Author's Note: Wow! Sorry it has taken so long. School! It is the bane of a writers existence. Right, so no new dinos in this chapter. Thank you KaylaDestroyer for 'yelling' at me to get this chapter up. :) Enough talking now. Don't own Ice Age or characters just OCs.

Chapter 5

Thankfully I did not have memory dreams that night but my dreams were not exactly happy ones either. I was in the snow again and it was windy, bitterly so. I was watching red drops of blood fall from my arm onto the perfect white snow. I wanted to scream and cry. I looked up from the snow and saw a cave. It was the cave I had sought shelter in - the one that had led me under the ice to this not-so-safe haven. Someone was standing at the mouth of the cave, waiting for me.

Next thing I knew I was inches from the mouth of the cave. I could tell the someone was Buck. Just by the way he was standing I could tell. I couldn't see his face because the wind was blowing snow into my eyes and because it was dark, but I knew he had that cocky grin on his face. He motioned for me to follow. A gust of warm air issued out of the cave. We both froze. I still couldn't see his face but I still - somehow - knew that his grin was gone. Red, glowing eyes opened behind Buck. Then I felt a presence behind me. I turned and there was Nick. Buck and I stood back to back, staring into the faces of our enemies. I could tell Buck felt torn. He wanted to protect me from both threats, but he couldn't decide which one.

I felt like I was separating from myself. I was floating above the scene so I could see both sides. I was watching myself stare fearfully at Nick, while Buck stood crouched and ready to strike back at the growling beast within the cave. My dream self screamed as Nick charged and the thing lunged forward -!

Maggie sat up, panting from her dream. She looked around for whatever it was that had been lurking in her dream, but the only creature with her was Kid. She frowned. Where's Buck? It was morning and the weasel wasn't anywhere to be seen. She stood up, thinking she would go look for him. Pausing, Maggie rationalized that Buck would not want her wandering around in the jungle getting into danger when he probably was safe. Instead, she went to gather some berries and set to work making Kid's breakfast.

"Good morning!" Buck shouted as he broke through the foliage, his knife over his shoulder and something hidden behind his back. "I hope you're hungry!"

"Where have you been?" Maggie asked curiously, straining to see what he had brought.

A wide, crooked grin spread across his face. "Breakfast!" He produced with a flourish - two fish. While Maggie exclaimed for joy, the cheeky weasel explained how he had managed to get some fish in a no river area. "I just scurried back across the Chasm and caught some fish. Course it was ha'dah to get back across carryin' the fish and me knife."

Maggie looked up, a smile spreading across her muzzle. "Thank you Buck!" She looked back down at the fish he had handed her, feeling the heat rise to her face she was glad that her fur hid the blush that she was certain was there. She didn't think he would have gone to such troubles just because she craved fish. "I'm glad you didn't get hurt either." Nightmare forgotten, they ate their breakfasts in peacefully contented silence. Once she finished, Maggie looked up after tossing the bones over her shoulder. "How far away is the - Cave of Fear?"

Buck glanced up from his fish. "I dunno. We might not reach it until nightfall." He frowned, "Not sure I want to travel through the caves at night though."

"Why?" The she-weasel asked, not liking the tone he had taken.

"The reason the caves have fe'ah in it name." Buck answered obtusely before standing. "Well, let's get under the way." He tossed the rest of his fish over his shoulder and bent down to pick up his knife.

Not asking anymore questions of him, Maggie turned to look at Kid. "Come on Kid. Time to go."

The group walked on steadily but Kid, like any young creature, was getting bored and games were needed to distract him. However, the weasels were doing all they could to keep him from wandering away because of those games. Buck had all but given up on corralling the dino but Maggie was determined not to let the maiasaura out of her sight even though she was sure she was reaching her limits for patience. For what felt like the millionth time that day, she growled out, "Kid! Get back here right now!"

Reluctantly, the dino slunk back to her side, leaving the colorful insect he had been chasing behind. He whined irritably, casting baleful eyes up at her. Maggie shook her head, flattening her ears. "Don't take that tone with me Mister! If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times! Stay close and follow Buck's rules." She heard a chuckle, causing her ears to rise and twist towards the sound. Her eyes were next to follow the sound, and she noticed Buck's head turning to face forward, but she had caught the smirk on his muzzle. He had caught her talking to Kid again as if the dino could actually understand her. Embarrassed, she stared down at the dirt beneath her feet as she kept walking. Maybe she was crazy. It wasn't the first time she had heard that accusation. "Back where I come from -" she sighed, her shoulders sagging, "they call me 'Mad Maggie'." She really disliked the nickname that some possums from a herd had dubbed her. No one seemed to realize how sensitive she was over her - eccentricities. The female mammoth had said something about Maggie being socially awkward.

