Book 3: Breaking the Ice
Me: Hey, guys. I rather had a crappy morning at school. I don't feel like talking right now, but I'll let up at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 9: There's No Way
Rosalina and Roxanne were taking a break after hours of walking. It was Rosalina that decided that they should relax at a calm lake that was located near the almost safest area of Dinotopia. The cerulean blue-eyed female watched her sister lay on her stomach on the rough Earth as she lazily made circles in the water with her finger.
"Rosalina, this is hopeless. Remember when you said that the only male mammal down here was Buck? Why are we even trying?" Roxanne propped herself up with her elbows and turned to her calm twin.
"Patience, Roxanne. I'm just as disappointed as you are, but I'm sure if we keep on going, we're sure to run into someone."
"Yeah, who do you think we'll run into? Rudy?" Rosalina sighed. She understood Roxanne's impatience, but her negativity was beginning to get to her. She then remembered how she was in the past and frowned to herself then smiled. The past was the past, and Rosalina had to accept that, as well as Roxanne.
"If we are careful, we won't run into that oversized lizard." Suddenly, she felt her sister pull her towards the water. Rosalina could only let out a startled gasp before she and Roxanne were underwater. Their bodies met with the coolness of the lake once they fell in.
Rosalina made a move to rise out of the water, but Roxanne held her back. She looked at her twin with confusion and anger in her gaze until she followed Roxanne's finger to the heavens. Her eyes widened. Rudy was standing over the lake, his snout getting closer to where they were.
With quick thinking, Roxanne dragged Rosalina through the ice-cold water and hid behind a large stone on the right side of the lake. Their gazes went from the baryonyx to the variety of fish. Rosalina was fascinated by the many colors and sizes each fish came in when the lake suddenly filled up with blurs of colors until Rudy's snout was underwater and was open.
Roxanne covered her twin's eyes as the dinosaur took a good amount of fish in his mouth and clamped his mouth shut. Blood began to come out from the sides of his maw and rise up to the surface of the lake. When Rudy was out of sight after pulling his snout out of the water, the twins rapidly kicked their feet and swam to the surface.
Coughs and chokes erupted from the two as they gasped for air. Rosalina moved her ebony hair out of her face to see Roxanne giving her a smug look. She growled lowly at her. "You were saying?" She teased, only receiving a slap on her left paw.
"Next time, when Rudy is in view, warn me about what you're going to do before you do it." Roxanne chuckled at Rosalina's angry glare then swam with her to the shore. Oh, Rosalina, you are so easy to make angry sometimes.
When they reached the shore, they sat on their own separate stones to dry off, but had to take off their dresses to make it easier. Rosalina, being very insecure when it came to something like this, quickly rounded up some large leaves to wrap around herself and her twin.
"Rosalina, you need to stop being so self-conscious. You look fine." Roxanne complained as she took the leaves from Rosalina's paws. She then realized why she was like that. From all the abuse Tim had done to her in the past, she still had some scars and nasty bruises on her sides and midsection. Sighing sadly, Roxanne helped Rosalina make a leaf dress to cover the damage.
"Roxanne, I've had insecurities ever since Tim was our step-father. Don't think, for one second, that you do not have any of your own." Anger could be hinted in the blue-eyed female's voice. She remembered the day that Petunia, the beaver also known as Ben's friend, had told her that her sister has been raped by Tim without her and her mother knowing. She was still very devastated about that.
She didn't have to be so enraged about it. Roxanne thought, rolling her hazel eyes. Thankfully, she decided to drop the subject and talk about something different to keep from upsetting her sister.
She smiled sincerely, "You know, whoever you end up with might like you just the way you are."
"Shut up. Who would want a bruised up, ugly, and miserable female like me for a mate?" Oh, there goes Rosalina's denial about her outer beauty…again. No matter how many times people tell her she's beautiful, she was always in denial. Of course, Tim was the one to blame.
