Book 3: Breaking the Ice
Me: Hey, everyone! This chapter will involve almost all the OC's in it. I think I forgot to put a warning for that. Oh well. I don't really like this chapter. I feel like I rushed it. I was trying to finish it up quickly because I was distracted so much. Enjoy anyway, okay?
Chapter 3: Drama in the Ice Age
The sun shone brightly in the morning sky and made the snow shimmer like glitter. The trees hid some of the sun's rays, causing a golden ray of sunlight to shine into a small cave. In that cave, lived a family of weasels and two ferrets.
One of the weasels was awake while the others were still sleeping. The weasel was female with blonde fur and shoulder-length hair, hazel eyes that shimmered with happiness, and she was a teen, around seventeen years old and was skinny. The female was grooming her fur and running her fingers through her messy hair. She wanted to look nice because today was the day she would meet her future mate, whom was sadly forced to be her mate.
Finally, the she-weasel spoke. "Today's the day! This is it! I finally get to meet my mate! I hope he's worth seeing."
Suddenly, a groggily voice rang out, "Hey! Do you mind, Maryanne?" The blonde weasel, known as Maryanne, sharply turned her head to see her friend who woke up by the sound of her excited voice. Chloe, Maryanne's "friend", laid in the far, dark corner of the cave.
Chloe, one of the ferrets in the cave, had white fur on her face and all over her body, except for her ears, feet, and the tip of her tail, which was salmon-colored. She had short, sleek red hair that ended at her jawline and had piercing sky blue eyes with a tint of green in them. She was sixteen years old and was not skinny, but not huge either.
Chloe didn't like Maryanne as much as she used to. Two months ago, Maryanne used to be understanding and supportive, much to her surprise. Now, she was nothing but a stuck-up, bossy, and rude snob. Maryanne still found Chloe as a friend, even though she would criticize her and whine about every little flaw Chloe had. Some friend.
The redhead wasn't very excited, nor was she interested, in today's events. All she planned on doing was having a normal day. Sadly, that was not going to happen.
"Well, Miss Cranky, a girl like me should be excited to meet her mate. You're just jealous because I'm getting a mate and you are not." Maryanne huffed as she still raked her fingers through her blonde locks.
Chloe groaned softly as she got up and went to a puddle outside of the cave to look at her reflection. Look at me. Why am I not pretty? Do I not belong in this world? Chloe averted her gaze, not wanting to look at herself anymore. She curled herself into a ball and tried her best to keep her hot tears from spilling out of her soft, sky-blue eyes.
Why did she feel that she wasn't beautiful like her sister? She guessed that it was Maryanne's comparing her to her sister that made her feel like she was garbage. She always wondered why Maryanne's parents put up with her and her criticizing. Chloe's thoughts went away when Maryanne growled and told her sister, Leah, to wake up.
Leah wasn't the most talkative mammal in the cave; she was mute almost all the time. The only mammal she ever talked to was her sister. She almost stopped speaking when their parents got killed by humans back when they were just little kits. Maryanne's family found them hiding in a den during a blizzard and agreed to take them in. Ever since then, she was Maryanne's favorite and was always being compared to her older sister.
Leah had well-groomed white fur all over, mysterious luminescent purple eyes, and maroon-colored hair with a sapphire streak on her left bang, which was covering one of her purple eyes. She had a really slim figure and no matter how much she ate, her figure would stay the same. She always thought Maryanne chose her as her favorite because she was slimmer and less talkative than Chloe.
Maryanne sighed in satisfaction as Leah got up from her sleeping spot and made her way over to her. "Leah. I'm so glad you're awake. Do me a favor and comb my hair." Leah nodded without a word being said and went outside to find a pinecone.
From outside, Chloe watched as her sister walked past her. Seeing this made some courage suddenly come into the redhead. She was going to stick up for her sister. Chloe went back inside and said bravely, "You know, you don't have to make my sister do everything for you. And, yet, you still do. Why can't you do things yourself around here?"