She had been staring so intently at her feet moving, Maggie had missed the fact that Buck had stopped which resulted in her bumping into him again. She looked up into his blue eye and green leaf-patch. Stepping back, she asked, "Am I really crazy?" Biting her lip, she spoke up again. "I was left to myself a lot as a kit. I had no family - no friends - I had to do something to occupy myself. I ended up talking to whatever was there that would listen. Even if it couldn't talk back." Feeling tears sting her eyes, but willing them not to fall, Maggie whispered her question again. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

There was silence for a long time. Buck's own question startled her. "Do you think I am crazy?"

Maggie shook her head, still not lifting her head to look at him. "I think you are you. The way you are. It's not insanity or madness."

"Then," She felt his free paw come up to raise her chin so that she was looking into his sympathetic and understanding eye, "I don't think ya are either. Just as you said. It's just the way you are." His paw fell down to his side. The seriousness was instantly replaced by his cheerfulness. "Come on, Mags! We're wastin' daylight!" They continued on but now whenever Maggie spoke to Kid, Buck didn't chuckle or smirk.

"How much farther?" Maggie inquired after several more hours of walking. She glanced up at the canopy of leaves, straining to see the ice above them. "I think the sun is setting. I can see the red of a setting sun."

"We'll be the'ah shortly." Buck answered, worry edging his voice. He felt the female's eyes on his back. She knew he hadn't told her much earlier that morning, and he had a good reason for not saying anything. If this one place worried him, it certainly would frighten her. They came to the edge of the forest and stepped out onto rocks. The wind whipped around him, whistling whispers to him and the creatures following him. "I don't speak wind." He mumbled, wondering what the breeze was saying.

"I do." Maggie stated, earning her a skeptical look. She shrugged, "Even wind will listen. It was one of the few things that actually spoke back."

"All roight." Buck said patronizingly, "What's it sayin' then?"

Maggie's ears twitched, a frown crossing her features. "The wind down here is much nicer than the one above." She mumbled mainly to herself. "It's not harsh and cold but warm and friendly." She looked over the rocks. "What's that place there?"

Buck followed her gaze. "The Plates of Woe. We're not going that way."

"Good." The she-weasel sighed. When he turned and gave her a quizzical look, she explained. "The wind was warning us about something down there."

"Those dinos? Yeah. Not the nicest bunch." He shrugged, not caring really. He already knew about those nasty creatures. "We're heading for the Cave of Fear." He noticed that the wind had picked up and that a very concerned look was on Maggie's face. "What's it sayin'?" Buck asked in a low tone.

Maggie shook her head, "I - I'm not sure. It doesn't want us going in the caves." Her brown eyes looked at him, showing the worry. "What's in the caves Buck?"

"If we wait till late at night, it'll be gone." He muttered. "We'll camp for a while, sleep, and then I'll wake you and Kid up before we go on."

When he moved to start making camp, Maggie stepped into his way. "What's. In. The. Cave. Buck." Her gaze was penetrating.

Buck searched her face for several minutes. Slowly, he said, "It's not Rudy, but I try to avoid those caves. There are some creatures that should have stayed extinct." Brushing past her, he went in search of kindling.

Maggie woke to the feeling of someone shaking her shoulder gently. She opened her eyes and half turned onto her back, looking up at Buck who was hovering over her. "Time to go Mags." Sitting, she yawned and rubbed her fisted paw over her eyes.

She reluctantly nudged Kid. "Come on Kid. Wake up." He moaned in his sleep, shying away from her incessant poking. Glancing over at Buck, Maggie saw that he had put out the fire and was waiting for her. His attention was not on her though but on their surroundings. His words earlier had worried her, they still worried her. Trying to get him to elaborate on what he had said was like talking to a rock. She held back a laugh, but the smile crept up anyway. Gracious was she tired if she was laughing at her own jokes. Turning back to the maiasaura, she gathered the dino into her arms and stood up. She walked up to where Buck was and noticed his disapproving look. She shrugged. "He's still a baby, Buck. Kid needs his sleep." Without another passed between them, Buck led her away from their temporary camp.

