The herd watched with mixed emotions as Buck had a four-way conversation with himself before getting into a wrestling match with his own foot.
"Shouldn't we get moving?" Manny questioned and the skull sitting on Buck's foot turned to look at him as did the weasel attached to the foot. "What? And give Rudy a midnight snack? Not likely!" Buck nodded, "The skull's right. Take a load off, mammals. We'll camp here. Now, who's hungry?"
The skull perked up, "I am!" The weasel glared at his foot, "You don't need the calories!"
The mammals settled down, Diego wandering off to hunt something to satisfy his hunger and take his mind of Akira's possible demise—one from which she may not recover from this time—as the herbivores and omnivores fed on berries. Buck had gotten a fire going where the possums took the liberty to roast their berries as the weasel delved into the story of how he had lost an eye to Rudy.
Diego returned partway through it and sat down, a little distanced but not enough to be noticeable, as Buck spoke. "There I was, my back against the wall, no way out, perched on the razor's edge of oblivion, staring into the eye of the Great White Beast." The possums were the most eager to hear the story, the sabre welcoming the distraction.
"Were you killed?" Crash questioned, torso inclined forward.
"Sadly, yes. But I lived! Never had I felt so alive than when I was so close to death. Just before Rudy could suck me down his gullet, I grabbed hold of that gross, pink, fleshy thing that dangles at the back of the throat. I hung onto that sucker, and I swung back and forth, and back and forth, and back and forth, and back," He paused and the mammals leaned forward in anticipation, even Manny.
"And forth, and back and forth, and back and forth, until finally, I let go and I shot right out of his mouth! I may have lost an eye that day, but I got this!" Buck modelled his knife as it dawned on them at the same time. His weapon was Rudy's tooth, a memento from the day he had escaped though not unscarred. "It's like the old saying, 'an eye for a tooth, a nose for a chin, a butt for a. . .' well, it's an old saying, but it's not a very good one."
Soon, night had fallen and the mammals began retiring for an eventful day tomorrow. Buck was saddened but understood their need for rest. They weren't used to his world. Much to his delight, however, Buck had found friends in the possums and sabre. The possums had been determined to stay up with him and keep watch but they were asleep in minutes.
The mammoths were huddled underneath a tree, cuddled into one another and the sabre. . . the sabre was perched under a tree a little farther away, eyes skyward to the silver moonlight that peeked through the ice. He sheathed his knife, setting his little wooden carving of Rudy down by his post and scurrying up the tree. He leaned down from the branch directly above the sabre. "How important were your floppy green thing and your snow?"
Diego glanced up at him, "Are. They're not dead. Sid's not easy to get rid of—trust me I've tried—and. . . Akira's still got seven lives left."
Buck tilted his head in question. "This Akira, she a cat?"
Diego nodded, eyes glancing at him briefly. "A sabre."
Buck shifted, uncomfortable. Mammals from up top that stumbled into his world didn't survive very long. Almost reluctantly, he voiced this to Diego. The sabre looked up at him, looking the most determined Buck had seen him since they met. "She's a fighter. Dinosaur or no, she wouldn't go down without a fight. And Sid means a lot to her—almost like her kid. He was the first one of us she met three years ago. She'll protect him with her life and I haven't seen much of this place. . . but it'll be enough."
Buck smiled, "Then if she's a fighter like you say, you've got nothing to worry about, mate. She'll protect herself and Sid as best as she can."
Diego nodded absently.
"And when we find her, tell her how you feel mate, life is too short, no matter how many lives you got." Buck threw a sly wink at the surprised sabre before returning to his post, a small smile on his face.
Akira was scouting ahead as darkness fell and nearly howled in relief and triumph as she found a large cave carved into a tall, protruding mound. She scrambled up it and migrated to the back, collapsing in exhaustion. She heard soft croons before the babies settled around her, snuggling up. She laughed quietly, curling around them with her head resting on her paws. As Momma climbed into the cave, she saw Sid wasn't with her and sighed, shaking her head softly. She'd bring him in soon enough. Of course, like Sid had managed to wiggle his way into her heart, he had obviously done the same with the larger predator.
