A/N: You ever have an idea that just won't go away. Haven't read a story like this so hopefully I'm not copying, but had to put it up. It's a one shot unless it adds anything to keep going; not sure yet. I can't really claim PJ, the movie people came up with him first I just gave him the name PJ and made him with...well they're not 'issues' exactly :)
Also, I use the term "toddler" with Peaches, but obviously by the amount the girl says she's not that young, it's just relational to PJ :)
Protected
It was said that sometimes the spirit, or soul, of a passing creature, be they animal or hunter, got to not only see the world they lost but guard and protect it.
Little PJ felt anything but old enough to be a protector of any kind and...there were many days he wished he didn't see the world he left. That would be easier to accomplish if he'd stop wandering the frozen landscapes his small feet couldn't feel the snow of anymore, but still, having left the world he was still learning about so early, he found that continuing to learn about it the way he had before and not through what other the older, also dead, "Guardian" creatures told him of it was his favorite thing.
He didn't have to worry about being in the way, since he was invisible; and he felt it a lot.
These emotions of hurt jealousy at his father, Manny's, life after him and his mother made more sense for the living to have; not one who'd moved on, but PJ had, after all, died really young and so was still really young in his thoughts and emotions, if given some wisdom that just came from being...he wasn't even sure what you'd call it.
Right now, PJ was just riveted to the sight of one adult mammoth, the one who had been...no was...had been? his father, Manny.
"I don't believe it, you're trying to baby-proof nature" that Mammoth he'd replaced PJ's mom with, Ellie, was saying. PJ didn't exactly mean to think of Ellie in this way but, well what way was there exactly?
And judging from the playground talk and "our baby", that wasn't all that was about to be replaced.
And PJ had thought he'd felt a little jealous when his father had been returning that small little human child. But, really even from a spot where neither were aware he saw or was tagging along here or there, PJ had found that he grew to like the little boy and almost wished he had been still alive so they could be friends. And sure, when he'd unwisely chosen to come 'catch back up' with his dad's situation when he and those odd creatures he was traveling with ended up in that cave with drawings, PJ had wanted nothing more than to cheer his father up when he saw him paused by a drawing that he knew reminded Manny of them.
He'd even smiled happily when the little human boy did just that.
But now his father had moved on...
"PJ". The calf didn't need to turn to know who was behind him. His mother had come to find him, again; though she didn't have to wonder where he was anymore. She looked at the scene that had her son so en-rapt and another sigh escaped.
"Oh PJ..." she turned back to her son, ruffling aside some of his little head fur bangs.
"I...I just don't get how you can not care", PJ couldn't exactly cry anymore, not physically anyway, but he was there emotionally. His mother continued to affectionately pat his head.
"I...I'm happy because he's happy, PJ" she tried to explain to her son once more, glancing towards Manny and Ellie with a soft smile, but she knew PJ wouldn't get it.
"Come on" she said after a while, "we should get you home". It was just what mothers said when they talked about going "back where'd they been" or such.
Still PJ sighed, "Yeah...'cause this certainly isn't it anymore". It wasn't said bitterly, just from a lost, confused, still very young mammoth.
Time had not made anything easier as PJ continued along with his favorite thing, just walking about the landscape he had before. He had since learned that the little calf replacing him was a little girl, Peaches. If PJ noticed that both his and her name started the same, he didn't make anything of it, since there wasn't anything to make of it. It was just...well PJ couldn't remember where his dad had got the name from, just that it had been got off the top of his head.
PJ wondered if his name had been just off the top of his father's head, maybe it hadn't and he had that one thing over this little girl replacing him; maybe...
"Huh, who says I can't babysit!" a voice said, and PJ paused his walking and glanced over to notice that sloth his father had traveled and stayed with, Sid, walking through some nearby trees, a tiny mammoth following after.
PJ frowned, he didn't really feel like being here anymore. How did he "zoom off" again? He couldn't remember straight off.
A giggle was heard from the little girl and she quick padded out on her little feet past Sid.
"Hey! Not so far!" Sid followed.
Peaches kept quickly scooting along on her little feet until she came closer to where PJ was and...she stopped and looked straight at where he was...no...at him!
