Ice Wars
Dedicated to Jimmy I may never know you but I hope you read this wherever you are
Part I the Journey Prologue
It was a cold day in the Ice Age world Buck was trekking across the snow trying to keep warm in the freezing conditions. Buck was on his way to see Manfred and Ellie about the loss of their newborn daughter Peaches. It was a sad accident involving an avalanche too rapid that the poor child hadn't had time to scream.
Buck stopped he sensed a Dark Presence nearby coming towards him. Buck stopped and readying his knife pressing the button so the green blade lit up taking the shape of a dinosaur tooth. It was Bucks personal light-sabre his pride and joy, his life and blood this blade had seen him through countless battles and would pull him through a thousand more.
A large raptor leapt from the shadows its claws bright red blades of death. Buck ducked and swung for the raptors head but the raptor blocked his attack and swiped at his belly with the other hand. Buck back stepped the claws narrowly missing him by inches Buck leapt up into the air feeling the cold wind rushing through his fur he landed a few feet away behind the raptor who growled and swung round and charged at Buck ready to tear him apart.
Buck however was ready using the Force he pulled the raptor towards him. The raptor surprised by this was unable to defend itself as Buck's knife made its killing strike. The raptors body dropped limply to the ground dead and cold as the snow surrounding it. Buck sighed and put away his knife he had to hurry and warn the others about the dinosaurs return. So with this thought in his mind he turned and hurried towards his destination.
"Dinosaurs?! Here? It can't be true"
Manfred sat by the fire with his wife Ellie both of whom were waiting for Diego and Sid to return with food for them as Buck had burst into the cave that was the Herds current home they looked startled to see the weasel panting as though he was trying to escape a terrible monster.
"It's true mates you should have seen the raptor attacking me on my way here after the cave was blocked off I thought Ruddy and his Dark Dino Army were done for"
Manfred looked at Buck and spoke in his usual tone one that suggested he was talking nonsense.
"Maybe the raptor escaped and followed you. You killed it so there's nothing to worry about really Buck don't scare me like that" he laughed as though the whole thing was finished.
As Diego and Sid entered the cave, Buck looked up and greeted them Sid hugged him and babbled on about everything that had happened since the Underworld and the Ice Age had been separated by a cave in caused by Buck himself. Diego was calmer and greeted Buck with a handshake and a hug.
Buck was quick to explain the events of the morning and Sid who never paid attention when he wasn't the on speaking stared blankly at the wall. Diego on the other paw looked worried he paced back and forth around the cave muttering things to himself. After a few tense moments Diego spoke
"We have to investigate the Underworld Buck how did you get out?" he asked the weasel who was polishing his knife hilt.
"There a passage way that is just big enough for a weasel I doubt any Dino could get through there" Buck replied looking Diego in the eye
"What if they dug out the passage?" Sid rarely spoke but when he did, it fell into one of two categories: nonsense and wisdom. This comment was in the wisdom category it also earned him the rest of the herd's attention.
"That's a good point Sid" Diego tried to start a conversation but Sid was lost in the Force. Sid was unusual he refused to fight and instead saw into the future often getting lost in his visions flitting in and out rambling on and on other times predicting events with precise accuracy.
"We have to go down there and find out if Ruddy has woken up" Diego said firmly
"Or we could ask Sid" Ellie suggested
"How do we know if he's talking gibberish or not?" Manfred snapped
"Let's see what Sid has to say" Buck said trying to defuse the argument without waiting Buck walked over to Sid and sat next to him.
"Hey Sid can you tell me if Ruddy is awake? I need to know it's important" Buck spoke gently to avoid startling the sloth.
"The red eyed one awakens…he hungers" Sid whispered
"Rudy I thought the Force was playing tricks on me" Buck sighed and massaged his forehead thinking 'how could Rudy be alive' and 'what is he going to do now' to himself.
Diego interrupted his thinking
"Come on we have a job to do!" Buck nodded and stood up to leave Diego strapped his light-sabres to his belt ready to leave.
"Be careful you two report anything you find" Manfred ordered the two. Buck and Diego nodded Ellie spoke next
"Beware the last Sith Lord for he stills lives" again the two nodded and left the cave heading for certain death.
Part II The Red Eyed One
Diego and Buck soon found the tunnel what was left of it. A huge crater was all that remained of the once small tunnel claw marks told the pair Dinosaurs had come this way. Buck and Diego drew their weapons are headed into the Underworld ready for any surprise traps the Dinos may have left to guard the tunnel. Buck went first relying on the Force to guide him Diego watched nervously tense.
Buck gave the all clear and Diego moved swiftly and silently to join his friend.