The sloth certainly had a knack for doing things other deemed impossible and he was exceptionally proud of it like he should be. Just as she'd guessed, Sid had probably settled down outside the cave but seconds later he joined her and the hatchlings. She smiled softly, feeling a paw on her head as she drifted to sleep. Under any other circumstances, she would've stayed wide awake and suffered the consequences of no sleep but she trusted the larger predator because it was obvious Momma cared as her tail encircled them and gently pulled them all closer to her.
That, and Akira didn't think she had the strength to stay awake and keep watch.
It was high noon when the mammal herd stumbled across a small clearing littered with half-eaten vegetables and animal bones.
"Everybody, stop! I smell something." The weasel speared a tuft of fur, bringing it to his nose as he sniffed it cautiously, "It smells like a buzzard's butt fell off and then got sprayed on by a bunch of skunks."
The mismatched herd exchanged glances, their hopes raised. If Sid was alive then undoubtedly so was Akira. "That's Sid."
"Mammals, we have ourselves a crime scene. A tuft of fur. Half-eaten carcass! Hunk of. . . no! Broccoli." Buck pointed down to the soggy vegetable before turning to the expectant and anxious herd. "Here's what I think happened. Dinosaur attacks Sid, Sid fights back with a piece of broccoli, leaving the dinosaur a vegetable."
Diego snorted, shaking his head, "Are you nuts? Sid's not violent. Or coordinated."
Manny nodded, "Yeah. And where's the dinosaur and Akira?"
Buck sighed, "All right. All right, good point. Theory two. Sid's eating broccoli, dinosaur eats Sid, Akira attacks, dinosaurs eats Akira, dinosaur steps on broccoli, leaving broccoli a vegetable."
Manny glanced down at Diego before looking back to the weasel. "Buck, when exactly did you lose your mind?"
"Three months ago. I woke up one morning married to a pineapple. An ugly pineapple. But I loved her."
Ellie stepped forward, frowning. "What about Akira?" Buck frowned, shrugging and Diego glanced away, looking around the clearing. He felt everyone's gaze flicker to him, even if briefly.
"She was here," Diego said as he wandered over to a rather prickly bush. On it, was a silver tuft of fur. He couldn't deny the massive wave of hope that encompassed him. Upon nudging the bush, it gave way to a sight that sent his insides plummeting. "Buck, I think you missed a little clue over here."
The weasel scurried over, stopping short with a grimace, "Well, your friends might be alive, but not for long. Rudy's closing in." An expanse of rocky plates that looked like the moment you stepped on them, they would crumble. "The Plates of Woe. Or whatever's left of them. Single file, everyone! Head for Lava Falls." The herd moved along, Buck leading as Ellie carried the rear.
"What's that sound?" Crash questioned. A gust of wind blew, tiny whispers sounding as it travelled through the cracks of small crevices in the rocks.
"It's the wind. It's speaking to us." Buck replied ominously.
Manny suddenly stopped, glancing over his shoulder at his wife. "Ellie, you okay?"
The female mammoth winced, nodding for what she hoped was reassuring. Another contraction struck. Boy, did her baby have the worse timing. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I'm just taking my. . ." Her rock plate trembled before jerking to the left, toward the gap filled with jagged and broken rocks.
"Ellie!" Manny exclaimed, rushing forward only to be stopped abruptly as his plate lurched, breaking away from Ellie.
"Manny!" She was panting, trying to dull the pain of contractions as her rock shook violently.
"Get to the ledge!" She complied with the demand, jumping to the ledge just as her plate fell into the gap. The other plates collapsed, taking her herd and Buck with them much to her horror. "Ellie!" She heard a chorus of voices call out and she sighed in relief. "I'm okay!"
"Hang on, Ellie! We'll be right there!" Manny promised.
