Xion the Author: Heya! Those who've read my first story may find some this nostalgic but to those who haven't all I can say is that I recommend you read it cause it's just as fun as this one with all the traveling and stuff. It's also entitled Ice Age Journeys (before, it wasn't) but has a different subtitle. But anyways, skip this A/N and get on with the story. You'll really love it.
ICE AGE JOURNEYS: RAISING A CUB
Chapter VI: A New Adventure
"I don't believe it…" uttered Diego, gazing upon the familiar yet still unbelievable sight upon him. The Dinosaur world that they had been before and now back again.
"It's been so long…" Ellie muttered along. She gazed at the sights and splendors, still filling her with the same awe as the first time she'd seen it. "I never thought this place would still be here."
The memories flashed vividly in his eyes. "To think there was another entrance here," Manny mentioned.
"It's been what, ten years?" Diego rambled. Everyone was at the same state of amazement.
Sid stood almost speechless. "M-maybe we should head back…" the sloth muttered as he tried turning around and make a run for it.
"Right… maybe we should-" agreed Manny who was also about to turn away.
But right before they could turn back, Diego leaped and blocked their way. "Guys, wait! This is the perfect opportunity!" the saber-tooth said. "If there are more caves around here we could probably cut through Eli and the others."
"But what are the chances of even finding more caves?" asked Ellie, undecided of what would be the best course of action.
"If we go back now, they'd be too far ahead of us already," answered Diego. "Our best chance is to travel through here."
"Then we probably have to look for Buck, wherever he is," said Manny. "We couldn't survive last time because of him, and most likely we won't this time without him too."
"Yeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaw!" A loud war cry of a familiar voice echoed across the plantain landscape. Dinosaurs every size and shape would either raise their heads in curiosity, or lower their heads and cower in fear.
"Or he could find us," Sid added.
A particular one-eyed weasel with a leaf for a make-shift eye patch was swinging vine to vine as he whipped a stampede of duck-billed dinosaurs from mid-air. Judging from the loudness of his mirthful laughter, he was having the time of his life as usual. However, as fun as his life is, he would sometimes make a rare accident from overdoing his enjoyment. He picked the wrong vine to swing from due to his eagerness of whipping the again. Unfortunately, it cut loose the moment he reached the peak of the swing, causing him to lose control and fly up into the air. He lost the grip of his knife and it flew at a different point from him. And like the hands of fate he landed right into a soft cushion that broke his fall.
Buck looked down to see a large mass of brown fur. He looked around even further to see familiar faces that were glad to see him.
"Mammals?" Buck exclaimed in disbelief.
"Nice to see you too weasel," replied Diego.
Buck got up and slid down Manny's trunk, jumped into the air while spinning and landed right on the ground beside his dino-tooth knife like a triumphant hero from a story book. "What ah you lot doin' back he-ah?" asked Buck as he picked up his knife and twirled it around before piercing it into the ground and leaned on it. "And where's those boys that worship me and stuff? And that brown fluffy thing you had after you got he-ah?"
"Well, you see–", Ellie looked like she was about to start from how her day started up to the part where the kids ran away before Manny cut her off.
"Long story short, they ran off and now we're trying to catch up with them," Manny interrupted. "We followed this cave which suddenly leaded us here, so now we're hoping you could lead us to another cave like this."
"Another cave?" asked Buck, looking at the hollow darkness of the tunnel. "Never realleh thought there'd be another one. These things just keep openin' up everywhe-ah." Buck took a closer look at the tunnel. He noticed a striking feature and rubbed his chin thinking about it.
Diego and Manny took an odd glance at each other, who were both sharing the same thought. A look that meant, "Hello, people you haven't seen for a decade standing over here, and your more interested in what's behind us?"
"What is it Buck?" asked Diego as he walked towards him.
"This tunnel looks like it's been dug through," said Buck as he investigated even closer. "Look at the size and shape of the walls. It's like something was pushing through dirt and it formed like this." He looked outside the cave and noticed another fact. "And look at the mounds of dirt outside it! I've never seen so much dirt that doesn't have any growing plants on it."
"What could dig through something like this?" asked Sid as he knocked his fist on the hard rock-like wall of the tunnel.
"I don't know," Buck muttered in a creepy nervous voice before raising it in a valiant tone, "But I wanna find out!" he said, with complete utter determination of unveiling its mystery.
"Umm… Buck, I know you really want to know what it is," said Manny. "But we were hoping that you could, you know, help us?"
"Woah, woah, woah. If we find whatevah' did this, we could make another tunnel out of here and you'd all be on your way!" Buck suggested.
Diego seemed satisfied. "Sounds like a plan," he replied in a serious tone.
"Why do I feel so nervous all of a sudden?" muttered Sid.
"Guess there's no other way," said Ellie. "For our kids"
"Good. Now if we're goin' travelin' again, I suppose I should repeat the rules in case someone forgets again," said Buck, conspicuously pointing at Manny. Manny simply rolled his eyes.