Roxanne spun her sister around after finishing Rosalina's new leaf dress and glared at her. "Stop saying that! You are not ugly. In fact, you're nowhere near ugly! Miserable still? The past is the past! Forget it! This is now! We're happy, we have a foster family that loves us, and we're free! Stop talking as if we still live with Tim and enjoy now!"
The blue-eyed she-weasel flinched. Almost never had she heard Roxanne so infuriated. Her body quivered slightly from the fright. Roxanne placed her paws on her forehead. "Great. Now, I'm the bad gal." Rosalina sighed softly once she recovered. Her eyes softened back to a bright cerulean blue color and her body relaxed itself.
She placed a paw on her shoulder then said gently, "No, you're right. We both are thinking about the past, even though we try to forget about it. I'm sorry. Let's just pretend we never had this conversation. Okay?" Rosalina smiled as Roxanne gave her a small smile.
"Okay. I think I'm dry enough now. I'm going to put my dress back on."
"All right." Rosalina waited behind a bush for her sister to come out. When she did, Rosalina saw that Roxanne decided to make a leaf dress for herself as well. Smiling widely, Roxanne yelled, "Let's go!" A laugh came out of Rosalina because of the enthusiasm in her twin's tone and walked by her side, both of them looking after each other as they went deeper into the jungle.
Chloe rushed through the ankle-deep snow, trying to run away from Leah. Hot tears were flowing down her face. She never knew her sister was violent, and knowing Maryanne, she was the reason why Leah became that way after years of living with her. Why was she upset? She should be happy that her sister stood up for herself, but at the same time, she felt bad for not believing the blonde. Unfortunately for her, she did have a heart for Maryanne, even though she is always comparing her to her older sister.
"Chloe!" She heard them yell after her. The more they called for her, the faster she ran. That is, until she fell through a hole in the snow. She yelped when she fell to the ground. The four weasels and Leah saw her fall and ran to the hole. They looked down to see Chloe panting and leaning against an ice wall, out of breath.
Chloe looked up and saw them staring back at her. "Chloe, get your medium-sized rump up here!" The ferret was offended at the word 'medium-sized' and continued to look around her. Everyone followed her down. They looked around in awe.
"I didn't know the Ice Age had some underground passageways." Lars commented.
Rico turned his attention from his surroundings to Leah, who had unnoticeable snow patched on to her fur, giving it a glittery look. She's beautiful. Talk to her, Rico. Come on! This is your chance to get to know her. With that thought in mind, he tried to start a conversation with her.
"It's pretty amazing in here, isn't it?" Leah turned to face him, her lips curled in a friendly smile until she began to shiver. Rico noticed. What should I do? I don't want that blonde princess or this girl's sister thinking that I'm hitting on her. Maybe they won't think that. I'll give it a shot. With a small wince, he wrapped an arm around the ferret's shoulders, pulling her closer to him.
He was expecting Maryanne or Chloe, even Leah, to smack him, but instead Leah sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. Rico's paws began to shake not because of the cool temperature, but because of uncertainty and fear. Leah nodded gratefully and whispered, "Thank you."
Lars and Jason noticed them and gave Rico smug smiles. "That's my brother." Jason elbowed his cousin playfully. Maryanne was confused. What were they talking about? To find out, she turned her gaze to Rico and Leah. What she saw shocked her. Rico had his arm around Leah's shoulders and the ferret had her head rested against his shoulder with a contented smile on her face with her violet eyes closed.
Jason could sense what Maryanne was about to do. Without thinking, he threw his arms around her, startling her. He waited for a swipe across the face, a kick in the shin. Surprisingly, Maryanne stayed calm until she pushed him away from her.
"Get off of me! We haven't been considered mates, yet, and you're hitting on me? Ugh!" As expected, Jason got a slap to the face. The force was strong enough to turn his head to the side. Lars and Chloe stifled a laugh as to not disturb Rico and Leah. Jason heard him and growled at him.
"I was not hitting on you! I was stopping you from doing something unnecessary. I knew what you were planning to do. You were going to boss that girl around and tell her that she couldn't socialize with my brother. Did you notice how cold she looked? If Rico didn't do this, she would have been a ferretsicle. Who would want that?"