"Because, she knows what happens if she doesn't do what I request." Maryanne placed her paws on her hips and her hazel eyes glared angrily at her. Chloe gasped. She isn't planning on using our parents' deaths as a threat to my sister, is she? She thought while her blood boiled with anger and her face turned slightly red. This couldn't be it, could it? Chloe didn't know. She was getting ready to hit the blonde when she felt Leah brush past her with a fresh pinecone in her right paw, which caused her paw to lower back down to her sides.
Maryanne smiled and let out a small laugh as she stared at Chloe's shocked face. "Unbelievable." Chloe muttered, annoyed. Maryanne turned to the mute she-ferret, once she was done doing her hair, and said in a sweet tone, "Thank you, Honeybee."
Leah gave her a fake smile as she brushed the she-weasel's thick hair one last time. One of these days, Mary, I'm going to make you wish you weren't pushing me around. Leah thought, but quickly shook it off. Remorse filled Leah when she said this in her mind. Why was she thinking that? It was because Maryanne had found out how to make her weak and used it against her so she could get Leah to be her obedient slave.
"So, Chloe, where are my parents?" Maryanne's honey-colored eyes stared "innocently" at Leah's sister. Chloe sauntered over to the blonde and said with a glare matching Maryanne's. "It seems that you didn't read their letter they left before they went off."
"Well, find the thing and read it to me."
"Are you too lazy to do it yourself?" Chloe grumbled in annoyance as she went over to a pile of dead leaves that were used as a bed and picked up a light green leaf that lay on a small stone next to the bed. Maryanne plucked it from Chloe's paws and began to read the note, her eyes going from side-to-side as she read.
Dear Maryanne,
Your father and I are waiting for you at your mate's home. I can't wait to see you and the girls when you three arrive. I hope you will be very happy with your new mate. I know the other relationships didn't go well, but hopefully, this one will go well. Your father and I love you so much. See you soon!
Love,
Mom
After Maryanne read the letter three times, she gasped. "Oh, my gosh! I'm late! I'm late!" She screamed as she ran out of the cave. She was so anxious to go to where her parents were that she tripped on the shallow puddle and fell in it, causing her to scream. The sisters heard the blonde scream and ran out to see what happened. When they saw Maryanne on her stomach in the cool water of the puddle, Chloe began to snicker while Leah tried not to smile or laugh.
The she-weasel groaned. Why me? Why on this special day? She thought with tears burning her hazel eyes. She got on her elbows as she tried to get up, only to slip and fall back into the puddle. Leah went over to the blonde and helped her out. Maryanne thanked Leah for helping her before looking at herself.
Her hair was all muddy and soaking wet, as was her fur; she had a bit of mud on her face and nose as well. Maryanne screamed bloody murder when she saw how grimy she was. To the she-weasel, her appearance mattered more than her personality. That's why she was hoping to go to her mate's home without getting her fur dirty. Looks like that wish won't be granted anytime soon.
Leah's purple eyes softened as Maryanne placed both of her paws on either eye to hide the tears that flowed down her muddy face like a small stream. Part of her wanted to feel sorry for her, but the other said forget her, she's been ruining your life ever since you've joined their family. Leah sighed in defeat and crouched down next to Maryanne to give her a comforting hug which caused her snow-white, healthy fur to get covered with mud, much to Maryanne's disapproval.
The muddy weasel pushed Leah away from her and groaned, "We're just now heading out and now we're dirty. How will my mate find this attractive?" Chloe rolled her eyes as she started complaining over this and that. She's so full of herself and Leah knows it, as do I. Leah seemed to be reading her sister's mind, for she gave the redhead the same unimpressed look she had on her face.
An arm pulled Leah away from her sister and pulled her over to the arm's owner. Maryanne let out a sigh and said, "We're just going to have to go, dirty or not. It will kill me, but I don't want to be late. Now, let's go!" The two ferrets jolted out of their train of thoughts and quickly ran after the frustrated she-weasel.
The three weasels were scaling up a tall tree with leaves that were lush and a fresh green color and bark that was coarse against their paws. Roxanne looked down nervously and shuddered quietly. She didn't know how high up they were until she looked down, which was probably not a good idea. She quickly turned her head the other way and took a deep breath then exhaled, trying to keep as calm as possible. Come on, Roxanne, you're not afraid of heights. You're not afraid of heights. Keep going! Roxanne's conscience encouraged her to go on and she listened. She took another calm breath and continued climbing.
