A oneshot, for Diego from ICE AGE! :3 Rated K.
So for my first story, I decided to start with something I knew and loved and watched in its entirety. Ice Age should be easy, right? Anyway, I hope I do this right. If not, review my heinous atrocity to fan fiction with the ferocity of every flame in hell! I can take anything you dish. The only thing I ask is that you please be civil, as I will also attempt to do.
Now, for the beginning…
Diego really was never one for love. He was more of a lone wolf, an action sort of guy. While Manny settled down with his own family, Diego preferred the life of a tiger! Every night, he would go out and hunt while the others were sleeping. He did this as to not offend their herbivore lifestyle. It was on one of these specific nights that Diego found himself a bit thoughtful.
As he hid concealed in the grass, tracking the smell of an antelope, Diego found himself thinking more and more of how he did the same general thing every day. Babysit Sid while he babysat Peaches- it was only because of Diego's watchful eye that Manny allowed Sid to be around Peaches at all. Then, at night he would hunt. He got sleep in the mornings, usually when Peaches was asleep with Ellie.
So what was missing? Did he want something more exciting to do? He'd already gone through that little crisis with the dinosaur world underneath the ice. He was done with the whole life-on-the-wild side charade. But still… something was missing! But what?
Putting the thought to the back of his mind as he spotted the unfortunate antelope through the grass, Diego went into full-on hunter mode. Looked like he was out for a midnight stroll. Diego crept closer until-bam! He sprung from the grass and towards the Antelope.
The antelope ran at the sight of a saber, and Diego gave chase. Hunting was never easy when you didn't have a pack. But it sure made life interesting. The antelope stumbled on a rock and Diego saw his chance. But just as he was closing in…
…She jumped out from the grass and landed a killing blow to the antelope! Roaring in triumph, the female tiger settled down next to the kill to begin eating.
A bit miffed, Diego halted his run and padded up to her. "A bit rude to steal a kill, don't you think?"
"I thought maybe we could share." She mumbled between mouthfuls. Diego thought she was a bit gutsy, stealing a kill from a male saber. After all, he was bigger than her.
Diego, taking that as an invitation to begin eating, leaned down and took a bite of the kill. "So, you got a name?" He said with a full mouth.
She blinked at him, trying to ignore how he was talking with his mouth full. "Sun." She replied simply. Then she went back to chewing on the shoulder of the antelope.
"Diego." Diego replied, taking a bite of the leg. It wasn't often he had dinner with a lady, and he was a bit lost on what to say next. Fortunately, Sun took care of that for him.
"So, what's a big saber like you doing without a pack? Surely, someone must want you." She said, stopping in her eating for the first time. Diego chewed thoughtfully for a few more moments before looking back at her. "I ditched 'em. I prefer the life I have now." He decided the best approach for now was to not let on that he was a part of herd nearby. Not only would it be dangerous for Peaches and Sid, it would be more than a little embarrassing.
Sun nodded before licking her paw. "I see… what's so good about your life now?" Her tone was dubious, implying her opinion that pack life was better than being alone. Diego looked down at his paws. "Well, it's exciting." He told her. Before she could answer, he continued "So, why are you alone?"
The female's eyes clouded for a moment and she looked away. "My pack was trampled in a stampede of mammoths." Diego held his tongue for a moment. So apparently not mentioning Manny or his family had been a good idea. Instead, Diego said, "So you're alone now?"
"Pretty much," She said, "But I'd prefer a pack. The only problem is most packs are few and far between, and they won't take in a stray like me." Diego thought she sounded a bit sad. Oh, how he wished he could have an answer to her problems… she seemed so upset right now.
"Well… I wish I could help you. But I don't really have a pack." He said. It was true. He had a herd. Would she like a herd? Maybe not, and Diego wasn't really jumping to any lovey-dovey thoughts right now. But he did want to help her.
"Well, I should be on my way." Sun said at last, getting up to make her leave. Before she got more than a few paces away, Diego was on his feet. "Wait! What about, uh, Breakfast?"
She looked back at him. "Breakfast?"
Diego shuffled his paws. "Well, it's hard to go without breakfast. This kill still has some meat left. Stay here until tomorrow?" He asked hopefully. If nothing else, he could share his breakfast with her.
Smiling, Sun padded back and settled down on the other side of the antelope. "Alright. For breakfast."
Diego gave a sigh of relief, before curling up to sleep himself. He dreamed of the female's finding a pack and being happy. Perhaps even… no, that was far too soon. But what if she did decide to hang around with Diego? Then he dreamed of chasing antelope with her.
The morning sun was not enough to wake Diego up, and he ended up being awaked by a grinning Sid. "Hey, Diego! What're you doing all the way out here? I woke up and saw you were gone, so I came out here to find you. Then when I found you here I-"
Diego tuned out Sid's babbling as he looked around. The antelope carcass was gone, along with the female. So, she'd taken it before he woke up. Great, he'd have to go hungry today.
Giving a small sigh, Diego stood up and followed Sid back to the herd. He really never was one for love.
Please review! :3