Maryanne knew he was right, but she wasn't going to admit that. With a scoff, she said, "Whatever." The rest of the walk was nothing more than silence. One thought ran through everyone's heads as they continued. Where does this passageway lead to?
The coolness of the cave began to fade to warmth when they approached a bright light at the end of the passageway. Leah pulled away from Rico then gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." Rico watched her catch up to her sister. A blush went to the male's cheeks, causing Lars and Jason to chuckle.
"Ata boy, Rico!" Lars laughed his wheezy laugh. The weasels and ferrets strained their eyes to see as they got closer to the light. Once they were finally out of the passageway, the light unveiled a Jurassic jungle up ahead. Everyone's, except Jason's, jaws fell to the ground in disbelief of what they saw.
Tropical trees and plants were scattered everywhere. Pterodactyls flew as far as the eye could see. Long necks, triceratops, and other dinosaurs could be seen here and there. Some noticed their presence. Some didn't. The blue sky could hardly be seen because of the icy ceiling above.
"Are you guys seeing what I'm seeing?" Chloe asked, still in awe of their surroundings. No one answered her question for they were still gaping at the sight before them. The shock ended when a guanlong came in for attack, scaring Maryanne and Chloe. "Run!" Lars screamed in sincere fear.
Rico and Leah held their sibling's paws in theirs while Maryanne and Lars followed behind them. The guanlong snapped at the blonde, getting a loud scream out of her. "Help!" Chloe tried to scream, but she panting so much that it didn't come out clear enough.
Rosalina and Roxanne were eating berries for lunch when they heard a scream that sounded somewhere between a rat squeaking and a hawk screeching. "More mammals in distress? Roxanne, is it raining weasels?"
"I don't know. Let's go see who it is this time."
"You read my mind." They cleaned up before sniffing for scents as they ran to save the newcomers. The smell of lilacs, peaches, and something husky filled their nostrils. That was a sign that Rosalina and Roxanne were getting close. They pushed ferns and large leaves out to the side so they could see their path ahead.
It turns out that they weren't very far from them, for they saw four weasels and two ferrets surrounded by carnivorous dinosaurs. Some were giving them hungry looks. Some were just staring at them with intimidating and interested glares.
Quickly, Rosalina searched for the berry grenades Buck used to save them the first time they met. "Looking for these?" Roxanne asked. She was on a tree with a vine covered with explosive berries in paw. Rosalina nodded and took them from her twin once she was back on the ground.
"W-we come in p-p-peace." Chloe stuttered nervously. She hugged her sister as if she was the first one to be eaten. Maryanne hid behind Jason and Lars. Lars gave her a charming smirk. "Don't worry, babe. I won't let them get you." He chuckled then grunted when the she-weasel punched his forearm.
"Shut up!" She screamed. Suddenly, they began to hear loud shouting and turned their attention to two female weasels coming their way. The duo hopped in front of them then began throwing berry grenades from left to right, hitting each dinosaur accurately.
Green smoke exploded on the dinosaurs as they were thrown at their faces. With one last berry grenade in paw, the blue-eyed female yelled, "Take cover!" They didn't need to be told twice once she threw down the explosive, making it easy for them to escape without the dinosaurs catching them.
Who were they? The group wondered this as they ran through the foliage in panic. Leah, Chloe, Jason, and Rico were hiding behind a stone while Maryanne was hiding behind Lars. "Come on out! We won't hurt you! Show yourselves!" They heard the saviors' voices call out to them.
"Don't worry, Blondie. I got you." Lars smiled at Maryanne, who rolled her eyes at him. Jason and Chloe got up to their full height and saw the girls that rescued them. Jason's eyes widened when he caught the glimpse of the females.
Their ivory and ebony-spotted fur was covered up by dresses made out of leaves. The she-weasel with blue eyes was wearing a short-sleeved, ankle-length, dress; the other was wearing a strapless one. Clearly, they were twins.