"Right we should head to Lava Falls its most likely were Rudy is hiding" Buck remarked Diego only nodded Buck knew what he was talking about so it was best to follow his lead.
"Agreed Lava falls sounds good is there anywhere else Ruddy could hid?" Diego asked
"Nope that's the beauty of it he has nowhere else to run to" Buck could barely contain his excitement today was the day Ruddy met his match.
"Do you here that?" Diego whispered Buck nodded he heard it too, the sounded as if raptor footsteps coming closer. Buck and Diego hid themselves in the trees nearby watching waiting for raptors to pass. Suddenly a bright flash and Diego yowled in pain his left arm was cut off the wound oozing blood and the bone showed clearly through the stump that was once an arm. This was done by a red Lightsaber the wielder a black lion with sleek black fur a silky yellow mane, jagged claws, and wickedly sharp teeth.
"Hello my lovelies wonderful day isn't it?" the voice was smooth as velvet and as dangerous as the flood in the Wet Season it was clear this man was a Sith the last of his kind and the most psychotic killer ever to walk the Ice Age.
"you Bitch I'll kill you!" with a roar Diego drew his left sabre wincing as he did so the stump of his right arm pained him slowed him down in short made him easy prey for a Sith. With a flick of his claws, Diego screamed as his hand was cut clean out the blood pouring from his two wounds pooling around his feet. Diego knew he was dead there was no question about it Diego the sabre-toothed tiger was dead.
The lion laughed as he cut down Diego as though he were little more than an itch he was scratching. Buck stood horrified his body shut down unable respond or react in any way
"Now then Buck where were we?" the lion smiled a sinister smile like a tiger that had cornered his prey and was now ready to strike.
"You k-killed my friend I-won't allow this" Buck voice stuttered he was scared more scared then the time he fought Ruddy and had cost him his eye. This was it this was the end for him Buck felt oddly at peace he was ready for death. Then Buck asked a question that had plagued his mind since the lion had first shown himself.
"What's your name Sith?"
The single question cut through the air like a hot knife through butter. The lion pondered for a moment then answered.
"Death my name is Death" those five words shook Buck to the core.
"I-impossible you can't be Death!" Buck shot back his confidence growing back to usual levels.
"Oh but I am, just watch" Death said wickedly and with that he touched Diego corpse.
The result was instantaneous the skin and fur shrivelled and rotted away leaving the skeleton that was horrifying enough but then the blood and organs leaked out and turned to ash the eyeballs melted and the skeleton turned to dust leaving nothing of the once proud Diego.
Buck vomited he wanted to erase that horrible image form his mind but no matter what he did nothing would erase that image nothing. After some minutes, he stopped vomiting and looked at Death his evil red eyes meeting his lone blue one. After a few short moments Death spoke.
"Well I think it's time you died don't you?" he said with a casual air as though death was little more than a trip to the river and back.
"You're gonna pay for this you sick twisted creature you can kill me but I will be avenged" Buck growled with fury if he was to die then he fight to the bloody death.
A light brown blur flashed and a blue lightsaber flashed as Death roared with anger at the denial of his prize. The Death was gone leaving nothing but the rotting ground he had once stood on. A weasel stood panting and looking at Buck with curious amber eyes.
"Are you okay Mister?" the weasel couldn't be older then sixteen Buck thought numbly when Buck failed to respond the weasel waved his hand in front of Buck's face.
"Hello? Anyone home?" the teen weasel was persistent
"Yeah I'm here my names Buck" Buck didn't say this with his usual energy he was too depressed to care anymore.
"Well that's a start my name is Issac it's nice to meet ya" Issac said in a cheerful tone.
"How can you be so happy? A good friend of mine just died and now there's a lion going around calling himself Death what is there to be happy about?" Buck continued feeling worse by the minute.
"well death happens I should know but hell moping isn't helping anyone so buck up"
'Stupid idiot he'll be killed for sure if he keeps this up' Buck's Dark Side whispered
'At least he's thinking positive' Buck's inner good argued back
Issac interrupted his dark thoughts
"look just come on I know your sad but...you have to be strong...like I was" Issac stumbled over his words he was hiding something Buck knew that much.
"alright let's go I feel like dying anyhow" Buck bitterly stated
"well come on O morbid one" Issac lead them through the jungle how? Buck didn't know he just followed numbly along not caring not listening to Issac trying to revive his spirits but sadly, only the bleak and utter loneliness of the afternoon was all Buck could think about.
"Alright Buck we have to get you out of this mood you're in" Issac stopped and turned to face the depressed weasel
"What now lad I have to kill Ruddy" Buck spoke like he was reciting something very boring like a poem that no one wanted to read.