PJ knew it was possible to be seen, but it was a skill the kid hadn't picked up yet, and doubted he ever would if he was going to stay his same age. Apparently he didn't need it though, and somehow Peaches could see him.
Both kids stood, frozen, staring at each other. Peaches little trunk came up, reaching out, as if to touch this person even if her little toddler senses told her that might not work like everything else she had touched had.
"Who You?" the little question, with some of the words she had mastered came out.
Without an answer, PJ backed up. Peaches followed a few steps.
"Ooh, you talk to air too?" Sid came up beside the little mammoth.
She sputtered, using some more of her baby talk for the words she hadn't learned to communicate properly, then she stared straight at PJ again.
Sid glanced that way, but PJ could tell he didn't see him. "Come on, Uncle Sid will take you home" the sloth reached for the kid, and Peaches darted out of the way, semi-interpreting this as a game. She giggled and kept dodging just out of Sid's reach.
PJ found a small smile form as he watched the sloth flounder around after the toddler. He really was bad at stuff.
A twig snapped nearby and PJ glanced over to see something that caused panic to rise up, even as his young mind reminded him nothing could hurt him anymore. A Tiger! Saber, as they called themselves. It was alone, but it wasn't the nice one his father had found.
The fear was instinctual, and PJ backed up even as he told himself he was ok, ironically, since he'd already been "got".
The tiger watched Sid and little Peaches dart about and then crouched low, as if for a pounce, still watching.
PJ looked back to the oblivious sloth and little mammoth. "M-Mr. Sid..." his voice was low, even if he knew that wasn't why it went un-heard.
"come on you..." Sid darted after Peaches again, unknowingly chasing her closer to the waiting tiger.
"No...go...go away!" PJ tried to shoo the kid off, couldn't she see him? Yes! Yes she could, he recalled!
PJ stepped out, any thoughts on how hurt this little girl caused him to feel forgotten for this moment at least. He stood in the path of the tiger, praying he was right and it wouldn't be able to hurt him.
"K-kid go..." he waved his small trunk. The little mammoth did pause and look at him.
"G-go on...please, Peaches" he said, the moment of using her name lost on him in the frantic situation. "there's a tiger just...".
PJ was still pretty sure the tiger had yet to see him, yet with a roar he sprang out past PJ and towards Peaches. The girl squealed and darted off just in time. PJ quickly followed out, keeping an eye on the situation. Sid had noticed as well and was both panicking and trying to get to Peaches, but the tiger kept darting in just the right way to keep the little one boxed in.
"M-Manny, Diego!" Sid screeched even as he panicked for a way to help. The tiger reeled back and went for another pounce. PJ had to only see that look of fear on Peaches' face and he instantly knew just how she felt. He'd felt it too when he'd hidden behind his mother, or tried to, while boxed in by hunters.
Before logic could tell him it wouldn't work, PJ darted around to be in front of Peaches and between her and the tiger, if there was a between. The tiger lunged and PJ prepared himself for the horrible screech from little Peaches when it didn't work and he was no use at all.
He was both pleasantly and horribly surprised when it worked. The tiger hit him and was forced to veer off, before getting near Peaches. Yet...it hurt. Bad. PJ trumpeted a cry he was sure no one but him heard (though Peaches' jump seemed to). He checked. He wasn't bleeding, but hurt as if he had been scratched like the tiger's lunge was apt to do.
This made it somewhat brave that PJ stayed, others would have told the kid, though he didn't think it himself, as the tiger circled and growled annoyed, now fixing his gaze on both kids, it seemed. PJ couldn't tell but it seemed the physical act of hitting against PJ forced the tiger's senses to now take stock of him. Being in front of the calf he knew the tiger was watching, Peaches, it was hard to tell.
The tiger lowered and went to charge again when with a bellow, Manny charged from the trees, Sid's call seeming affective. Or maybe it had been Peaches' call.
Either way and and even in his still pain, PJ found he had to admire it all as his father grabbed the tiger by the throat mid lunge and hurled him off to the side into a rock!
Diego next leapt out to face the tiger one on one and PJ noticed the odd little possums were with him, jumping onto and clawing at the tiger themselves.
