Based on Scrat in Space! I'm so excited for Ice Age 5, set to be released this July!
"Shira, I don't know how to thank you", Frida smiled as she nuzzled her cousin.
Today was her first outing with Diego in nearly a month since the cubs had been born. It was hard for her to leave her six babies behind, but like all parents, she and Diego needed some time for themselves. Today, Shira was going to watch the cubs until their parents got back.
"Are you sure you can handle all of them?" Diego asked concerned.
"What, six cubs against one adult?" she chuckled. "I think we all know who the winner is."
"That's what I'm afraid of", Frida said. "Kids, sound off! Dom!"
A little black cub jumped out of the bushes and puffed out his white chest, trying his best to roar. Nothing but a squeak came out, making him flatten his ears.
"Yeah, Mama", he grumbled going inside the cave.
"Taran!" Diego called out.
He roared in pain as he felt little sharp teeth dig into his leg. Frida and Diego looked down behind him to see a little black cub with sprinkles of orange stripes going down his back. The cub playfully growled as he let go, joining his brother in the cave.
"Sasha?" Frida called.
A little cub climbed onto Diego's back, covering his eyes with her front white paws.
"Papa!"
Frida gently bit the orange and black striped cub on the back of the neck, pulling her off her father's head and setting her down on the ground. Sasha giggled and ran inside.
"Hunter!" Diego called.
An orange cub with black spots growled as he ran around his parents' legs, rubbing his body against them. Frida smiled as she gently nudged their son into the cave.
"Hayden!" she called out.
Frida's fur stood on end as she felt teeth bite into her tail. Diego chuckled and lifted a black cub by the back of his neck. Frida raised her eyebrow amused as Diego put Hayden down, allowing him to go inside.
"Amber?" Diego called the final cub.
"Mom, Papa!"
The little orange cub came running toward the cave. She tripped on a rock, falling forward, her fangs digging into the dirt.
"Remind you of anyone?" Shira giggled.
"Ha ha", Frida smiled. "Now, kids, your dad and I need you to behave for cousin Shira, can you do that?"
Instead of listening, the cubs were more interested in pawing at each other and biting their ears off.
"We'll be back sometime this evening", Diego said as he walked out of the cave.
"Oh, and watch out", Frida added as they left the cave. "They're teething."
Shira's smile disappeared as she turned back to the cubs. They smirked, showing off their baby fangs as they ran toward her.
"I almost forgot what peace and quiet sounded like", Diego smiled as the two of them walked through the woods.
Frida sighed with content as she laid her head on Diego's shoulder. He gently licked the top of her head and came to a stop, getting a good view of the sunset. As the two of them stood on the stone cliff, he started to reminisce about their relationship, how far they came from merely being enemies at the start of the Ice Age.
How did he come to deserve a life like this? How did he, a remorseless assassin who almost killed a human baby deserve a loving mate and six cubs? Frida looked up at her mate and licked his neck softly, breaking him out of his thoughts.
"Pebble for your thoughts?" she asked.
"Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you and the kids", Diego said.
Frida smiled and pressed her nose against his in a kiss.
"Hey, guys!"
Diego and Frida looked to find their moment of happiness cut short as Sid came skipping toward them.
"You never told me you were going out", he said wrapping his arms around his two friends. "If I would've known, I would've watched your kids with no problem. Did you forget my policy? Sid Sits: Sid will sit your kids."
"Well…remind us next time", Frida said trying to be polite.
"Hey, what's going on out here?"
Diego sighed when they saw Manny coming toward them, ruining the moment even further.
"Having some kind of get-together or something?" Manny asked.
"Frida and I were out here alone, spending some time away from the kids", Diego answered trying to get the point across that they wanted to be alone.
Frida shook her head. Being alone was out of the question now that Sid and Manny knew the kids weren't around. A bright light in the sky interrupted everyone, bringing their attention to the sky. Large balls of light came shooting across the sky.
"Hey, look!" Manny said. "Shooting stars!"
"Stars?" Frida asked. "At sunset?"
"Ooh, ooh, quick!" Sid said grabbing onto Diego. "Quick, make a wish! Make a wish! You got to make a wish!"
One of the balls of light hit the ground Sid was standing on, sending him flying into a tree. Manny, Diego and Frida stared at him with wide eyes, wondering what just happened.
"Wow!" Manny smiled. "My wish came true!"
"I'm okay!" Sid waved from the tree.
Almost like magic, the top of the tree burst into flames with Sid still in it.
"Mine too", Diego added.
"Boys", Frida shook her head chuckling as she headed back to the cave.
Sid fell down from the tree, waving at her, reassuring he was okay.
"I think I burned my marshmallows", he chuckled.
"I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that", Frida said as she ran off.
Just something to tide us all over until Ice Age: Collision Course comes out July 22!