My Spin On Disney's Dinosaur

Welcome home

The next day, dragonflies are flitting around the green fields of the Nesting Grounds, as Aladar and Draca lead the herd through the cave, the other dinosaurs squawking in astonishment at the untouched Nesting Grounds.

"Welcome home."

The brothers say in unison, smiling at the dinosaurs around them. The herd roars and bellows as they rush out into the valley, their home and the place where they hatched, where they will hatch the next generation. Some of them even thank their new herd leaders as they rush past. Draca, Damien, Neera and Aladar just walk, not really in any rush.

Plio, Yar, Zini and Suri welcome Aladar and Draca back, with some intense scolding on Plio's part, mostly about not making them that worried ever again, about how much stress their little stunt caused her and Yar, but they also welcome Damien and Neera into the family, as well as the baby Iguanadons that Neera and Damien have been looking after since their parents' deaths. The two young ones take quite the liking to Suri and Zini, and spend a lot of time around the two of them.

Plio and Neera really hit it off, talking about Aladar and Draca's younger days, about the island where the two brothers grew up. Damien also joins in on these sessions, wanting to know more about his lover's younger years, the place where he and his brother grew up.

"We were so blessed to have those two in our lives. If we didn't, we may never have survived the fireball, or any of this that has happened. Yar was so reluctant to have Aladar as a part of the clan at first, but he accepted him quite quickly. Draca came to us a year after Aladar did, almost to the day."

"I'm also glad those two were a part of your lives. Otherwise, they may not have known as much compassion as they do now."

Plio couldn't agree with Neera more. Aladar and Draca, in the short time they were newcomers in the herd, showed more compassion to Emma, Baylene and Url that Kron did in his entire time as leader. They were even prepared to risk their lives for the herd, which they very nearly did, dozens of times. The stress that had put Plio under, the fear she had felt for her foster sons' lives, had never been as intense as it had been those first few months and then when they ran off to save the herd from Kron's idiocy.

A few months later, a nest of a dozen eggs rests peacefully, with one in the centre of the nest, just as Aladar's egg had been so long ago. Aladar nuzzles the egg, just as his mother had done to him so many years ago. He and Neera smile happily at each other, Damien and Draca nearby, smiling at the clutch of eggs.

"Move over everybody. Bringing in babies is what I do best."

Emma says, walking up to the nest.

"I'd say it's been a few years since you hatched an egg."

Yar, says, him and Emma laughing together.

"You're right. So let me practice on your head."

Emma says, gaining a very confused look from Yar. One of the eggs starts cracking at that moment.

"Look. Somebody wants to meet you."

Plio says, before lifting away the pieces of the egg, just as she had done for Aladar and Draca so many years ago.

"Oh, aren't you the sweetest little small fry I ever did see."

She exclaims at the sight of the baby, before moving out of the way so Aladar and Neera can see their newborn.

"Hey little guy. He looks just like me."

Aladar says, while Neera chuckles.

"Meet your Dad. He's not as crazy as he looks."

Aladar makes a funny face at the baby.

"Oh, oh, happy day."

The baby, who is struggling out of his egg, sneezes.

"Well done little one."

Baylene says, happy that this newest lot of babies won't have to worry about being left behind by the herd like so many before them. Yar picks up the baby, saying,

"Come here you little rascal, let me get a good look at you."

Then, the sound of peeing is heard. Yar's face falls into a resigned expression, remembering Aladar doing the exact same thing all those years ago.

"Yeap. You're your father's son alright."

He says as he hands the baby off to Plio, who readily accepts the little one, and Suri laughs at her grandfather's misfortune. Then, Zini's voice echos around the valley.

"Hey, look what I found! New neighbours!"

Zini has somehow managed to find a group of female lemurs, who are now crowding around him.

"Are any of you ladies up for a game of 'Monkey in the middle?"

He asks, which makes the females pile on top of him in a group hug.

"Easy, now easy, hey, hehe, oh."

Zini says, the last part being because a female lemur just looked somewhere slightly odd. The entire group laughs before Aladar bellows out, smiling at his newborn, Neera and the others soon following his example. 

All over the valley, the next generation of dinosaurs is hatching, their parents roaring out, happy. The older ones of the new generation run around, chasing birds, just as that first baby Parasaurolophus did all those years ago.

"None of us know what changes big or small lie ahead. One thing's for certain, our journey's not over. We can only hope, in some small way, our time here will be remembered."

And with that, darkness descends.