"Daddy!" Peaches rushed over to hug Manny as the mammoth noted that the unknown tiger was being dealt with. He then turned down to the girl and smiled. "Peaches, are you ok?" he asked, petting her with his trunk.
The little one giggled, "Yeah, I fine". PJ watched as his father seemed to deflate with a sigh of relief as he hugged Peaches again, tightly. PJ glanced away feeling that feeling of tears without the tears welling up again.
Ellie was next to rush out and hug her little girl, at least PJ didn't care about this.
Manny smiled at them and then glanced around, "Come on, we should go before more tigers appear".
PJ was able to turn back as that tiger, Diego, chuckled, "There aren't any around, Manny, trust me I would smell them".
"Yeah" Manny retorted, "we got lucky, and I'd like to keep it that way!".
"It not lucky, Daddy" little Peaches pointed over to PJ, "Him help me".
Seemingly as one, the herd turned to glanced in the direction that Peaches indicated and PJ could tell none of them saw him. His father didn't see him.
"Come on" he whispered, "she can see me, can't you even one little bit!". Manny didn't move, so that answered that.
Peaches was looking at him curiously now though, and as Diego started up on his reassurances that tiger's weren't in the area, and Manny advocated caution once again, Peaches used the opportunity to slip over to where PJ stood. She smiled at PJ and the older, but still young, calf found he could do little else but smile back.
He was just wondering if he should say something, when Peaches walked closer and PJ found that, like the tiger had been able to hit him, Peaches was apparently able to hug his leg, albeit his entire leg. He smiled, ok maybe he could see why this little baby half-sister of his got liked so quickly by people. He patted at her little head.
As PJ looked at this little half-sister of his who was the only one of the herd, it seemed, who could see him, his mind started turning over things and by the end of it he felt guilty, like he was using the little girl, but went on.
"Hey, since you're the only one who can see me, d-do you think you could do me a favor?" he asked. Peaches just stared and PJ wasn't sure if he was getting through.
"T-tell your dad..." at this prospect of what he was trying to do, send some message through Peaches to his father, PJ stalled on the a-million things he wanted to say. He also, as he thought on it, wasn't sure if it was fair. "Nevermind".
"What you name?" Peaches next asked, just curious in getting to know this new friend of hers.
"PJ" the calf smiled,"I...I'm kinda your Guardian I suppose, if the adults weren't lying and they exist" he smiled. The idea had just come suddenly as PJ made up his mind on how happy he did feel that he'd been able to help Peaches during this tiger attack and how, much as he was still young and confused on how exactly he thought of her, she was at least part family and he wanted to keep doing it.
Peaches was just staring at him again. PJ smiled, "You see, when animals or even hunters that were alive pass on they take it on them to watch over someone", PJ hoped he wasn't loosing Peaches with all this, "and...well" PJ looked thoughtful, "I'm little 'cause I died little and...that shouldn't happen to you, so I'm gonna make sure it doesn't" the calf smiled. "I...I won't let anything hurt you Peaches, I promise, since they can't really hurt me beyond a little bit".
Peaches just kept staring at him with those bright eyes. Then she smiled, hugged his leg again and said "thanks"; and PJ thought she might have understood what he was trying to tell her, maybe.
He looked up once more, over to where Manny and the others stood, then smiled over at Peaches again. "Come one, dad doesn't like it when you wander or poke through bushes" PJ went on to her, starting to walk over. As he'd hoped, Peaches followed.
This very morning, PJ hadn't though he'd be capable of doing what he now did, walking little Peaches all but over to Manny; not that the girl needed that much help, as soon as Peaches was beside her father she was immediately leaping and giggling about him.
Manny smiled and hugged her, "You stop wandering off, you hear" his final statement after all the excitement of this day.
PJ hoped that for both her own sake and their father's, Peaches would listen.
As he stood there, next to his father, yet unseen, he knew, PJ couldn't resist and reached out to hug one of his father's legs with his little trunk, closing his eyes and imagining for a moment that he was right back where he'd been before the attack. He couldn't help hoping maybe that tiger had seen him after all, and so maybe the same logic would apply here and make his father aware of his presence...maybe...