest with yourself."

After a silence, Diamond raised her head.

"I always wanted to play with others outside of my own kind, but Mom never let me. I tried to talk to my dad about it, but be would just say," Diamond rose to her full height and deepened her voice "Diamond, how would you call yourself a Crown Head if you don't prove your worth?"

The herd looked at each other as the information processed in their heads.

"As I grew older, I became cold, and bullied others outside my herd." Diamond started to tear up "But my parents still didn't care, they just ignored me, I would be lucky enough to even get a one-word answer."

"What would make you feel better?" Asked Sweetie Belle

"A tooth," Diamond answered "a Sharptooth's tooth. That should grab the attention I deserve."

"Even if you want to risk your life?" Asked Scootaloo

Diamond Tiara lowered her shoulders, "If I don't they wouldn't care, in fact, they would hate me for being with you guys."

Dinky stepped forward, "They wouldn't hate you. Because like us, they have something that you have."

"Like what?"

Dinky held Diamond's front leg and placed it on her chest. Diamond was confused until the Hollow Horn pressed her hand harder. Feeling the slow rhythm on her hand, Diamond calmed down.

"They have parents like we do, they have problems too. Even if they're louder, stronger, or even think they're tough, they're kids like us."

"See, Diamond," Said Cosgrove "in a world so full of life, you're only as alone as you choose to be."

Diamond Tiara looked at the herd as they curled a smile. Diamond hugged Apple Bloom.

"We'll get this solved, Sugarcube. We will."

Now feeling anew, Diamond rejoined the herd as they followed an underground river, ready to go home."
> Let's Get Rid of Him Once and For All/Homecoming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a somewhat dangerous way, the route Diamond Tiara took did lead to Canterlot Crater. Following the underground river, the herd came out of the caves away from the volcanic range. Recognizing the Great Wall that surrounds the valley, Apple Bloom's witnesses did give a sigh of relief that they didn't have to climb up the bedrock mound again. The river made it's stop at a very deep pond just near the final road to Canterlot Crater. Still having tar on them, the herd stopped and jumped into the water to get themselves cleaned off. Pip and Zipporwhill, being the smallest, stuck to the shallows as they cleaned themselves as if their human/pony counterparts would. Just as they were about finished, a large roar echoed the area.

"Aggghhhh!!!" - Button screamed - "Tirek!!!"

In a flash, the herd crammed each other to hide behind a slab of rock, Snails adding an extra measure by slamming his head into the water. The massive Sharptooth was just above them. Even when removed, the tar removed their scent. Tirek sniffed the air, trying to get a scent of prey. From his teeth, drops of saliva fell on Diamond's frill. Diamond noticed one of his teeth jutting out longer than the others. Knowing this is a loose one, Diamond Tiara licked her chops and tried to reach for it, much to the other kid's worry. Tirek then rose to his full height at the sound of a large animal bellowing. His ears picking up the source, he found that he was just near Canterlot Crater. His massive body turned and proceeded to walk towards the Crater. Having had his head underwater long enough, Snails lifted his head, gasping for air.

"Oh no..." Scootaloo gasped

"If he makes his way into Canterlot Crater, there would be no home to get to, no family to return." Dinky added

Cosgrove was also in a desperate mind as he watched Tirek start climbing up the large hill of bedrock, before looking up to find a large boulder balanced at a ledge much higher than Tirek himself. The Longneck then came up with the most unlikely of answers.

"Let's get rid of him once and for all!"

The herd looked at him with confused and scared looks.

"Are you crazy?!" Diamond exclaimed, stamping towards him

"We're so small," - Silver Spoon added- "we can't fight a Sharptooth that big!"

Cosgrove thought for a moment before looking at his herd again, "So was Tall Stepper when he saved his sister. And if he could gather the courage to beat the wind, then we can gather the courage to beat the biggest, meanest Sharptooth that ever lived."