She was reassured for a few moments but was then struck with worry as another contraction hit, causing her to wince and groan in pain.
Sid was riding contently on Momma's tail, the hatchlings and Akira upfront. He glanced behind him briefly and turned his head back only to have a face full of stone. He was peeled off Momma's tail and fell to the ground. The reptiles didn't notice, nor did the mammal.
"Wait! Sloth down! Wait. Wait. Timeout! Hold up. You guys are getting fast!" The sloth huffed, already exhausted from trying to run and catch up. He slowed, glancing uneasily at the scenery around him. "It's not so bad down here. Nice weather, friendly neighbours."
No sooner had the words left his mouth had two massive, clawed, dusty gray feet landed on either side of him. The sloth looked up, trembling in pure terror. "Hi, neighbour."
Akira was walking along with Momma and her babies when she abruptly noticed the absence of Sid just as Momma did. The five had stopped, the two adult predators exchanging glances as they looked back at the forest where the roar of a dinosaur no doubt bigger than Momma sounded. Sid's scream followed. "I got him." She turned to bound off to where she knew Sid was when a tail wrapped around her torso, halting her in place. She glanced over her shoulder at the larger predator and smiled softly at the mother.
"Stay safe." The look she received conveyed the same message before the tail uncurled from her middle. The babies called out to her and she gave them a parting smile before bolting off into the forest. She followed Sid's frantic pleas and burst through the bushes, Sid running straight into her. The dinosaur before them was massive, definitely bigger than Momma with rough, gray skin and piercing, crimson eyes.
"Sid, I want you to run and find Momma, okay?"
The sloth whimpered, nodding. "But what about you?"
She didn't answer him, turning to Rudy and giving a thundering roar that echoed. "Sid, run!" She hissed and the sloth complied as the dinosaur growled.
She lunged, digging her claws into coarse scales. She jumped back to the floor, looking at the shredded skin on the dinosaur's leg. It had taken all her strength to pierce his skin and she'd barely made a scratch. He snarled, snapping at her with his massive jaws. She narrowly dodged the attack. Turning, she bolted through the thick vegetation with the reptile hot on her trail, roaring angrily behind her.
Buck and the herd were trying to find their way up to Ellie when there was a loud echoing roar. The weasel turned to the direction it emitted from, grinning, "Rudy." The possums gulped in fear before a scream sounded. Buck was sent into a bout of confusion, turning to the herd with uncertainty. "Never heard that kind of dino before."
Diego grinned, "That's Sid!"
Buck nodded, eyes widening slightly as another thunderous roar sounded. It wasn't as loud as Rudy's but the intensity and threat were definitely matched. "What the—"
"Akira!" The possums exclaimed, Manny and Diego exchanging grins.
"We'll have to move fast," Buck said and they began continuing their way up the rocky slope.
"Manny! Pineapples!" The herd was thrown by Ellie's yell for fruit in the middle of this dire time.
"Pineapples?"
"She gets cravings," Manny explained, a little panicked.
"Pomegranates? Grapefruits! Nectarines?" Ellie shouted and the herd glanced at each other.
"She's ordering a fruit cocktail." Diego huffed, lost.
"Peaches!" Ellie screamed, more certain now.
Manny was the most confused one of them all before it dawned. "Peaches! The baby! What, now?" The mammoth was sent into a panic, worrying and thinking the worse.
"This? Not good." Diego muttered, watching the mammoth on the verge of panicking.
"The baby's coming! Did you guys hear that? 'Cause sometimes I imagine it in my head, but. . ." The mammoth trailed off.
Eddie shouted, "Can you try to hold it in?"
"Can somebody slap him for me?" Ellie's voice questioned, floating toward them.
Crash fulfilled her request eagerly. "Done and done."
Buck nodded to himself, muttering.
"Uh, anything you want to share with us, Buck?"
The weasel glanced up, nodding. "There's only one thing to do. Possums, you're with me. Manny, Diego, you take care of Ellie until we get back."