A long silence was broken by Rosalina when she asked, "So, is vine-swinging easy?" Buck turned his head to face her and answer her question. "Yeah, all you do is just swing back and forth, let go, and grab the next vine that's within reach." Rosalina looked uncertain and subconsciously looked down like her sister had done. She let out a small shudder as all she saw were small patterns of green and brown. Her grip on the tree loosened without her knowing. Before Rosalina knew it, she began to fall towards the ground, only to be rescued by Buck.
Rosalina stopped screaming and looked up with a gasp. Buck had managed to catch her in mid-fall and fear gleamed in his lonely, blue eye. Rosalina sighed in relief as the male pulled her onto his back. "You all right, lass?" Like Buck's eye, fear was in hers and she panted heavily from the adrenaline rush. Rosalina carefully got off him so she could sink her ebony claws back into the bark and continue where she had left off before she fell. Finally, she replied, "Yeah. I shouldn't have looked down."
"That was my mistake." Roxanne laughed. The trio kept climbing until they finally got to a point where there were plenty of vines to swing on. Rosalina looked at the thick, green strands that dangled before her. "Buck, are you sure about this?" Rosalina's cerulean eyes darted from the vines to her sister, who looked a little unsure.
A reassuring smile stretched across Rosalina's face as she placed a paw on her sister's shoulder. "I'm sure we'll be fine. As scared and nervous as I am, I know I'm going to be okay because we have Buck that will catch one of us if one of us falls." It took a few seconds for Roxanne to take in her twin's words and calm herself. Buck smiled at the blue-eyed she-weasel before asking if they were ready. Roxanne's body tensed, but Rosalina gave her twin another reassuring smile, calming her down again.
"All right. Welcome to Vine Swinging 101. I know you two are nervous, but you'll love it. Now, first, you run towards the vine you want to swing and jump for it. Be careful, though. Some vines will be too weak to hold you and they'll snap. Try going for some strong vines. If you accidentally swing on a weak vine, be quick about finding a strong one."
Rosalina and Roxanne listened on until they finally got to the part where they get to try vine-swinging. Rosalina volunteered to go first. She looked down and took deep breaths. Don't look down! Don't look down! Her mind screamed at her. Rosalina forced her blue eyes to look back up at the awaiting vine in front of her. She looked over at Buck and Roxanne, who gave her encouraging smiles. "Okay, here I go." Finally, she ran and jumped off the strong, wide branch the three weasels were standing on.
Rosalina let out a small scream as she gripped at the vine tightly as it swung back and forth. Roxanne cheered for her sister as Buck gave her a proud grin. "There you go, Rosy! Hang in there! Here I come!" Buck was next one to jump off and grab a vine that was next to Rosalina's. Roxanne smiled. It does look fun and scary at the same time. I still don't know if I should do this or not. Uncertainty came into Roxanne's mind once more when she thought it over.
"I'm stuck!" Rosalina yelled when her vine stopped swinging. Buck looked at her and yelled back, "You're no' stuck, lass! Just swing over ta' me. I'll get ya'!" Rosalina nervously looked down then quickly jerked her head back up, scared out of her mind. Her paws began to lose their iron grip on the vine. Roxanne caught her sister's paws losing their grip and quickly made a move for a vine. As soon as Rosalina was about to fall, Roxanne quickly grabbed her sister's wrist and pulled her to safety.
Roxanne looked down at her sister, who was clinging onto her tightly. "Are you okay?" Rosalina lifted her head, her cerulean eyes looking into hazel eyes, and nodded. She turned her head to see Buck with one of his paws extended, waiting for her to take it. Roxanne swung her body back and forth to move the still vine in her grasp. "Sis, grab Buck's paw. I'll catch up." Rosalina nodded extended her paw as well. Just when Rosalina's paw was close to meeting Buck's, Roxanne's vine snapped like a twig and sent the twins falling.
