I am on such a role right now, I'm rolling about he place more than Argeth does. (If you have no idea who that is, read my other fic 'Pirates and Survivors' for Ice Age.

Chapter 17: Possum intuition.

The pair of posed possums stood in a rigid, solder mimicking posture, eyes screwed up and torches held high on either side of the cave, lighting the way dramatically so the others could move the rocks blocking their way. They were making good progress- most of the larger rocks had been rolled away by Manny and Ellie, Diego and Shira working on the other side of the cave. They let Sid believe that he was making a contribution by carrying little pebbles across the cave.

Granny sat down back beside Pinky and Shorty, who were both waiting patiently while watching the possums curiously. Since Pinky's leg was in no shape to stand on, he couldn't help. So instead he began playing 'where's the baby' with his son.

"Manny..."

Diego looked uneasy as he drew the stones away, something Shira had noticed while they where digging. She paid close attention to the conversation to find out why.

"Yeah?" Manny grunted while reaching up to remove a particularly stubborn rock. Diego glanced at the possums nearby.

"Correct me if I'm wrong." He said, eyes narrowed as if to get a better look at them "The possums are holding fire."

Manny did not look pleased; Not even remotely. "Yeah."

"Within a few meters of us." Diego continued quickly, glancing at the brothers on either side of the tunnel. Manny's frowned creased.

"Yeah."

"Aaaand...we're not bothered by this?" He rose a brow, glancing around all of the other parties present. Manny scowled deepened; that is, if that was possible it would.

"I'm keeping an eye on them. Just as long as they stay still, we'll all be fine."

Diego couldn't help but think that Manny was trying to convince himself as well as him.

"And if they do move?"

Manny dumped the rock to the side unceremoniously, replied bluntly.

"Then...we're doomed."

The men had to flee from the tunnels once the caves began crumbling again. They couldn't go any further, and had to leave before they were all crushed.

And so they returned to the village with heavy hearts and bent heads, all dreading the look they'd see on the other members of the tribe's faces. Especially Nida's.

They couldn't prolong it, however. They reached the camp where Nida stood, red-eyed and nervous. When she saw that Roshan nor their son was with them, and the sorrowful expressions on their faces, she fell to her knees, head bent and her dark hair covering her eyes. Grief swarmed over her head like a cloud.

There was nothing they could do.

Now that the tunnel was halfway unblocked and light was streaming in, the possums felt no need to stand still any longer to keep the light still.

Now, the miscreants were darting about, sword-fighting with their still lit torches, bu to herd's horror when they realized this.

"You two, put those down!" Manny ordered, heaving a large rock out of the way while trying to avoid contact with the possums running past.

"Guys, stop that, you're gonna burn someone!" Ellie ordered sharply, and the possums halted as if they'd been freeze-framed. Their sister gave them one last warning look before rejoining her daughter in moving the rocks. With no one looking at them, the possums dropped them, they glanced at each other, both a pair of grins and an idea forming as their sister's words echoed throw their heads.

They both stared over at Sid, who was seated on all floors, gathering some pebbles into a neat pile, tail in the air.

The possums glanced back and forth between the tail and heir torches, eyes widening and grins spreading.

"Wonder why the possums are so quiet all of a sudden." Diego muttered to Manny, their backs to said brothers as they cleared away more rocks. Manny frowned.

"Huh. Odd..."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! HOT! HOT! HOT!"

They jumped, looking over their shoulders to find Sid running around the tunnel madly, tail on fire. The possums were dying with laughter, literally rolling about the floor. Sid jumped into the air, running past his friends and hurtling himself blindly though a small gab between the rocks, landing on the other side.

"OUCH, OUCH, AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

With a un-amused look, Diego looked through and saw the sloth rolling frantically on the ground, extinguishing the flames at last, panting.

Manny, furious beyond all reason, turned to the possums and snatched them up in his trunk as Pinky watched with his jaw dropped, probably thinking of the last time Sid became 'Lord of the Flame' as Shorty clapped his hands in entertainment.

"What did we just tell you?!" Manny demanded, giving the possums a good shake. Ellie came up beside him, looking just as angry as her husband.

"Honestly guys? I told you!"

The possums couldn't stop laughing, though. Eddie managed to raise a paw to get his sister's attention, chortling:

"S-sorry, sis...we can't h-help it!" He broke off into another bought of laughter, much to Manny's annoyance. Crash added on, gasping with laughter.

"It's the possum intuition!"

Manny dropped them. "It's the idiot intuition." He corrected sourly as Sid moaned loudly on the other side.

"Ow...my tail..."

Granny rolled her eyes, leaning on her cane. "Stop moaning for once in your life, Sidney. I keep tellin' you. I got burned in worse places than you, and I didn't scream as much."

Manny sighed. Well, at least the fire was out now...

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