Ice Age: Collision Course

Chapter Two: Why Would That Be A Problem?

Authors note: You guys get something special this chapter! Enjoy!

Sassy walked around, mingling with the party guests. It almost seemed like the entire continent had shown up, there were so many mammals. Suddenly a scent drifted across her nose and her senses went on high alert. She turned toward the scent and raised her nose in the air, sniffing cautiously. A faint snarl worked its way onto her maw. It was the scent of another wolf, male she guessed. The smell wasn't very strong but it was there none the less, which meant the wolf was in the general vicinity.
Sassy lowered her nose and slowly turned back towards the party. Chances were it was just a loner passing through. She didn't smell any others so he was definitely alone. She decided to let it go but keep her guard up. She padded back to where Sid, Diego and Shira were enjoying the drinks and food. Manny and Ellie seemed to be in a very heated conversation with Peaches and Jullian. Sassy rolled her eyes. Manny was so overprotective of Peaches it was ridiculous. She grabbed a mango and had only taken a few bites when Sid tapped her and Diego on the shoulder.
"Uh, does that look like a problem to you guys?" He pointed up to the sky. Sassy followed his finger and her eyes widened. She looked at Diego in horror and the saber had much the same reaction.
"A ball of fire headed directly for us? Why would that be a problem?" Diego snarked and hurried over to Manny, Sassy right on his heel.
"What if you fall in a ditch and get amnesia? What then?" Manny was asking Peaches, rather distressed.
"Manny, we have a problem." Diego said, jumping up and placing his front paws on the rocks where the mammoths were standing.
"Not now, I have a problem."
"This ones a little bigger."
"Don't think so!"
"Manny!"
"What!?" The mammoth finally turned to the predators after they scolded him in unison. Diego grabbed Manny's tusk and turned his head up towards the sky so he could see the fireball. Manny gasped and fell over onto his back.
"Manny?" Ellie asked, concerned about her mate. Manny righted himself and looked around in a panic.
"Uh ok! Party's over everyone! Thank you for coming! Have a good night and leave right now!"
"What are you talking about? The party just got started." Ellie chided.
"Yeah just...yaaaaaawwww! Just getting kinda sleepy!" Manny yawed dramatically. "Everyone should go and duck, possibly cover!" He grabbed Ellie by the trunk and tried to pull her away. Ellie separated herself from him.
"Hey, what's gotten into you?" She turned toward the sky and gasped when she saw the fireball fly over the trees and plummet straight into the forest not too far away.
"There's more coming!" Someone cried as dozens more cane raining down, hurtling straight for the group.
"Meteor shower!" Someone else yelled as the animals scattered, running from the fireballs.
"Meteor!?" Eddie gasped in horror. Crash sniffed his arm pit.
"Shower?"
"Would you two move!" Sassy yelled and picked the two up in her mouth and flung them toward the mammoths. She looked up just in time to see a Meteor hit the hyrax stone statue and the debris cave down in her direction. She jumped out of the way and skittered across the ground, her paws sliding in the dirt.
"I suppose this is all part of your magic show for me!?" Ellie asked Manny angrily.
"Heh heh, abracadabra?" Manny said sheepishly.
"Ellie this isn't Manny's fault, it's nature throwing a tantrum!" Sassy said.
"Can't you guys do this later?!" Peaches asked.
"Come on! We need to take cover!" Diego exclaimed and the herd ran for the lake where there was a cave. Animals ran around frantically, in a total panic. Another meteor hit the ground, sending two screeching marsupials into the air.
"Incoming!" Ellie yelled.
"Those are ours!" Manny identified the airborne mammals. He continued to run with Granny on his back as he held out his trunk and caught the two opossums. "You ok!? How many tusks do you see?"
"Tree!"
"Three!?"
"No, tree!!!" Eddie cried and pointed behind the herd. A redwood cane crashing down behind them, narrowly missing the fleeing herd. A ginormous Meteor was right behind it as it landed and rolled after them in a fiery trail. They reached the pond.
"Everybody jump!" Manny exclaimed and they did, jumping onto the ice and ducking as the meteor flew over their heads and landed smack dab in the middle of the pond. The ice cracked and sizzled with the heat as they ran around it to get to the other side. "The cave! Get inside! Move! Move!" Manny ordered, taking charge. Sassy rushed in last right before Manny, just like him making sure that everyone was safely inside. The herd huddled together against the cave wall, cowering at every blow and explosion outside as the meteors continued to rain down. Sid clung to Ellie's leg and the opossums played dead as they tended to do when they were frightened.
A particularly large one landed very close, shaking the cave and causing rocks and dust to fall. Peaches yelped and ran for Jullian, who wrapped his trunk securely around his fiancé.
"It's ok sweetheart. Daddy's...," Manny trailed off when he saw the two and Sassy caught the look of sadness cross his face. Peaches was running for someone else to comfort her now. Another one hit and Manny and Ellie huddled their heads together and Diego and Shira curled into each other as well, Diego's body slightly in front of Shira's just in case something got through. Had it been different circumstances, Sassy would've smiled. After a few moments no more meteors hit and the herd looked up.
"Hey it sounds like it's slowing down! Yup, it's definitely over!" Sid said, hurrying to the entrance to look out. Before anyone could tell him to get back, one more hit, sending ash and sparks flying to the cave. When the dust cleared Ellie turned Sid around, who was completely crispy and covered with ash save for two little embers that glowed on his chest like...
Sassy shook her head. "Except for that one." Sid said stiffly.
"We might want to think about moving under ground for a while." Manny suggested.