Maggie looked over at the Plates of Woe and saw beyond it a waterfall of lava. She returned her attention to Buck's red-brown furry back as they ventured towards the edge of a cliff. He stopped and looked down. Maggie stood, adjusting her hold on Kid so that the dino wasn't uncomfortably heavy to hold. Buck was looking for something and he didn't seem very pleased with whatever it was. He turned to look at her and Kid. With a sigh, he motioned towards the sleeping dino. "You really shoulda woken him. This'll be difficult if you're carryin' him."

"Couldn't be helped." She muttered, stifling another yawn.

Looking from her to the precipice, Buck seemed to make a decision. "Right. Come on." He hopped off the edge.

"Buck!" Maggie shouted in fear as she ran to edge. Kid squirmed in her arms at the sudden noise. The female peered cautiously over, not expecting to see the weasel standing on a ledge bellow her.

"Drop the dino down." He called up to her. Maggie's eyes widened as she clutched Kid to her. The maiasaura had officially woken up, but was uncertain as to what was going on. Buck gazed up at them, certainty in his demeanor. "I'll catch 'im Mags." Biting her lip, Maggie lay out on her stomach and tried to ease Kid down as far as she could. Thankfully the dino wasn't wriggling in fright but looking up into her eyes with curiosity. Buck's arms were outstretched, but he just couldn't reach. "Mags." He admonished gently, "Ya hafta drop him."

Tears sprang to her eyes. She gazed into Kid's trusting eyes. She had promised to protect him and if Buck didn't catch the dino - she didn't want to think about it. Her sharp teeth were cutting into her lip, and she felt the drop of blood trickle down her chin. "I'm sorry." She whispered. Maggie's gentle hands let go of their hold and Maggie shut her eyes to the startled, panicked yelp that Kid let loose. The sound of a thud and 'oof' caused her to open her eyes slowly. She smiled tearfully at the sight of Buck holding the maiasaura none worse for the wear.

Buck grinned triumphantly up at her as he set the shell shocked dino on the ledge. Lifting his arms up once again, he called up, "You're turn!" Coming to a sitting position, Maggie dangled her legs and feet over the ledge. It's just like swimming, she told herself. Just push off the edge. Taking a deep breath, she shoved off the cliff side. Two sturdy arms stopped the sickening decent. Opening her eyes that she had instinctively shut, Maggie looked up into Buck's smiling face. "Now that wadn't so bad?" He teased as he set her down on her feet, holding onto her bandaged elbow till she had stopped shaking.

She smiled weakly. "Kinda fun actually." She had to admit it was. Looking around, Maggie asked, "Where's the cave?"

Nodding, Buck pointed. "Ov'ah the'ah." Maggie looked across the way to see the other side of the canyon and the opening of the cave. She felt a tug on her paw and looked up at Buck. "We hafta use this ledge he'ah. It goes all the way over the'ah. Come on. Careful now."

"Rule number two." Maggie sighed as she followed close behind him. "Stay in the middle of the path."

"Well," He chuckled, "stay as on the path as ya can." He was right; sometimes it seemed that the ledge was too small for even the weasels to shuffle along, let alone the maiasaura following behind Maggie. She couldn't carry Kid though. It would be too dangerous be top heavy. The wind was whistling through the canyon, following their progress and pushing them onwards. Maggie constantly had to brush her head fur from her eyes though.

"Please stop." She murmured, looking up at the sky. "I can't see my way."

Buck's ears twitched back in her direction. Reaching back his paw, he wiggled his claws. "Hold on. I'm the guide aftah all." She hesitated for a second before placing her paw in his. Buck's grip was strong, gentle, and reassuring. "Almost the'ah." Maggie hardly heard his words, so transfixed was her attention on their entwined paws. When was the last time someone had simply held her paw and made her feel safe? Before she knew it, they had reached the mouth of the cave and Buck had released her. "This way." He whispered. They entered, but Maggie did not like how the air in here seemed to hiss out.

"That's not the wind." She whispered to Buck. "It sounds like something is breathing."

"Whatever is normally in there has left." Buck stated firmly. "Come on Mags." The trio continued on into the darkness of the cave, but none of them felt safe.

Gasp! A cliffhanger. Ain't I a stinker. ;) Hopefully I'll get to the next chapter soon so you all aren't yelling at me. :) Review! I like the reviews. :D