The other siblings came out from behind the stone and sighed in relief. Maryanne huffed and walked towards Rosalina. "Who do you two think you are to come at us like madwomen?"
They didn't answer her, for they began to sniff their new acquaintances. Chloe gripped her sister again as Roxanne began to sniff them and Rico. Jason chuckled nervously when Rosalina sniffed him and Lars. He gave her a suggestive look. Rosalina caught it and stopped circling around him, embarrassed.
Great! Now, I'm acting like Buck when he first saw us. Does he ever feel the least embarrassed when sniffing someone? She blushed a light crimson at the thought. She was about to sniff Maryanne, but the low growl she gave her told her to back off.
Finally, they introduced themselves. "Rosalina! My name's Rosalina! You can call me Rosy or Rose for short, if you like." Rosalina gave them a welcoming smile then pointed to her sister. "This is my twin sister, Roxanne. You can call her Roxie for short, but don't overdo it. You'll wish you haven't."
I'll keep that in mind. Lars smirked a bit. He cleared his throat and gave the twins a sly smile, "Hey, the name's Lars." Rosalina looked at him, feeling uncomfortable already. She felt Roxanne's paw on her shoulder and saw her reassuring grin. Nodding, she calmed down.
Chloe was the next to introduce herself and her sister to them. "Hi, I'm Chloe, and this is my older sister, Leah. She doesn't talk much, especially when Maryanne's around." The ferret pointed to the blonde she-weasel with a look of annoyance on her face.
Roxanne grinned, "Ah, you're the sassy one in the group, aren't you?"
"I am not sassy! I'm still cheesed off that you started sniffing us like hungry wolves! What is wrong with you two? Don't you two hermits know anything about personal space?" Maryanne snapped, angrily folding her arms in front of her chest.
"Um, actually, we're not the only weasels down here." Rosalina replied calmly. Maryanne's eyes brightened at the news. "Oh, there's more? Can they show themselves?" She asked desperately. The twins began to laugh at the blonde before replying.
"They can't. Let's just say that there is some tension at our foster-family's home. Our foster-mom keeps having visions and nightmares of our real dad and feels uncomfortable around him. Our foster-dad has to take care of our little adoptive sister. She ran away last night and got attacked by a snake. It's a long story that we'll tell you about tonight, if you like." Rosalina's ears drooped. Her smile turned into a frown, as well as Roxanne's.
Everyone, except Maryanne, saw how sad they felt about the situation. Jason tried to approach Rosalina to comfort her, but the blonde female held him back. "They could be trying to trick us. Don't fall for their fake little ways."
"Well, I trust them." Chloe brushed past them with a small smile. Leah and Rico stepped forward as well. Maryanne knew she didn't have much choice. If she, or they, wanted to get out of this place, she will have to trust them. Jason saw her struggling to make a decision. He whispered, "You know we have to trust them, right? I do."
"Fine! We'll let you lead us home, but if you put any of us in danger, I'm finding my own way back." Rosalina and Roxanne gave each other a high-five. "Okay, let's go! Oh, it looks like it's already getting late. We might have to camp for the night." Rosalina pointed up to the ice-covered sky that was a light orange and yellow color.
"Camping? Who would think of camping at a time like this?" Maryanne kept from sounding worried in front of them.
"Hey, the dinosaurs hunt at night, too. Where would you want to be? Would you rather be at a campsite that's safe and dino-free, or in the middle of the jungle, alone in the wilderness where you're sure to be on a dinosaur's menu?" Roxanne waited for an answer.
"Fine." She grumbled in defeat, which brought a smile to the twins' faces. Rosalina turned to everyone and sighed, "All right, let's get moving, shall we?" Everyone nodded slowly before they began to walk in a small huddle.
After a long day of training and relaxing with Momma and her kids, Jenna was making her way back to the cave when she had another vision. Ben was talking to Buck. What could they be talking about? She let her mind focus on the vision. A gasp escaped her throat. Ben was making a deal with Buck, and it involved her and Celine. The vision went from them to Celine, who was listening in on their conversation then it ended.
