During the age of the dinosaurs, a famine forces herds of dinosaurs to seek an oasis known as the Great Valley. Among these, a mother in a diminished "longneck" herd hatches a single male baby, named Littlefoot. Years later, Littlefoot encounters and plays with Cera, a female "three-horn", until her father intervenes, saying "three-horns never play with longnecks". That night, Littlefoot plays with Cera again, until a large "sharptooth" pursues them. Littlefoot's mother eventually comes to their rescue. During the struggle, an "earthshake" strikes and splits the land, swallowing up the sharptooth and dividing Littlefoot, Cera, and other dinosaurs from their herds; several die in the process. Before dying, Littlefoot's wounded mother gives him some words of advice about finding the Great Valley: "let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely". Confused, and in-grief, Littlefoot meets Rooster, an older dinosaur who consoles him. Littlefoot is then guided by his mother's voice telling him to follow the sun to the Great Valley. First, he must pass several landmarks, such as a rock formation that resembles a Longneck and the "Mountains that Burn" (volcanoes).