"Okay. Rule numbah one. Always. Listen. To BUCK. Rule numbah two. Stay in the middle of the TRAIL." he instructed the same way he did last time, with only a slight difference this time. "And the new rule number three, anyone who has gas or reeks like tar pits travels in the back of the pack."
Sid mumbled a little and went behind the herd. "Ya know I just made that up back then like I am raight now," Buck mused. "Alright! Let's head off! Its tracks lead this way!" instructed Buck as the herd started to move once again into the Buck-tamed wilderness. "Now, while we'ah walking, tell me all about that long story of yers! How's everyone doin'?"
"I've never seen such a place before," said Peaches. All around her and the group was a desolate place with nothing but sleet. A few barren trees here and there and that would be all.
"It looks so depressing…" Eli uttered. The barren tundra made him miss the heaps of snow they all loved to slide upon during certain times of the day.
"I never really looked at it other than from the sky," agreed Flik, perched on Peaches' half-developed tusks. "But don't worry everyone, after Cliff Bridge things will start looking better from there"
"What is this 'Cliff Bridge' by the way?" asked Eddie.
"Well, my disease-filled friend, see for yourself," Flik said as he pointed his wing towards the sight off in the distance. It looked just as cliché as it sounded. A long and narrow bridge maintained by narrow supports. It looked so far-fetched of its existence. A few bits of snow and ice actually trailed all around it.
"Wait… we're supposed to cross that?" said Crash, scared of falling through the edge of what looked like a bottomless pit.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Eli reassured. "Right Flik?"
"Not really sure. Never really walked around these parts", Flik replied. "Wings, remember?"
Eli shuddered but still kept up a brave front. He approached the bridge first. Peaches and the twins nervously followed behind. Eli placed his paw lightly and the bridge for a few seconds. After that, he tried testing its strength even further by patting at the bridge before pounding at it. Other than a few of the icicles underneath the bridge that shook while he pounded, it was stable. Eli smiled. "Its okay!" he assured the group.
Crash and Eddie got off of Peaches' head and decided to walk through the bridge. Flik took the lead and started flying ahead. Eli started walking first while Crash and Eddie followed by behind hugging each other as each peered through the black emptiness under the bridge. Peaches however stayed behind in anxiety.
Eli looked behind to see Peaches lagging behind, anxious of even setting foot on it. "Come on Peaches! Don't worry!" he encouraged. "You're not that heavy!"
Peaches, still with a slight case of doubt, started walking on the bridge. First foot, then the second. Seeing that both of her front feet were able to stand on the bridge perfectly, she then started walking courageously across the bridge. However, the moment all of her feet were on the bridge, a loud rumbling sound occurred which disrupted everyone. Suddenly, the bridge began to tremble and the first part of the bridge began to fall.
"What was it again about me not being heavy?" Peaches exclaimed.
"Run!" shouted Eli. The moment they began running, the bridge began to crumble behind them, piece by piece falling into the deep abyss.
"Aaaaahhh!" the group screamed halfway through.
"Why do things like this even exist?" Crash cried.
"Beats me!" Peaches yelled as she could feel the ice her hind feet stepped on to drip away as she pulled it up.
After the few seconds of adrenaline pumped sprint, Eli and the twins were able to cross through safely. However, Peaches was still lagging behind. A part of the bridge fell under her right hind leg just as she reached the end. She lost her balance and suddenly started to fall through, her front legs drastically trying to stay on the edge. She trumpeted her trunk and the rest realized her predicament. Eli instantly caught her trunk and started pulling her up. The twins did the same through her tusks and Flik flew down tried pushing her up from below. The mammoth managed to catch her footing on some jagged rocks on the cliff and was able to climb herself up.
The group slumped down on the snow breathing excessively. They were all exhausted from their race against time with the falling bridge. And lifting a mammoth, no matter how young, is harder than it looked.
"This *heave* is why *heave* we DON'T *heave* listen to strange birds," heaved Eddie within short paces. Flik rolled his eyes.
Eli tried getting up and looked at the chasm they've recently crossed. "Well… at least we know they won't be catching up to us anymore," he said, seeing that the bridge was completely gone.
"Now we don't have to worry of getting caught, huh?" said Peaches with a grin, half excited but still half terrified.
"Good," said Crash. "Then I vote for taking a nap."
"This possum is right." said Flik agreed. "Now, if what you've told me about running away is true, then I presume you haven't rested since."
"Yeah, let's make camp," the mammoth added. "I'm bushed"
"No denying that," agreed Eli with a slight chuckle. The herd moved to a tiny clearing with a mountain wall which provided enough shelter from unprecedented snow storms. The group snuggled closely, keeping each other the warm and fuzzy feeling of family. Crash and Eddie were the first to fall asleep, instantly dozing off into slumber.
Flik and Peaches soon followed after. Eli however, remained awake and unwary. He thought about the things they made come across. Things they might never encounter again. They're family. His step-dad. His past.
And having to go through a lot of things, was it really okay to be even doing this? They could be worried sick, angry even. After a few minutes of pondering through all of these things, he simply brushed every thought aside and tried to get sleep for the night.
