Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.

Chapter 5: Saber Tracks!

Sid woke up from his slumber and rubbed his tired eyes. Looking around he noticed that no one else was awake so decided to go get a drink from a nearby lake. As the sloth trudged through the snow, something caught his eye, it was sabre-tooth tracks. A chill went up his spine at the thought of those predators, but then he thought about Diego and Tess. Sid ran back to his friends "Guys wake up!" Sid yelled at the top of his lungs, "I found Saber-tooth tracks!" The others groaned at the sloths shouting, and reluctantly got up. "Sid, it's too early in the-" Many exclaimed but Sid cut in repeating his earlier comment, "I saw saber-tooth tracks Many!"

At the sloths words the Mammoth was fully awake, "Then we have to get out of here! Ellie wake up Peaches and get-" "But Manny", Ellie said "what if its Diego and Tess's tracks, we need to follow them." "No its too dangerous, what if it's not them, then what are we to do?" "Manny, sweetie, we need to find those two, were walking blindfolded right now, and might not make it to Frost tip cave in time!" Ellie retorted. "Manny she's got a point, we can't track." Sid explained backing up the female mammoth. "Fine" Manny agreed reluctantly, "Let's get going".

After a while of walking silently through the snow the group of mammals had considerably calmed down. Everyone including Sid and Ellie were skittish, there was a small chance that they were following unknown sabers and the thought of some jumping through the snow covered shrubbery was always in the back of their minds.

Crash and Eddie had ran forward to see how far the tracks went, it had been a few minutes and some were starting to worry about their safety. As the herd passed a corner they could see the two little forms of Crash and Eddie as they stared down at a lake in front of them. Crash turned around to see the other mammals "The tracks stop here!" he yelled.

"They couldn't of just disappeared and there's no way they would have swam across." Manny explained as he got closer to the brothers. "Manny's right", Ellie added ,"we should keep looking, they probably start up again somewhere." The group agreed and started searching around the river bed for any sigh of Saber tracks.

"Hey i found-" Sid yelled but was cut off by a fierce rumbling under them. "Oh, not another earthquake!" Manny groaned "Not an earthquake" Sid explained "Look!" The mammals turned around to see a big wave from the ocean that was connected to the lake. "Run!" Ellie screamed and everyone scampered in different directions in their fear and confusion.

The wave crashed to the ground and sent shockwaves through the earth. Ellie and Manny were swept up by the raging water, the mammoths fought to keep their heads above the water but were soon pulled under. Ellie trashed and kicked as she desperately tried to elicit oxygen into her stinging lungs. Fortunately for the mammoth the water level died down as it expanded over the snow covered land. Ellie started coughing when she was finally able to breathe again, but got up quickly and looked around for her husband. Manny was not that far away from her, he was also coughing up some of the water that must of made its way to his lungs.

The female mammoth started to run to her husband but stopped when she stepped in something wet, at first she thought it was just water but it felt thicker and slightly warm. Ellie slowly looked down and saw it was blood, a trail of it. She reluctantly followed it and as she got closer, moved a tree branch so she could see clearly. The female screamed at the sight, unable to move from the horrors that her eyes befell. Then Manny was their asking her what was wrong and she just pointed in front of her.

There was three sabers with pools of blood growing around them, they were dead. Blood was everywhere, coating the once beautiful snow in death.

The other mammals came rushing over when they heard Ellie screamed and were asking what the fuss was about. "We need to get out of here!" Manny explained. "We don't know who killed those sabers and we don't want them coming after us."

"Wait Manny!" Crash said up in a tree on a hill not far away, "I see a cliff!" The other mammals ran up the hill and looked to the horizon. "I see it!" Manny said excited, "It's Frost Tip Cave!"

I finally got another chapter up! Will the rest of the group run into Tess and Diego? You'll just have to wait and see. I'll try to have the next chapter up soon probably in a couple of days, because of the break. Anyways, this is my late Christmas present to you, and Happy Holidays!

Oh, also what is your favorite part of the Christmas holidays. I'm curious. XP

And a shout out to KaylaDestroyer for all your helpful and inspiring comments! :)