Ticklish Tyranny

Grump Vs Love Monkey - Part 1 (Edited)

This is a funny oneshot set in the mystery time period between the Herd entering the Nesting Grounds, and the egg-hatching of Aladar and Neera's babies. I do not own anything belonging to the Dinosaur film at all; the credit for story and characters goes to the creators! The oneshot was requested by ELROart (Deviantart username). Enjoy the tickles! 🤣😄

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A flock of birds flew through the early morning sky, their soft twittering heard strangely well over dinosaur snores. Aladar smiled, his head lying on his forelegs.

"Isn't this just perfect?" he murmured. A sleepy Neera, who was lying by his side, murmured in agreement.

"It sure is", she said, with closed eyes. Aladar and Neera were lying with their sleeping friends in a cool, shady spot in the Nesting Grounds.

The grass was speckled with dew, the lake gleamed dimly through the trees, and a light breeze was in the air. The sun shone warmly down through the trees that sparsely surrounded the group of friends.

Truly, the Nesting Grounds were a rare paradise. Aladar now understood why Eema called it 'the most beautiful place'. A sudden giggle from the branches above distracted the blue dinosaur from his thoughts.

"Morning, sleepyhead!" Aladar recognised the voice, and chuckled.

"Morning, Suri! What are you doing up so early?" he said, looking up at the prehistoric lemur perched in the branches above. Suri smiled down at her adopted brother.

"Couldn't sleep. Apparently, Zini heard rumours that there're some girls over on the other side of the lake. He got up even earlier than me to practice ... just in case."

Aladar rolled his eyes, smirking a little.

"Sounds like Zini all right!" he replied. "How are Plio and Yar?" Suri thought for a moment.

"Plio's gone off to find some fruit for breakfast, and Yar moved to a higher branch. Said that he found Zini's practicing 'nauseating'."

"Talking about me?" a cheeky, smooth voice said as the aforementioned 'love monkey' jumped into view. "Hey Aladar, how's the missus doing?" Zini asked.

Neera opened an eye, and gave Zini a 'look'.

"The 'missus' is doing just fine, thank you, Zini." She then rose to her feet. "I've just heard that you're practicing for another possible courtship?"

Aladar, Suri and Neera could all see Zini's ego practically balloon upwards as the male lemur grinned proudly.

"I sure am! If those girls really are on the other side of the lake, then they're the luckiest girls in the whole world! Cause the 'professor of love' is coming their way to give them some lessons! Or maybe we could play 'Monkey in the Middle'?"

Suri screwed up her face a little, while Aladar and Neera exchanged an amused look. Neera's smile then suddenly disappeared and she looked down at the ground. Aladar frowned, concerned at his mate's sudden sadness.

"Neera? What's wrong?" he asked. Neera sighed.

"Oh ... I was just thinking about my brother. Kron. Ever since the Carnotaur attack that nearly killed him, he's cut himself off from everyone ... even me! Now he broods by himself all the time, never smiling."

Zini snorted at her words.

"That grump? Smile?!"

Neera rolled her eyes as she replied.

"He was different, back in the past. I think that the harsh, long journey, and all the troubles caused by the fireball hardened him up."

The male lemur scoffed.

"Whatever." Zini wasn't that fond of Kron, just like Yar.

Aladar gave Neera a comforting nudge. She smiled thankfully at him, and nuzzled his neck. Zini's eyes then brightened as he got a sudden idea.

"Hey Neera!" The orange dinosaur looked up at him, curiously. "I bet that I could get your brother to smile and laugh again!" Neera raised an eyebrow at that, looking a bit sceptical.

"You? After your attempted 'matchmaking' on the journey here, I seriously doubt that!"

Aladar winced as he remembered Zini's attempt to get Aladar to "flirt" with Neera on the way. It had ended with Aladar getting the nickname "Jerkasaurus".

Zini bridled at the clear lack of confidence in his abilities.

"Oh yeah? Well, I propose a bet!" Neera then raised her other eyebrow. "I bet that I can get your brother Kron to smile and laugh by ... tickling him! This morning!"

Yar snorted sarcastically.

"Hah! I'd have to see that for myself! It depends whether that old curmudgeon is capable of being tickled to laughter?" he said.

A little smirk of mischief quirked Neera's mouth up as she thought about the idea of the bet.

"And what are the stakes?" Aladar asked, with a droll smile. He'd betted with his adoptive brother before, and knew that Zini was very tricksy.

"No stakes this time, we'll just play to be smug!" Neera then grinned.

"You're on!" she said. "My brother actually does have a weakness to being tickled! Don't expect him to give in so easily though, Kron is obstinate beyond belief!"

"We KNOW!" Everyone else muttered in unison, before bursting in giggles. After a few minutes, the laughter slowly died down.

"Where's Kron at the moment?" Suri asked. Neera thought for a moment.

"Last time I saw him, it was last night. He was down at the water's edge", she replied. Aladar nodded thoughtfully.

A plan was forming in his mind. He looked up at his adopted sister and brother.

"Zini, Suri, go and see whether Yar and Plio want to join in." The two lemurs nodded and rubbed their paws together with glee. Aladar then looked around at the sleeping forms of Eema, Url, and Baylene.

"I'll wake up Url and Eema. Could you please find your brother for us, Neera?" he asked.

Aladar had decided to leave Baylene asleep. He had an inkling that she was the kind of person who wouldn't approve of this kind of thing.

Neera nodded quickly, and then she and the lemurs departed off on their tasks.

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