"we can win I know we can you just….you just have to try like how I'm a Vampire" Issac said with passion.
"Vampire?" Buck looked the teen up and down no nothing looked out of the ordinary save his teeth were a little sharper than a normal weasel.
"Yeah I don't look like a Vampire do I?" Issac chuckled
"But how? the sunlight doesn't that kill you?" Buck had heard of the rumours surrounding Vampires like sunlight being deadly and how if you made a certain symbol you could repeal a vampire to a safe distance.
"most of the rumours are bullshit my fur protects me anyhow" Issac laughed and buck had to agree it made sense.
"well then how's that help me Vampire?" Buck turned defensive if Issac wanted a meal he'd have to fight for it.
"hey hey chill I don't wanna eat ya only save you numbskull" Issac spoke quickly not wanting to lose a new friend so quickly
Buck growled "don't call me a numbskull …and thanks for….saving my life I'm sorry about that I just panicked" Buck sighed deeply Issac stepped forward to say something but was cut off as Buck hugged him and cried and cried like the day he had first fought Ruddy and lost his eye. As he cried into Issac's shoulder, he sobbed the things he wanted to say but never could until now.
"Diego I'm so s-sorry I c-couldn't do a-anything to help you" Buck sobbed louder his heart in pieces Issac took all this in trying his best to comfort Buck saying every once in a while
"there there Diego knew what he was doing there's nothing to forgive"
After a time Buck stopped sobbing and his crying lessoned until he stopped completely in fact he felt like a new man…weasel Issac was right Diego knew the risks and he was always in the Force helping Buck guiding him to Ruddy. Issac smiled he offered a paw to shake witch Buck took and shook vigorously.
"it's a pleasure to meet ya lad and thanks my wife is smiling in her grave" Buck said in his usual voice not that cold dead voice that frightened Issac somewhat.
"your wife?" Issac inquired
"aye she was a pineapple an ugly pineapple but I loved her" Buck said with a loving tone as though speaking about someone he held deep in his heart
"you're not too right in the head are?" Issac laughed as he spoke 'this will be fun' he thought to himself
"I'm perfectly fine now let's show Death and Ruddy we mean business" Buck laughed it was good to be free of this depression and with that the two friends dashed into the jungle ready for the final battle of Good and Evil
Part III The Final Battle
The two approached a clearing and without a word being spoken they both knew this was it the final battle no going back. They drew their sabres and checked they were in working order once that was done they stood into the clearing where Death and Ruddy stood waiting for the two heroes.
"So you came Buck?" Ruddy said sounded bored and uninterested
"Oh my little playthings back for more" Death on the other paw sounded excited to be fighting to the death as ironic as that was.
"Ah shut your trap ya tosser" Issac yelled viciously"
"Hello Snowflake your as ugly as ever" Buck laughed at his own joke and Death looked confused
"Is he always this mad?" Death asked laughing in his head for thinking, these two weasels were dangerous.
"Oh yes always" Ruddy sighed it was no fun not having a depressed Buck to toy with. 'Maybe he could kill Buck and then toy with Issac yes that would work perfectly' he thought smirking.
"Well you've served you usefulness goodbye it was putrid knowing you" Death spoke casually as though discussing the weather.
"What!" Ruddy looked at Death then laughed
"Oh you were joking I see very funny" Ruddy laughed harder 'as if Death could even pierce my scales' he thought as he laughed.
Then Death poked him with his now glowing claw grinning like a cat that had just killed that annoying mouse that had been annoying him too long.
Ruddy screamed as his flesh melted off his bones he died the last thing he felt was the feeling as he felt his heart explode in his chest he passed out after his organs melted to nothing. After a time Ruddy burst into flames then the flames extinguished themselves and Ruddy now a pile of ashes on the jungle floor was dead.
Buck was in shock his Snowflake was dead the beast that had plagued him all his life dead. The last of a dying race an evil race but still a great loss. Issac didn't feel anything for Ruddy he didn't the Dino didn't care but he saw how Buck felt and patted his shoulder and bowed his head for a moment a gesture of respect not for Ruddy but for Buck.
Death giggled and did a bizarre jig in which he jumped up and down for minute laughed then started doing a tap dance sort movement.
Issac and Buck looked stern they had had enough of Death of the senseless killing of this whole mess no the two decided enough was enough.
"Death stop this madness and tell us why you killed Ruddy!" Issac yelled making sure Death heard him.
