CHAPTER TWO: THOSE PESKY GROWNUPS
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Littlefoot found that his friends were less than amused about him being pals with Liam’s group.
“He’s just a big creep. Why can’t you see it?” grumbled Cera, thumbing her nose up in the air.
“You’re just jealous because now I’m cooler than you!” said Littlefoot, shaking his head at his friends.
“You’re not better than us! You obviously got your head smacked too hard in that fight!” said Cera.
“A fight that I won.” Littlefoot reminded her. “You guys are just jealous.” said Littlefoot angrily.
“Am not!” said Cera.
“Are too!” said Littlefoot.
“Am not!’ said Cera, raising her voice.
“Are too!” said Littlefoot, raising his voice as well.
“AM NOT!” shouted Cera.
“ARE TOO!” shouted Littlefoot.
“Enough!” It was Grandpa Longneck. “Calm down kids! It isn’t polite to shout like that.” he scolded.
“Littlefoot here thinks he’s better than us!” said Cera angrily, giving Littlefoot an angry look.
“Liam thinks I’m cool. She just can’t handle it that he thinks that I’m cooler than her!” grumbled Littlefoot.
Grandma Longneck, who was with her mate, shook her head. Kids often changed as they got older. However, the way her grandson was changing was not one that she liked.
“Littlefoot, when did you start to care about being cool? You were always happy the way you were.” asked Grandma Longneck.
“Well, I’m older now. I’m never going to get a girl or be anybody if I just stay a nobody.” replied Littlefoot.
“Oh Littlefoot. It’s just a fad. What seems cool now won’t always be.” said Grandpa Longneck.
“Well, if I be with the cool people, then I’ll always be cool.” said Littlefoot.
“I thought that you thought that we were cool.” said Ducky.
“Yeah, but not like Liam.” said Littlefoot.
“Hmmmmph!” grumbled Cera, thumbing her nose in the air.
“What Liam got that we no got?” Petrie inquired.
“He’s popular.” said Littlefoot.
“Being popular isn’t everything. A lot of popular things can, in fact, turn out bad, as do the popular people that so many look up to.” said Grandpa Longneck.
Littlefoot thought that his grandfather was just an ignorant adult and didn’t know how the world worked. “What do you know?” snapped Littlefoot defiantly. Littlefoot’s friends gasped, as this was unlike the Littlefoot they knew.
Grandma Longneck, who had started to eat Tree Stars, spat them out in shock at her grandson’s smart mouth at the same time as the others had gasped. She had hoped that Littlefoot wouldn’t be like this. But Arianna his mother and Bron his father had been like this at Littlefoot’s age. It tended to happen with many Longnecks, even the more well-behaved ones, at the Time of Great Growing. She even recalled her own mother reminding her that she had been that way so long ago. She should have known better. But she wasn’t going to let Littlefoot keep going that way. Not as long as she was in charge!
“Littlefoot, apologize to your grandfather now!” she said sternly.
“What for?” he said defiantly. Littlefoot’s friends again gasped, for this was so unlike the leader of their group. It was unprecedented for him to be this much of a smart mouth.
Littlefoot is going to be tough I can see. Guess I will have to be hard on him. thought Grandma Longneck. She gave him a glowering look. He felt afraid and said “Sorry Grandpa.”
“Come with us.” said Grandpa Longneck sternly.
“Busted!” said Cera, sticking her tongue out at Littlefoot.
“Shut up!” shouted Littlefoot.
Littlefoot went with his grandparents. They were silent for a while till they were out of earshot of others. Finally, Grandpa Longneck said “Littlefoot, we need to talk.”
“About what?” snapped Littlefoot, who gave them a “Why are you bothering me?” look.
“Your attitude. It stinks like a herd of Club Tails on a hot day!” said Grandpa Longneck angrily.
“I don’t see the problem.” said Littlefoot stubbornly, looking irked.
“That IS the problem!” said Grandma Longneck sternly, trying her best to resist the strong urge to whack the snarky attitude right out of her grandson with her tail, which she knew wouldn’t help.
“Pesky grownups.” said Littlefoot, looking very annoyed. “Ok, can I go now?” he asked. He didn’t even give them time to reply, but started to move away.
He definitely needs to learn respect! I will do what I must. thought Grandpa Longneck. “LITTLEFOOT, COME BACK HERE NOW!” he shouted loudly. Littlefoot turned around. “You are not returning to your friends today. It’s time you learned to behave. You are treating your friends and your grandmother and I most rudely. You can spend the rest of the day thinking over your behavior.” said Grandpa Longneck firmly.
“Oh, this stinks worse than Egg Stealer breath!” Littlefoot grumbled. The irate Longneck angrily kicked down a tree as he stormed off.
“I’m worried about him Irene.” said Grandpa Longneck.
“Don’t worry too much Ignatius. He’ll outgrow it. They usually do.” replied Grandma Longneck.
Littlefoot was furious. My Grandparents punished me. It’s not fair! Don’t they know that I have important people to be with? How am I supposed to be with the others now? And, more importantly, how am I supposed to be with Liam and the cool crowd? he thought angrily. Littlefoot scowled. He really didn’t like grownups right now.
He was upset and not thinking rationally. He went back to his grandparents. “I’ll bet I could run the Great Valley better than you!” he shouted angrily.
Grandpa Longneck wisely decided not to shout back, knowing that that wouldn’t help matters. Instead, he calmly said “Littlefoot, you may be older now, but you still have much to learn. We didn’t hatch yesterday and know more about the world than you do. You couldn’t handle running the Great Valley right now.” said Grandpa Longneck gently, keeping his frustration in check.
“Bet I could!” said Littlefoot snarkily.
“You don’t have the knowledge and experience to do that yet.” said Grandma Longneck, also keeping her temper in check.
“Well, I wish I could get some really fast. Then I’d show everyone around here and I’d be really cool and really popular.” said Littlefoot arrogantly.
“Funny you should mention that, because there is an object in the Great Valley that is said to bestow great knowledge and experience beyond one’s years on whomever can get it.” said Grandpa Longneck.
“Tell me about it.” Littlefoot said excitedly, hoping to hear more. He hoped he could find whatever it was and show everybody. He’d be so popular that they’d talk about him for many many cold times into the future.
“Have you heard the story of the Fire Rock?” asked Grandpa Longneck.