Although Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Dinky, Boysenberry, Button Mash, Rumble, and Zipporwhill weren't there when the story was told, they had no choice nonetheless. Those that have walked up to him.

"What'll we do?" asked Snips.

Cosgrove walked towards the center of the pond.

"Okay, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and I will coach him into the deep end of the pond."

"No way he's swimmin' with those scrawny arms!" Said Apple Bloom.

The Long Neck then turned to the rest of the herd, "You guys will be on that ledge and push that big rock onto his head. Featherweight, you and Zipporwhill will whistle when he's just at the right spot."

"Now we need some bait..." Said Scootaloo

"Bait?" - Pip asked - "Where are we gonna get bait?"

"From someone... small..." Said Sweetie Belle

"Blotchy..." Dinky added

"Hard to see..." Featherweight inched his bill up Pip's even smaller snout.

Pip looked around to see his herd looking right at him with a snide, pleading look on their faces, with Snails giving a goofy chuckle.

"Oh no! No, no, no, no, no, no..."

Higher up the bedrock hill, Tirek was now one cavern away from Canterlot Crater. As his growls and footsteps echoed the cave, Pipsqueak slowly walked up to the mouth of the cave, whimpering. Many thoughts of death ran through his head; he is small enough to not having to be crushed by Tirek's teeth, just swallowed whole into the vat of acid known as his belly. Tirek grunted, bringing the Ankle Biter to hide behind a rock barely larger than he is. He took one look at the Rex, licked his chops, and screamed as loud as possible, ducking back down immediately before Tirek's good eye could spot him. Pipsqueak slowly looked up once more. Tirek was nowhere to be seen. Pip was now really scared; the Rex could have entered the valley, but on another hand, the black sections of his body could have him hidden somewhere in the caves.

The Ankle Biter did not dare to turn around. As he stepped backward towards the exit, Pip kept moving his delicate head, trying to catch a sight of the giant carnivore. At one point he felt something wet drip on him. He assumed that it was from the moist roof of the cave when he got dropped again. Wiping his head, Pip felt an unusual viscosity, something that water doesn't have. His beady brown eyes shrank as he tilted his head upward. As if an elephant-sized animal became a ninja, Tirek was just above him, staring at Pip with an open black eye. While one eye was twitching, the Compsognathus' jaw dropped on its own.

Tirek raised his head up and lunged at him, just missing the Ankle Biter. Pip ran forward towards the exit before Tirek leaped in front of him. forcing him to Make a quick turn towards the mouth of the cave. The Rex was about to scoop him up with his jaws had he not stubbed his foot on a rock. Being top heavy and with small arms too small to slow the fall, Tirek "flew" out of the mouth of the cave, with Pipsqueak on his snout, sliding down the bedrock hill all the way to the small pond. The children high on the ledge watched as Tirek struggled to get up.

"Pipsqueak!" Shouted Zipporwhill

In the water, Pip swam to an underwater alcove, peeking his head out just a little. Tirek slowly rose up, his uninjured eye spotting Cosgrove and the Crusaders. Tirek furrowed his brows as he rose to his full height. For such small creatures, they have the guts to take him on. He opened his jaws before Apple Bloom rammed at his foot. Tirek turned around when Scootaloo leaped on top of him and bopped him on the eye. Tirek was now raging mad, spinning the Fast Runner off his snout before roaring into the air. Pipsqueak rose from the surface as the Rex thrashed about.

"That serves you right, you stupid beast!" Pip yelled at him before making a series of faces. A bad move to make when your a bite-sized snack, as Tirek retaliated by almost crushing Pip under his weight.

Featherweight noticed Tirek on the target spot and tried to whistle through his toothless beak. Zipporwhill, though birdlike, was still able to whistle. Tirek looked up, spotting the rock as it began to shake.

"Push, guys!" - Diamond Tiara shouted as she and her group pushed the massive rock - "Push with all your life!" 