All Jenna could do was stand there in pure horror, her blood ran cold and her heart stopped. "This can't be happening. I've got to find Buck!" She shook off the chills that ran up her spine as she began sprinting towards home. A brown blur fell upside down, stopping her in her tracks and causing her to scream.
Jenna placed a paw on her chest then relaxed when she saw that it was Buck. "Buck! Oh, thank goodness! I-I had a vision and I…" She noticed the somber look on his face. That's when she knew. Her vision came true. As calmly as she could, she asked, "Buck, what is going on?"
The male stared at her sadly. He sighed, "Jennifer, I'm so sorry." The tears were burning his blue eye. How was he going to tell her? Jenna's eyes softened and began to fill with tears. "What's happening?" Her voice cracked. Seeing her so scared broke Buck's heart. This was going to be hard to tell her.
Finally, he said, "Ben…he-he….wants you. He made a deal with me that if I agreed; he will take you to his home, where you'll stay for two or three days. If I disagreed, he will take Celine and keep her as her adoptive daughter…forever."
The female fell into his arms, sobbing softly. Buck didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, because this will probably be the last night to hold her before she goes away with Ben. He prayed those days would fly by fast. He buried his face into the crook of her neck, letting his tears flow freely from his eyes.
"I'm going to guess that you agreed." It wasn't a question. She wanted to know. Buck pulled away and guiltily nodded. Jenna slightly turned. "Jen, I'm…"
"Hey, Buck, don't apologize. It's okay. It-it's okay. I'll be strong. All morning, I've been teaching myself how to fight and defend, with Momma and her kids supporting me. I know you promised me that you were going to teach me, but I wanted to teach myself because…" She paused, her ears drooping in shame. Jenna cut him off because she didn't want Buck to apologize.
She understood why he agreed. Celine was a new addition to their foster-family. She's attached to the twins, as well as them. How would she react if he were to disagree? Would she do the same to Buck –smack him and tell him she hates him? Now was the time for her to be strong and face her fear.
Buck was shocked. She was teaching herself how to fight? He couldn't help but smile on the inside, but on the outside, was the frown that's been there since he told her about the deal. He then remembered that she had something else to say. Placing a paw on her shoulder, he asked, "Why did you want ta' teach yourself how ta' fight on your own?"
"Because I…I felt that I have been relying on you too much when it comes to you rescuing me. I thought that if I taught myself to fight, eventually, I would be able to fight my own battles and not always be the damsel in distress. I'm sorry, Buck. I'm so…" Buck stopped her with his lips gently against hers.
Jenna rested her paws on his shoulders as she kissed him back. Tears were shed and hearts were broken during the kiss. Once they pulled away, Buck cupped Jenna's cheek and whispered, "I love you, and I admire that you want ta' fight your own battles. If you eva' happen ta' run into some dinos and you can't handle them, I'll find you and I'll help you fight them off."
The female hugged him. "Thanks for supporting me. It means a lot." There was silence. The tension broke, for now at least. The brief silence was broken when Buck said, "Hey, I'm wanting ta' spend the rest of the afternoon with you."
"What about Celine?"
"I took her ta' Momma. I had ta' tell her little ones ta' not get too rowdy with her. You know, she's still sore all over from last night." Buck assured her. Jenna nodded a bit. Then, a smile tugged at her lips.
"Okay, I guess we can spend the remaining hours of daylight together." The male chuckled at her and held her paw in his. Buck was going to surprise her tonight, and she was going to love it. Definitely.
Me: I didn't know if I should have done that conversation with Rosalina and Roxanne at the beginning of this. Lars's behavior was inspired by Imadori's in School Rumble, hilarious anime by the way. I finished it months ago. Well, now that I'm home, I feel a little better. Reason why I my morning was crappy, I finally told my mom that I felt as if I am being taking advantage of. Other words, I'm too nice to say no. I was trying not to get upset this morning, but I failed. I'm all right now.
I feel better. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Feel free to leave a review. Bye!
Sweethalo90 :)