The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water

After a period of harsh rain, the Great Valley is partially flooded and littered with debris. Littlefoot wanders while his friends Cera, Ducky, Spike, and Petrie are busy with nesting duties. He longs for a brother and begins exploring the flooded landscape.

In the flooded landscape, Littlefoot meets Mo, a playful young Ophthalmosaurus caught in the rising water. They quickly become friends, and Littlefoot calls Mo his mud brother. Mo explains that he is from the Big Water and is alone in the valley.

Mo explains how he swam into the Valley from the Big Water and is separated from his family. A Liopleurodon attacks the group, threatening their safety. Littlefoot asks the adults to help Mo return home, but they refuse to risk leaving the Valley.

An earthshake splits the children and Mo from the rest of the valley and traps Sharptooth in an underwater cavern. The kids decide to take Mo home on their own, relying on their own resourcefulness. The separation also isolates Mo from his family.

The children follow a river they believe leads to the ocean. A Diplodocus mother invites them into her nest for the night. They witness the hatching of her offspring.

The next day, the group realizes they are near the ocean as they begin to taste salt in the water. The sense of approaching the sea gives them renewed hope for reaching Mo's home. They press onward toward the coast.

That night, Sharptooth returns and attacks. The riverbank is muddy and slick, leaving the group with limited options for escape. The children endure the danger while Mo stays by their side.

Mo distracts Sharptooth and lures it further down the river, buying time for the group to keep moving. His bravery helps the others stay hopeful as danger looms behind them. The rough terrain tests their resolve as they advance toward the ocean.

Mo explains that Sharptooth smells the ocean in the distance and chooses to return to the sea rather than press the chase. The group, sensing safer waters ahead, pushes forward with renewed determination. The near-miss strengthens their bond and resolve.

The children reach the ocean, and Mo laments that his friends must depart. Littlefoot tells him they will always be brothers, and Mo says goodbye to his new friends before rejoining his family. The moment marks a bittersweet end to their journey together.

Mo reunites with his family and asks for directions to the smoky mountains, noting that the valley can be found from there. The children acknowledge their separate paths ahead but share a promise of continued friendship. The travelers prepare for differing routes home.

Before leaving, Mo offers to show Littlefoot his underwater home, and Littlefoot accepts with awe. The underwater world reveals its beauty to a land-dwelling friend, leaving a lasting impression. The exchange deepens their extraordinary friendship.

Littlefoot and the others say goodbye to Mo and watch him swim toward his family. They share a heartfelt moment, affirming their bond beyond species and distance. The friends part with gratitude for the experience.

The children return to the Great Valley and are greeted by the adults, who greet them with relief and curiosity. The valley is safe again, but forever touched by the friendship with an outsider. The journey ends with renewed hope and community.