Now he knew why the kids were acting like this. Tirek looked at the children on his level; that moment, he knew, that they would be the ones he hunted so many miles away. Cosgrove glared at him as he stood right on the face of the ledge.

"That's right, Tiny." - Cosgrove hissed - "No running from us this time..."

Timing it right, the Long Neck dodged Tirek's snapping jaws, colliding his snout with the wall. The shock rocked Zipporwhill and Featherweight off the ledge. While the Feathered Glider managed to glide to another part of the ledge, Featherweight wasn't so fortunate. Featherweight started flapping his wings repeatedly, lifting his posterior to avoid the Sharptooth's snapping teeth. Featherweight closed his eyes, expecting the worse. A few moments later he found that he wasn't descending anymore, and what's more, there isn't any pain on his wing.

"I'm flying," - Featherweight frantically looked around, smiling as he ascended - "I'm flying, I'm flying! I'M FLYING!!!!"

"HEEELLPPP!!!!" Shouted Sweetie Belle as she barely avoided the Sharptooth's teeth.

Featherweight growled at Tirek as he started to walk away from the pond, now it was time to give back a little something. Puffing his chest, Featherweight swooped down, grabbed the Sharptooth by the tail and slowly pulled him back towards the pond. Cosgrove and Apple Bloom ran underneath his heels, causing Tirek to fall back to the deep end. Tirek struggled to stand back up as the waves crashed against the barren land around it.

"Now's our chance!" - Scootaloo grabbed Pipsqueak - "Let's do it!"

The Crusaders and Cosgrove ran up to the ledge and joined them as they pushed the rock. Tirek watched as the rock began to shift forward. Luck favored him against when his toes grabbed the shore. Standing up, Tirek crouched down before leaping straight up onto the ledge, the boulder the one obstacle in his way from crushing them under his feet. But the added weight also kept the children from pushing the rock. Diamond looked back at the length of the ledge. A smirk in her face, Diamond avoided the Sharptooth's jaws and ran to the end of the ledge. Scraping the ground, Diamond screamed as she began charging at the boulder. Ramming the boulder provided the inertia needed to tilt the boulder. With one final push, the children pushed Tirek and the boulder off the ledge.

Tirek collided with the water first, the last thing his good eye saw was the boulder falling fast. With a loud thud, the rock smashed his side, crushing his ribs. Tirek's tail became limp, then his legs and arms. The children watched as the Sharptooth breathed out one last breath. The children walked down to the shore, staring at the lifeless eyes as blood spilled into the water. Cosgrove stepped forward and looked at the injured eyeball. Apple Bloom walked up to him, seeing tears stream from the Alamosaurus' eyes. The young Three Horn nudged him before they turned around and walked towards the bedrock hill. Diamond Tiara took a few steps forward before running back and prying the loose tooth from the corpse and joining the herd.

As the children walked towards the other side of the cave, they can smell the green food and hear the sounds of flowing water and the bellows of larger dinosaurs. When they walked out the cave, Diamond's half of the herd widened their eyes as they took in the amazing view of Canterlot Crater. Snips and Snails had their mouth agape.

"Welcome home, y'all." Apple Bloom announced.

With a trumpet of Dinky's crest, the herd began running along the trail that led them down to the valley. Featherweight would have flown first, but having walked for so long, why not?





Over by a placid lake, a Parasaurolophus family grazed. One of them, Doctor Whooves, looked to find his wife looking at her reflection in misery. Even when arriving at the valley, she hardly ate. Amethyst Star walked over to comfort Derpy.

"Mommy?" - the wall-eyed Hollow Horn raised her head at the familiar sound - "Mommy?"

Derpy quickly rose to her hind legs, as she and her family group looked around, wondering where the sound is. One of her eyes caught a glimpse of a gray-violet hatchling of her species. Focusing both eyes, she found the young Hollow Horn running towards her.