"What? No, you can't leave now!" Manny exclaimed. "She's off the trail! What about rule number two?"
Buck glared, "Rule number five says you can ignore rule number two if there's a female involved, or possibly a cute dog. You know I just make up these rules as I go along."
The mammoth sputtered.
"Manny, it's all right. I got your back." Diego said, nodding reassuringly at his best friend. The mammoth smiled in thanks.
"Now you're talking! Come on, lads." Buck scurried off, the possums lingering back to give Manny their brotherly threats, "Take care of our sister, mister." "No pressure."
Akira dodged trees and dinosaurs as they scurried out of the way upon hearing the larger predator behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, growling in frustration at seeing Rudy getting even closer. She came to a ledge and skidded to a stop. It was a waterfall of pure lava, the liquid hot and boiling. She turned but instead of seeing Rudy—she presumed the dinosaur of simply given up the chase, no longer interested—there were several smaller dinosaurs. They were carnivores, for certain, with needle-sharp teeth and lethal claws. She was bigger than them but largely outnumbered.
Making a decision and hoping she had better stamina than the smaller dinosaurs, she leaped over them and tore through the forest as fast as she could. Claws scraping against the ground and vegetation being pushed aside followed close behind her and oddly enough, it was more fear-inducing than Rudy's thundering steps and heavy breathing. At one point she felt teeth brush her leg before she found a burst of speed and escaped the snap of jaws. She was so focused that she missed the cry of a mammal, completely oblivious to his presence until there was a small weight in her back. She risked a glance over her shoulder. tense and ready to attack any part she could reach and saw a flash of brown. A. . . weasel?
"Hello, love. So, see, your herd's just a little off to the left in the Plates of Woe but before we go find them, we got some company so if you could keep running for a while longer while I work on them that would be great." She heard the accented voice of the weasel and frowned. Her herd was here and so close but she couldn't run to them as she wanted—not until she got rid of the ever so eager dinos.
"Damn raptors." The weasel hissed above her.
Up ahead, she could see a group of heavily-plated herbivores. "Hold on." She roared, startling the herd.
The ground trembled as the herbivores broke into run, sabre and weasel among them. Some of the raptors were lost in the stampede but there were still four on their trail. Knowing she could take these, easily with the help of the weasel if he could hold his own, she came to a gradual stop, turning to face the raptors, teeth bared.
The weasel hopped off her back, standing beside her as he looked up at her with a crooked grin. "Definitely a fighter."
She furrowed her eyebrows in bewilderment. Her attention was quickly grabbed by a raptor that lunged. She batted it from the air with a swift swipe from her paw. Akira lowered herself into a threatening stance as did the opposing reptiles.
"Charge!" She snorted, caught off-guard by the war cry of the weasel but lunged all the same. The raptors were easy to put down though a few came back numerous times before they were completely taken care of. Sitting back, she looked down at the weasel who had fought alongside her with a tilt of her head. "Who are you?"
He grinned wildly at her. "Buck. Long for Buckminster, short for Buh. You're Akira?"
She nodded, "One and only."
Buck nodded, scrambling up onto her back. "We've got your herd intact. Your floppy green thing is safe too." Akira laughed, happy beyond anything to see her herd again. She broke off into a sprint, Buck crying out in excitement at the speed. "Woo!"
Manny and Diego sighed in relief as the toothy reptiles finally stopped coming. They had gotten up to Ellie just in time to see her cradling a bundle of bronze fur with tiny, white nubs for tusks. To join the precious moment next was Crash, Eddie and Sid. All they were missing were Buck and Akira. Sid cooed at Peaches, their newest addition to the family. Everyone was distracted by the baby and didn't notice the last remaining dinosaur sneaking up, hungry eyes fixed on Peaches. Not until Ellie gasped, holding her baby to her. Manny and Diego whirled around, both taking a defensive stance only to see a silver blur jump up from the depths of the sea of rocks, tackling the dinosaur and tossing it over into the gap.