Death stopped and walked towards them his eye glowing a deep crimson his teeth seemed sharper and his claws glowing red he was ready to kill all of them for what they didn't know until Death spoke his voice that of a deranged manic.
"I killed Ruddy because he so weak he was an idiot he was not worth the dirt on my claws" Death snarled swing at Issac who duck and stepped nimbly out of the way. He roared and backhanded Buck sending he crashing into a tree his last thought before slipping out of consciousness was how was Issac going to win without his help.
Issac and Death battled furiously like wild beasts Death his claws glowing a midnight black swung aiming Issac midsection but Issac blocked at the last second. Then like lightning an idea hit Issac and with a smirk he leap into the air calling the Fade to help him meanwhile on the ground Buck's knife flew to Issac obeying the call of the Force
Issac seized the knife out of the air activating it he landed behind Death laughing his triumph. All this had taken place in a minute and Death whirled around face his foe.
"You worm I should have killed you when you were a kit oh but He was persistence that I wait that old man will learn his manners just as soon as I kill you" Death growled he leapt roaring his fury. What he failed to notice was that Issac ducked and held both his and Buck's lightsaber aloft Death tried to push the child away but the laws of physics prevailed and he was impaled on the blades and his body melted to ash a fitting end for the madman known as Death.
Issac hadn't spoken since he and Buck had first entered the clearing. There wasn't any reason just that Issac never spoke much during a fight it was his way. Sighing as though a great weight was lifted from his shoulders, he checked Buck over and finding there was nothing wrong with his friend set his Knife in one paw and his own lightsaber in the right. Lastly, he kissed Buck's forehead and whispered.
"May you be smiled upon" he smiled and walked to centre of the clearing.
Looking up through the ice and into the Ice Age he breathed deeply and said in a loud voice
"O'Lord I have saved many Souls on this journey" he paused as if thinking deeply about what to say next then it struck him he raised his voice again and cried
"Brother…..Mother….. Father…..Buck…..Diego…..Absolve me!" and with that a holy light lit up his body as he floated into Paradise and everlasting peace.
Part IV the End of the Road Epilogue
Sid sat on a little hill near the cave the Herd called home. It had been five years since Buck had come back from the Underworld. He looked as though he were lost or trying to figure something out. Ellie and Manfred had a son a weasel kit that had wandered into the cave looking scared and hungry so Ellie talked Manfred into keeping the kit and he reluctantly agreed.
At first they weren't sure what to name the newest member of the Herd the Buck suggested Issac. When asked why he thought Issac was a good name for a weasel he muttered something about the kit looking like an Issac so the couple agreed the kit was to be named Issac. As the time passed Issac grew to an adventurous teen with a habit of getting into trouble so Buck offered to tutor him and see if Issac had any potential with the Force. Ellie and Manfred agreed so Buck marched Issac up a tall mountain and asked him to focus on the world around him.
Issac as he was told because even though he never admitted it he looked up to Buck as an uncle figure someone who he could talk to if he felt embarrassed talking to his mum and dad. Buck watched as small stones and twigs rose from the ground around Issac. Buck smiled the boy did have a lot of potential and with some training he would make a fine Hero Buck thought to himself as he watched Issac experiment with his new powers. Suddenly Issac stopped and looked at Buck with curiosity and asked a question.
"What's that Uncle?" he pointed to the lightsabre in Buck's paw it was Issac's old lightsaber before Buck had woken up with a headache and two lightsabrers in his paws. One his the other it's owner ascended and reborn though Buck guessed as soon as Issac started causing mischief.
This mischief included rolling a snowball down a hill watching it grow bigger until it stopped and melted with Sid at the bottom of said hill. Then there was the time Issac set fire to the whole forest and got chased by a shovel wielding bear name Smokey Buck laughed particularly hard after convincing Issac to apologise. Yes those were fun times indeed Buck realised that he had been lost in his memories and Issac was looking at him with a worried expression.
"Are you okay Uncle?" Issac asked hesitantly
"Fine lad just fine"
"Were you thinking again?"
"Yeah well...here this is yours"
Buck handed Issac a lightsaber he was holding it wasn't his own no not with it's wooden grip and the smooth metal button that could flick the blade out in an instant. Issac took it with a look of awe on his face he remembered the stories that surrounded this myth among lightsabers how a wicked lion had been slain with this blade he took it in his paws. It seemed familiar to the teen almost as if were welcoming him home after a long time of being apart Issac smiled.
"Can you teach me how to use it?"
"Sure lad I'll teach ya" Buck smiled and ruffled Issac's fur making him grin
As the two trained the sun began to set and Sid looked up and saw two lightsabers flashing green and blue the duo were together again
The End