"Mommy!!!" Dinky cried out.

"Dinky!" Derpy ran towards her child as fast as she could, her ditzy self tripping on a few rocks. The mother and child embraced each other, tears flowing from their eyes. Doctor Whooves and Amethyst quickly trotted to their returned child.

In time, Silver Spoon, Button Mash, Rumble, Zipporwhill, and Boysenberry rejoined their families, each one being received with a very heartfelt reunion.

Then came the ultimate test; the remainder of the herd appeared right in front of Diamond Tiara's herd. Filthy and Spoiled Rich had their mouths slightly agape as Diamond walked to between her friends and her parents, holding the tooth in her beak.

"What... is... that?" Asked Spoiled Rich in a shaken tone.

"Tirek's tooth..." - Diamond answered, hiding her sadness in her former proud voice - "I trust it would be to your liking."

Filthy immediately batted the tooth away and embraced his daughter. Diamond felt her father choking up as her mother walked over and joined the embrace.

"We missed you so much..." Whispered her father. 

Diamond Tiara teared up before she stepped back.

"Mom, Daddy..." - She wiped the tears away before turning to remaining children, pointing at Apple Bloom - "I wish to thank this brave Three Horn for leading us to this wonderful place."

Spoiled Rich looked at Apple Bloom before walking up to her group.

"Then you have my greatest thanks, young Three Horn..." - The adult Crown Head lowered her head, closing her eyes - "and my sincerest apologies..."

Apple Bloom tilted her frill forward, "Much obliged." she responded before leading her group away.

"Wait!" - Diamond grabbed the tooth and tossed it to the herd - "Call it a token of our appreciation."

Pipsqueak held the banana shaped object in his arms as they continued the last part of their journey.

Over by a slow moving river, Babs Seed sadly walked to the sandy river bank and began to take a drink. Hearing the sound of feet, the dark-tan Chasmosaurus turned to her right, her discovery widening her grass-green eyes.

A further distance away, Scorpan's herd were browsing in a clearing between the forest. Though the relatives of their loved ones still felt a deep sadness in their hearts. Granny Smith walked up to her eldest grandchildren as they conversed with Lion Tamer, Loopty Hoop, and Scorpan.

"And so what if we found enough food to last us for years, who cares?" - Applejack stamped her feet, her face showing signs of insomnia - "If we don't have the kids, what's the point?"

"For once, I agree with you..." Lion Tamer responded with a hopeless tone in his voice.

"We've got to have faith." - Granny Smith joined in - "Our children will find their way."

"How?" - Applejack turned to the matriarch - "Come out of the bushes?"

Just as she said that, Loopty Hoop turned to the sound of rustling bushes. Shortly after seeing Babs, the old Edmontosaurus became startled.

"Why that's exactly what they're going to do!"

Her husband and the Apple Family turned to find the children, appearing before them for the first time in days. Immediately each child ran to their family member, rejoicing in tears as they found their children are still alive.

"Bulk, I can fly again!!!" Featherweight approached his giraffe-sized brother before leaping up and soaring around him.

"Way to go, Little Bro! YEAAAHHHH!!!!" Bulk responded in his "usual" tone.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle!" - Rarity cried tears of joy - "I'll never let you out of my sight again!"

The Apple Family embraced their returned member, some taking a notice of the scar on her red frill.

"If Ma and Pa were here right now, they'd be so proud of you!" Applejack cried

"Eeyup!" Big Mac added as he rubbed his little sister's back.

Cosgrove's friends and their relatives embraced him before Scorpan stepped forward, breaking the festivities. The herd now looked worried as the large Duckbill stared him down.

"Cosgrove, I have told you many a time that you must not wander away from the herd. And that time so long ago, you disobeyed me again and brought your friends in danger, and worse, it cost your mother's life."

Scootaloo ran forward between the elder Shantungosaurus and young Alamosaurus.

