Ice Age Adventures: A Crystal For A Tooth (Episode 1 Season 1)

Chapter 6: Aspik the Shaman

In the den, two glowing greens eyes appeared in the darkness. There was a sudden chill in the air and a hissing sound.

Slowly, the creature came out of the shadows of her den, showing herself in the sunlight, revealing that she was a black snake with green markings under her jade green eyes and a jaded gemstone on her forehead. Slithering out, she revealed her long body.

The Herd stared at her wide eye at seeing her. They sensed she was definitely deadly. That what the Scavenger Pack said about her was true. Tackle crept back and hid behind Diego's leg, his ears down scared. Vibe and Ferry hid behind Ellie, afraid too, their ears down.

"The legendary Herd has come to visit me. What an honor for me" Aspik said, her voice was smooth and had that usual hiss. Talia crept closer, a little nervous but she took a deep breath and tried to be brave and she stared at the snake serious. "Well you're the one that spook the hyraxes so the message was clear" she explained to Aspik.

Aspik brought her face closer to Talia and the wolf froze, her ears back afraid. "Always the observant one, right Talia? My vision saw you and Jake helping the Herd" Aspik told her calmly but Jake came over and got between the two.

"Well um Aspik we uh came to ask you something and um if you can give us some space right now" Jake asked her, smiling nervous as the two wolves backed away.

Aspik back away from the wolves and smirked at them. "Oh what is it you want to ask me?" She asked curiously with a smirk. Her eyes then moved to Tackle, the cub hiding behind his dad.

"We were wondering..." Aspik's eyes moved to Buck when he spoke, the weasel on top of Julian, being chill. Makes sense since he has encounter dinosaurs so a big snake didn't scare him much.

"Well actually the blue cat was wondering if you be interested in joining our Herd" Buck told her pretty chilled and Aspik was actually surprised by his calmness around her.

"Blue cat? Are you referring to Adah?" Aspik asked him, coming a little closer. "Yep that one" Buck told her chilled.

Aspik was surprised too. She eyed the weasel with a mix of surprise and amazement. "You amaze me" she told him impressed. Buck shrugged it " Eh I've seen and faced bigger reptiles. Much bigger" Buck told her and Aspik's eyes widen more in amazement.

The snake looked back at the wolves "Never thought Adah would be interested to recruit me. That saber never liked me" she commented annoyed.

"Well hee hee you did attack a friend of his hee hee" Vibe reminded her nervously, the pup hiding behind Ellie, crouching down. Talia and Jake looked at her shocked and serious in their eyes like they were saying 'do you want to get in trouble with the snake?'

" I was defending my territory. That's it. That saber really holds a grudge" Aspik commented plainly but no one noticed the snake slowly moving her tail around them, behind Tackle. Her tail was slowly curled around one of his back legs but it wasn't touching him so Tackle had no clue.

"Speaking of sabers..." Aspik added sneakily and her tail wrapped around the cub's leg so quickly, Tackle had no time to react and the cub was suddenly pulled out of the Herd and held upside down.

"Tackle!" The Herd all yelled out alarmed. They did not see that coming. The cub froze scared, his eyes wide as Aspik looked at him curiously. She moved her tail around so Tackle was no longer upside down and was sitting in her tail.

"So this is the saber cub who defeated Ramous" the snake said as Tackle stared at her scared, his ears down and shaking.

Shira leaped out snarling at the snake, her ears flat and teeth bared, her mama saber instincts kicking in. "That's my son! Put Tackle down!" Shira demanded snarling.

The gems on Aspik started glowing as she hissed in defense. "Shira!" Diego rushed to her side urgently "We can't risk provoking Aspik or else Tackle's gonna get hurt" he warned her and Shira slowly calmed down "Fine" she sighed and backed up.

Aspik calmed down too and her attention went back to Tackle. "Tackle. So that's his name" Aspik said, looking at the cub. "I've never seen a saber cub" Aspik said until her eyes landed on the spot where his right sabertooth was supposed to be.

The tip of her tail slithered up and lifted the cub's chin for a better look and she frowned "But I'm pretty sure a saber has both of their saberteeth. How did you lose this one?" She asked curiously.

Tackle looked away from her, upset at the reminder of his missing tooth. The Herd and his parents looked at the cub sympathetically.

"Lost it to that space rock while using it to defeat Ramous. Right?" Aspik asked almost tauntingly but her words made Tackle confused and surprised and he looked at the snake.

Aspik lowered him back on the ground "How do you know that?" He asked suscpious as her tail left him.

Giggling, her tail went back inside her den. Shira got closer to Tackle, taking the chance to protect him. Aspik's tail came back and it unraveled.

Tackle gasped surprised and his eyes widen "My tooth?!"