"I say we use spark stones!"
"Well I say we use the traditional manner of rubbing two sticks until it makes tainy fire, and then carefully project it with air until it bursts into a nice cozy flame!"
Sid and Buck were having an argument. One that none of the others would be able to comprehend. They've been at it for over an hour already, and the others simply watched in silence.
"It's faster this way!" argued Sid with a lisp, holding his stones near his chest.
"It's better this way!" Buck contended with an accent, holding wood in both hands.
"Stones!"
"Sticks!"
"Ummm… guys?" interrupted Manny.
"What?" the two shouted abruptly. Manny fell silent and the two continued to scowl at each other.
Manny rubbed his forehead with his trunk. "They both got stones for brains."
"Alright… let's settle this this way," Diego said. "First one to make a fire, wins."
"Piece of cake," Buck said enthusiastically. He immediately gathered a bunch of sticks for all around and placed them in a heap.
"Hey! There wasn't any go signal yet!" Sid complained. Once he saw Buck already starting, Sid hurried gathering sticks for himself. Sid was gathering from nearby while Buck was already rubbing his sticks together.
"This way, we get a fire with whoever wins," whispered Diego mischievously to Manny.
The three watched them compete against each other. Ellie rolled her eyes. "I don't care who wins, I'm just gonna get some sleep," she said. Manny and Diego looked at each other with the same thought. "Women"
After a while of watching their pitiful debate, Manny and Diego finally went ahead and slept. In the end, they were both able to make a fire at the same time. Though they ranted on who really was first, but as they're argument grew loud, Ellie's patience thinned. She rampantly went towards them and knocked their heads. They groaned in agony while Ellie lectured them. Though Manny was awake, he pretended to be asleep instead to avoid being dragged into it.
In the middle of the night, Diego couldn't sleep. Buck and Sid had finally settled their dispute. Sid had gone off to bed as well in a… odd position, while Buck made a night guard shift as always. The saber-tooth tiger glanced up at the ice ceiling, seeing little but moonlight piercing through it.
"How long has it been that you haven't seen any stars?" Diego asked Buck, who was carving a piece of wood from atop a low branch in a tree.
"Knew ya' were still awake," said Buck. He inspected the wood carving and found complete disinterest in it and threw it away. "A long time, but I'm never really bothered about that," he said.
Diego raised an eyebrow. "Why not?" he asked.
Buck cackled a short laugh. "Well, if you get trapped in a world where your first instinct is survival against dinosaurs, the-ah won't be much around in your head tah think about"
"Haven't you ever thought about going back?" asked Diego.
"Back up the-ah?" said Buck. "Nope. Never appealed to me ever again. Once I set foot on this place, I never wanted to go back. It feels like home to me."
"But, don't you ever feel lonely?" Diego continued to ask.
"What about you? It's been a long time and yer' still single. And you already have a son," Buck replied. A while ago while they were walking they had told Buck about everything.
"I didn't adopt him because I was lonely or anything," Diego explained. "It wasn't really my choice to begin with"
"No use lying to yourself," Buck mused. "You know you really wanted to adopt the mangy bugger."
"Uhm… we were talking about you here," said Diego, who was avoiding the topic about him and Eli.
Buck raised a small smirk. "Are we now?" he said as he looked at Diego. The saber-tooth somehow knew he was also asking those questions in the form of him asking himself. The weasel symbolized himself as the person Diego could have been back then, and it was like asking the other him.
Diego simply glanced away, avoiding an obvious answer. Buck chuckled, "Well, I've always got Rudy to worry about every day. If I get lucky and I get to wrangle him up, but he gets away all the time."
"Still, shouldn't you have a family back up there? Don't you think they're worried about you?" Diego inquired.
"Nah, bet they already think I'm dead," Buck answered. "Besides, been down he-ah too long tah care about that now"
Diego paused for a second before one final question. "Hey Buck, if you somehow knew that you still have a family up there, would you go back?" Diego asked.
Buck gave a pretending moment of thought before answering. "Nope, don't think so."
"Really?" Diego questioned, a bit skeptical. "Even if you had family there-"
"No second thoughts about it," Buck answered as he threw his wood carving away and slumped on the branch. "After all, I do have a family there. I was invited by some odd group of animals that called themselves a herd"
The saber tooth grinned at him. If he had ever stayed before, then there might never have been a chance for him to meet Eli at all. Diego looked at him for awhile and finally ran out of questions.
But even from far away, he couldn't stop thinking about his adopted son. Though he wasn't related to him in any way, he treated him as his own. He couldn't stand the thought of raising him before, but after years of it, he's actually meant more to him than he thought. He couldn't imagine losing him now.
Xion the Author: The original versions of these chapters were in my opinion a bit distasteful. Almost every paragraph would usually begin with a quotation mark ( " ) Hence, I changed the formations a bit and added extra sentences both emphasizing and adding detail.
I DO NOT OWN ICE AGE