"Scorpan," - The leader of the herd looked at the Fast Runner - "it wasn't his fault this time... it was mine..."

Scorpan closed his eyes, his brows still tense, "Had you not been separated from us in the Great Earthquake I would have exiled you from the herd." - The Duckbill opened his eyes and looked at the children - "But for the time you have been away from us, I hoped you learned a great lesson." - the hadrosaur turned and walked away - "Keep to your families and treasure them well, for when change does come to Canterlot Crater, they may not be there to protect you."

Loopty Hoop and Lion Tamer embraced their "grandson," with the Crusaders giving him a sad look.

"Hey, guys!" - the children of Scorpan's herd turned to find Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Dinky, Button Mash, Rumble, Boysenberry, and Zipporwhill and their families meeting with them - "Want to play?"

The children looked at their families who gave them a nod of approval.

"Come on, we'll race each other!" The children began racing to the top of a hill.



Canterlot Crater was all they dreamed it would be: a land of life. There were waterfalls, grassy meadows, enough green food to feast them forever. And grazing among them the same loving faces they looked into on the day of their birth.


 
> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few days after, the children were walking with their families to an unknown destination.

"C'mon, Applejack" - Apple Bloom begged - "can't you tell us what the big surprise is?"

"Eenope." Answered Applejack, much to Big Mac's musing.

"Grandma?" - Cosgrove looked at his grandparents - "Grandpa?"

The two Duckbills kept their beaks closed as they continued their walk through the forest.

In time, the herd walked out of the forest and to a sparse clearing. The children's eyes widened at their new discovery. It was Saurus Rock, a little weathered after a few million years, but otherwise still standing almost as tall as it was when it was first formed. Cosgrove stepped forward, amazed at seeing the formation for the first time in his life. And being up close, they saw the circle of "teeth" around its neck. Featherweight's keen eye did notice an empty space between two of the teeth.

"Lion Tamer."

"Yes, Featherweight?" The Male Edmontosaurus turned his attention to him.

"What did you say what would happen if anything happened to Saurus Rock?"

"Well, like the legend says, bad luck would descend upon the world." - Lion Tamer heard his wife cleared her throat before going any further - "But in truth, it's just a bedtime story my grandfather told me when I was a youngster."

"Besides," - Granny Smith added - "There isn't such as thing as bad luck."

Still holding the tooth, Pipsqueak hopped off Button Mash and gave placed it in front of Featherweight.

"No harm in making sure?" asked the young Ankle Biter.

Holding the tooth in his beak, Featherweight carried the tooth to the gap, snuggling it in. Upon landing back to the herd, he joins in the splendor as an actual tooth now lined up with the stone teeth. The families turned around and began to walk home, leaving only Cosgrove's family standing there. Cosgrove curved a smile as his grandparents comforted him.

"We really miss her too, Cosgrove." Loopty Hoop soft spoke.

Cosgrove, remembering what Sunset Shimmer told him a long while ago, replied, "But we'll never be apart as long as you remember the things you taught her."

The two Duckbills teared up before Lion Tamer rose to his hind feet and bellowed to the sky, followed by his wife and grandson. Hearing the bellow in the distance, the family herds joined in the chorus before other kinds of dinosaurs joined in.

Over the years, the land outside Canterlot Crater became greener, and lands that were barren and bone-dry now flowed with as much green food and water as their beloved home. The children have now grown up, from the still tiny Pipsqueak to the large herd of grown up Apple Saplings to the thirty-ton Cosgrove, ready to leave the home that they were raised in safety.



And they all grew up together in Canterlot Crater. But one thing is for certain that their journey is not over, for they did not know what changes big or small lie ahead. In some small way, it was told generation upon generation, each passing onto the next, the tale of their ancestor's journey to the valley long ago. 



The mixed-species herd continued to travel west across grassy plains and snowless mountains until they reached one of the pinnacles of their journey: The Pacific Ocean.