Buck gaped as his foster-daughters fell with ear-piercing screams and cries for help. Quickly, he let go of his vine and dove after them. His heart pounded against his chest rapidly as he fell. He was afraid he was not going to make it to the girls, but something fortunate happened. Rosalina happened to grip onto a strong, thick vine and save her and her sister. A sigh of relief escaped Buck's lips, but then he remembered he was still falling.
A female called the male's name. He turned his head to see Rosalina with her paw extended to him. Roxanne saw the distance between them and she had an idea. Buck was a little far from Rosalina's reach. So, she thought maybe if she held on to her twin's ankles as she went for the male, she could get a better chance at reaching him.
"Sis!" Roxanne gulped out. She hoped her idea would work. Her hazel eyes soon met her twin's face that had the look of fear and hope. Please, for the sake of us, let this plan work. Finally, Roxanne exhaled and said, "Lend me your ankles. I have an idea." Rosalina gave Roxanne an untrusting look. This annoyed her. Why does she not trust her? Granted, on a good day, she loves to prank her sister, but this was a rescue mission for Pete's sake.
"Trust me. I won't let you go." Rosalina knew that her sister wouldn't drop her because the look of sincerity was written all over her face. Still, she had an unsure feeling about what her sister was about to do. She sighed in defeat then yelled, "Let's do this thing!"
Meanwhile, Jenna and Celine were just on their way home after visiting Momma and her children. They were quite bigger the last time Jenna saw them throughout the days she had babysat them. Momma and Jenna had become great friends as Celine was getting along greatly with the T-Rex children.
Jenna told Momma that they should do this more often. It would give them more time for them to bond and Celine to be around someone around her age. They had such a great time, and Celine didn't want to leave. Fortunately, Jenna told her that she was planning another playdate with her and her dino friends. The news made Celine happy and finally got her to leave her friends until that day came.
Suddenly, a vision came to Jenna's mind, making her forget how much fun she had today. The vision started with Ben running towards her with a glint of lust in his brown eyes. His smile stretched across his face in a disturbing way, making the she-weasel gasp in horror. It ended when he said, "I'm coming for you, Jenna. I'm getting closer than you think. Be ready."
Jenna let out a frightened yelp, accidentally startling Celine out of her little dreamland. "Mommy?" Worry filled Celine's forest green eyes as her foster-mother grasped at her head. Jenna's soft panting and eyes wide with fear and anxiety almost traumatized the poor girl. Choking back a sob, Celine asked, "Mommy, are you okay?"
The she-weasel realized that she was scaring her and let her body lose the tension she had and let her paws lower back to her sides. She pulled Celine into a tight embrace, repeatedly whispering she was sorry against her head. Celine held on to Jenna tightly. What just happened? First, she was just fine, and now, she was freaking out. The kit didn't understand what was running through her mother's head, but she did know something; it was not pleasant.
Celine felt Jenna pull away and looked up at her. Those innocent, luminescent, green eyes pierced right in to Jenna's soul. She knew that Celine knew that something was wrong, but the girl wasn't going to understand. Besides, she was just a child. Gently, Jenna lifted the kit off her feet and into her arms. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."
"It's okay, Mommy." Celine looked up at Jenna again, those eyes staring into Jenna's light blue ones. Jenna saw the worry in her eyes and immediately felt remorse for scaring the little girl. She sighed softly and whispered, "Mommy's all right. Something just startled her. Now, let's go home and wait for Buck and the girls." Celine nodded plainly as Jenna started off. Somehow, she knew something was really wrong with Jenna, but the only problem was that she didn't know what she was afraid of. Soon, she would find out and Celine knew it.
Thank gosh I was born smart. A giggle escaped Celine with that thought on her mind. Jenna smiled at her giggle, glad that she was feeling better. She had to be better at not showing fear after having a vision. If she had continued freaking out, she would have disturbed Celine completely. Her ears pressed against her head in shame as she walked on with the kit in her arms.
Me: Aw, poor Jenna! Well, will Roxanne's plan work? Will Maryanne get to her parents in time? Find out in chapter 4. You guys, I'm feeling discouraged because of the lack of reviews. I'm trying my hardest to improve and I feel like I have not gotten anywhere. I've been humble by not asking for reviews, but it seems it does not work that way. So, please review and make me feel a little better. That's all I'm asking.