"That's everyone!" Buck exclaimed from where he sat on the sabress' back.
Manny grinned, "Welcome back, Tiger. Enjoy your little vacation?"
Akira laughed, leaning down to nuzzle Crash and Eddie as they collided with her forelegs, latching onto them. "Once in a lifetime experience." She grunted, glancing up and smiling softly at Ellie. "She's beautiful." She grinned as Peaches pointed her trunk at her, a curious and lovely little thing. She nuzzled the calf who giggled cutely.
"Yeah, well maybe you can have some of your own someday."
Akira huffed, tilting her head questioningly as she looked at Ellie. "Emphasis on someday." The mammoth chuckled.
"Planning to die old and alone?" Akira, shocked, turned to the voice with a wide toothy grin.
"And what happened to your one-man crusade?" Slowly, she walked over to him, still smiling widely.
"Had to cut it short. It's not every day you see a dinosaur with a sabre and sloth dangling from her mouth."
Akira snickered as she closed the distance between her and Diego, nuzzling him happily. "Glad you came back." She whispered in his ear, pulling back and sitting on her haunches with a soft smile.
"Yeah, me too." He murmured, a little flustered—not that he'd ever admit it.
"So I'm guessing you're leaving when we make it out?"
Diego blinked at the question, a little surprised but understandable. Everyone was looking at him, waiting for an answer. He looked down at the sabress in front of him, coming to terms that with everything, even if he did want to leave, he'd never be able to leave without her after all this. He wouldn't be able to leave any of them—not when he'd taken them for granted and almost lost a few in a short few days. His one-man venture hadn't been nearly worth it, not without those he cared about by his side. Not without Akira. "We're a herd, we stick together."
He received several smiles at that but the brightest was from the sabress in front of him. Staying was suddenly all the more worth it.
"So, are we getting more kids? Can I babysit them? I promise they'll be safe! Remember when I babysat Percy? He was in one piece, wasn't he?" Akira blinked, realizing quickly that the sloth was looking at her with a grin.
"Okay, those standards are painfully low but I don't know, are we, Sid?" She questioned, looking down at the sloth who was now sitting beside her. Manny and Ellie were resting up while Peaches, Crash and Eddie listened to a tale being told by Buck.
"I don't know, are you and Diego up for it?" Akira snorted, laughing softly as Diego's eyes widened, the sabre stumbling over his words in his shock. "Wait, wh-what?! N-no. Tha—that's not gonna—no, Sid."
Sid snickered, scurrying away to join Peaches, Crash and Eddie. Akira hummed, turning to the flustered sabre who pointedly avoided her gaze. "Are you. . . up for it, Diego?"
If one asked where this newfound confidence came from, she'd tell them that after living in a world of supposedly extinct fossils for two days, nothing was really scary anymore. "Wait, you. . . " She tilted her head, raising her eyebrows as she smiled. "For a fierce predator, you're pretty oblivious."
He smiled and she grinned at the twinkle in his eyes. "Yeah, you remind me every day."
The sabress smirked up at him as she lowered herself onto the warm stone, "Someone has to."
Diego followed suit, smiling when Akira shifted closer, eyes falling shut for a brief rest.
"Finally, a promise of sabre cubs in the future. About time. I mean, it wasn't as if you didn't already behave like mates, you know, with raising Perce and all that but jeez, you were both so blind. I mean, even I saw it." Sid grinned as he shuffled past them.
"That's saying a lot," Manny added.
Akira snorted, Diego extending his paw and tripping the sloth. Sid's coordination was bad as it came and he barely managed to avoid the outstretched paw, falling forward with a huff. The sabress, eyes still shut, helped the sloth back onto his feet.
"See, Kira's a natural," The sloth sighed, eyes wide with excited anticipation, "I can't wait for this family to grow some more."
Akira smiled, feeling Diego's head lower to rest atop hers. She curled closer to him.