Ice Age: Life On Thin Ice

Chapter 7

"Wow, would you look at that? The tiger actually did it."

Indeed Diego did. Up ahead was Half Peek, with Glaciers Pass been their next stop. It was a miracle that they were just closer to returning the baby to its family, whilst been unharmed.

Hazel had to acknowledge that, Diego certainly knew where he was going. Maybe he did mean well.

"How could I've ever doubted you?" Manny commented to Diego who just smiled.

"Did you hear that little fella?!" Sid chirped in as the baby gurgled. "Your almost home!"

"Quite odd really." Hazel began, getting Diego's attention. "You're little shortcut helped us out in the end."

"Yep." Diego sighed. "That's why we sabers are known for our tracking skills. We know shortcuts when we see one."

"Uh huh." Hazel nodded, letting out a huge huff of air. the atmosphere around her felt a little warm...too warm, but she tried to ignore it.

They all continued whilst Sid had lingered back, muttering out "My feet are sweaty..."

"Do we really need a news flash any time your body does something?" Diego questioned

"Apparently so." Hazel answered, feeling the air getting warmer.

"Don't pay any attention to him, just ignore him." Manny retorted to the two as Sid remarked loudly about how his feet were actually burning.

A loud rumble was soon heard, and everyone stopped in their tracks, minus Sid who tried to catch up.

"Tell me that was one of your stomachs?" Manny turned to Hazel and Diego, who shushed him.

"I'm sure it was just thunder..." Sid chuckled, getting the group to look up the sky.

"From..." He continued weakly, "under....ground?"

Then the ice blasted through the ground behind them, steam raising up like a rocket. They all screamed as they ran across the ice towards safety, been cautious as to not fall because the ice fell into a river of lava below.

Hazel had skidded across the group, nearly falling of the edge several times but soon made it at the other side, taking a breath or two before turning back towards the other mammals, seeing Sid on the ground and Diego land and skid across towards Manny.

"Wow, I wish I could jump like that."

"Wish granted!" Manny immediately kicked Sid towards the other side, screaming loudly.

He went flying over the female sabers' head and she watched him skid across the ground. She turned back towards Manny and Diego, hoping they make it across.

"Come on!" Diego yelled in his panicked state. "Move faster!!"

"Haven't you noticed the river of lava?!" Manny exclaimed loudly, looking down at the lava below, noticing the ice in front of him beginning to give way.

He looked down at the the baby buried his head deep within his fur, fearful of what was going to happen getting him to tighten his grip.

He leaped over towards the other side and the ice patch he'd jumped over fell down towards the lava, leaving Diego with a bigger gap. Hazel watched intensely, not daring to breath as she prayed that Diego would make it.

He soon made the jump, but barely missed and clawed into the edge of the ice, clinging on for life.

"DIEGO!!" Hazel screamed, racing over to help him, only to collide with Manny's tusk who scooped her up.

"Hold Pinky!" He gave Sid the baby then quickly put the female saber down beside them. "And don't move!"

They all watched as Manny made his way back to help the saber. He held his trunk out for the saber to grab onto, moving slowly as to not break the ice and quickly wrapped his trunk around Diego's paw preventing him from falling into the lava below.

With all of his strength, Manny flung Diego over his head towards the others, where he skidded over beside Hazel, who let out the huge sigh of relief.

They all watched as the mammoth made his way back towards the herd when-

*CRACK*

They all watch in fear as the ice underneath him gave way, falling into the lava with the mammoth.

"MANNY!!" Sid and Hazel cried out as the mammoths' cries went silent. Without thinking, she ran towards the edge, ignoring the protests from the sloth, fearing she'd fall as well.

She looked down below, hoping for a sign that he was still alive. She'd refused to believe that Manny, who she believed as actual family throughout the two days of travelling, was gone.

Defeated, she walked back towards the the others sadly.

Then steam rose upwards like a rocket, getting the herd to look up and not only see the block of the ice, but Manny as well, who then fell to the ground and landed with a harsh thud.

Seconds after the ground beneath them stopped shaking, Hazel and Sid ran towards the mammoth.

"Manny Manny Manny, you okay?!" Sid pleaded, placing the baby down. "Come on, say something, anything!!"

Even though it was muffled, Manny did say something, which was a good sign that his okay.

"Wha-What?! We can't hear you!!"

"You're standing..." He breathed out with a raspy voice. "on my-"

"Sid!!" Hazel panicked and knocked the sloth to the ground before he could comment. The mammoth let out a huge gasp of air, relieved to be breathing again.

"Oh you're okay!!" Sid exclaimed happily as Hazel snugged into the mammoths fur with a huge grin. "You're okay!"

"Why did you do that?" Diego heaved. "You could've... died trying to save me..."

"That's what you do in a herd." Manny replied, the others to look at the saber with smiles. "You look out for each other..."

Diego starred at the the mammoth, taking his reply to heart. He had his pack of his own, he was going to help them with their plans, so why did he feel more appreciated with this herd than his pack?

"Well... thanks..."

"I don't know about you guys but," Sid began. "We are the weirdest herd I've ever seen."

Hazel looked up at Sid, blinking at his comment than turning towards the mammals.

Two sabers, a sloth and a mammoth, all returning a human baby.

Sid is right, they were the weirdest herd that roamed the ice. Despite all that, she felt like this herd was one she considered as a family, and she's only known them for two days or so. It was certainly nice been apart of this herd l, and she didn't want to lose them ever.

Nonetheless, they were still on a journey to return the baby, but decided to rest for a bit after the recent event since it took a lot of energy out of them.

———
Yeah, I'm a bit slow considering life takes me away from all this, but I am trying to write whenever I have the chance..

Hope you enjoy this one!! 💖