The Dreaming Star
Chapter 8
Now we fast forward to the Cretaceous Period, to the Nesting Grounds, where our grande dames, Eema and Baylene, wrap up a most amazing tale...
"Didi finally found her true love, reunited with her family, and resumed her life as Dvora. It took some getting used to being addressed by her real name, but she knew she was among those who loved her."
Eema, getting a little misty-eyed, summed up an incredible tale of lost love, amazing rediscoveries, and a life redeemed. But the story didn't end with Dvora reuniting with Littlefoot and Pat. While Littlefoot was overjoyed that his mother's sister returned to the family, and that she settled in the Great Valley, there was still a delicate matter to settle.
"You mean," asked Aladar, "what Cera's dad did by threatening to expose Dvora before she had a chance to tell the family."
"Yes," said Baylene, "and she had a few choice words for Daddy Threehorn. She reminded him of that earthshake that forcibly separated her from Bron and Thora. All those years on the road, trying to find her family but of no avail. Do not forget that she grieved over losing Pat, her true love. Poor child, to wander aimlessly for months on end, believing she'd never find her family, only to learn her sister's fate from a stranger."
"But what," asked Plio, "did Dvora tell Threehorn? How did she get him to back off his threats?"
Eema replied, "Don't you remember that other story? How the great earthshake split the land in so many pieces, the one that came when Littlefoot's mother had it out with the Sharptooth, the one which changed so many lives. Well, Littlefoot's family wasn't the only one terribly affected. See, Cera got caught in the quake, ending up on the other side of the divide from her parents. That little threehorn didn't know her mother died en route to the Great Valley, of a broken heart it was said. Of course, Daddy Threehorn, in his grief, thought Cera was hopelessly lost and almost gave up his child for dead. This Dvora reminded him: How painful it is to become separated from one's family, not knowing what the outcome. Now while it was a joyous reunion for Cera and her daddy once the kids found their way to the Great Valley, it was not the case for Dvora who kept wandering. Oh, she could have found the Valley but didn't. Whether that was on purpose or not, Dvora had other issues to deal with."
"Such as," said Neera sadly, "wondering whatever happened to Pat, whether he was still alive. It must have been horrible for Dvora not knowing. Worse still the fear of facing him after all that time, thinking he'd reject her."
Now everyone in the Nesting Grounds heard the tale handed down from generations immemorial, of lost love and happily reunited families. Dreams thought forever dashed by a stroke of fate at last fulfilled. For Dvora it was a rediscovering of not just her family and true love, but of herself as well. The Great Valley gained a grand lady in Dvora, and while she was not in any way a replacement for the still-lamented Thora, the lady longneck found a prominent place among all the Valley citizens. They honored her as they did Littlefoot's mother, and that little longneck was so overjoyed to gain another member of the family, one more connection – outside his father – to his beloved mother.
And what of Pat and Dvora? Well, as Eema said, there would be happy times ahead for that couple, but there was one more hurdle...
"Wait a minute," said Suri, the spritely little lemur, "I thought Dvora and Pat got married. What do you mean they had one more problem?"
Eema looked at Baylene, saying to the elderly brachiosaur, "Baylene, I guess you know this other tale more than I do. In fact, didn't your mother meet...No, it had to be the other one."
Baylene shook her head, replying, "No, Eema, my mother did not meet her, but I do recall my father telling of his meeting with her companion. For the life of me, I can't recall his name, not right away."
"Well," said Eema, "it's getting late and I think our little ones are ready for sleep."
Aladar and Neera gathered their brood; Plio took Suri in hand. The sun had already sunk below the western horizon, and the sky began to darken. Naturally the children protested they were not the least bit tired, insisting they wanted to stay up to listen to more tales. To this Eema said firmly yet lovingly, "Now youngsters, it is time for sleep. If you want to hear more about Littlefoot's family, and if you're good, maybe Baylene will tell you how Pat and Dvora's wedding almost didn't come off."
"Huh?," said Aladar somewhat alarmedly. "They almost didn't marry? How come?"
Neera shook her head, laughingly rejoining, "You are as bad as the kids. Come on, let us get some rest then, in the morning, we'll find out what happened. I'm anxious to hear how Dvora and Pat finally married."
"And it's a doozy," said Eema with a hearty laugh. "Just wait till Baylene tells you about Littlefoot's great-Aunt Moire..."
The End†
†Well, not quite the end. Great-Aunt Moire? Who's that? Stay tuned for "My Big Fat Jurassic Wedding", the second part of this two-story arc. That tale will be online soon.
Copyright © 2005, 2006 by PRP.