Hey all! Well, I normally write stories focused on Diego! My fav. character! : - )

But now, here's a turn for me to write about Manny! How did he tell Diego and Sid about his tragic past with his first family? Read and find out!

The Night

One-Shot

It was about a month after the three friends returned the human "cub" to his tribe. Manny, Sid and Diego had finally settled down in a cave down south in a field near a lake. The lake was the main center of attraction where pretty much all animals in the village hung out to talk. For our favorite group of three, it was no different. They would stay at the village daily to talk, and just have a fun time. Manny, Sid and Diego had grown together over the month, building possibly the strongest brotherly bond that ever existed.

Diego had grown completely loyal to his best friends, and found that though he considered his brothers his pack, this herd was different. The herd could look out for one another and at the same time, have many fun memories and laughs together. Pretty much everyday was a new adventure for the group. Little did he know the group would be discovering a mystery about his larger friend that, though he had curious thoughts about, he never knew.

Sid had grown accustomed to his new friends, and was enjoying the new life he was living. He was proud to have two great friends that could help him… or in Manny's words, "be bodyguards, so you don't become somebody's side dish." Bodyguards… well, true in some cases, but true friends… always!

Lastly, Manny. To him, Sid and Diego were more than just pals. They were his family. Sadly, after his family was killed, he shut himself up in his shell. Departing from his small mammoth herd, and moved along with out any words said. Then he met Sid, Diego- and let's not forget Pinky, he was forced to stay with these animals. After thinking this over and over to himself, he had to admit, he was glad that he was. Had it not been for Sid and Diego, Manny might not ever recover emotionally. He still might not be fully recovered, but he was incredibly grateful for the friendship he was given by these two, and the healing.

Today was no different than any other day, or so it seemed. The animals woke up, went to the village together, and rolled their eyes at Fast Toney's latest attempt to make a purchase. And here they were inside of their cave, surrounding a crackling fire. It wasn't long until Diego would return from his usual hunt. Sid put his hands close to the fire, feeling the warmth that he could now create with just two small stones. Manny sat next to the sloth. "You're gonna burn yourself… again if you get that close."

"Ah Manny, come on. I'm the Lord of the flame remember?" Sid said turning to Manny. "Fire doesn't burn me. I burn the fire… well technically I create the fire, but still you get my point- OW!" Sid cried, sucking on his thumb.

"I told you so." Manny smiled to himself, satisfied.

"Ha ha ha," Sid mimicked sarcastically, "that was so funny- I forgot how to laugh." He said sarcastically, tossing an additional stick into the fire. He was about to say something when a deflated Diego showed up at the cave entrance.

"Hey." Diego greeted his friends, and then flopped down onto the hard cave floor in front of the bright fire. Manny and Sid exchanged glances.

"Catch something that made you run?" Manny asked.

Diego looked up at the mammoth. "I was running for like ten minutes straight! Then, he kicked me in the face, it sucked, but in the end- I won." Diego smiled to himself, with a feeling of satisfaction.

"Yeah, but was it worth all that running?" Manny asked Diego curiously. Manny in a way that was beyond his comprehension liked having these talks with Diego - as long as Diego would spare the gory details. Manny wondered why he liked talking to Diego about the hunts. Then he subconsciously told himself that it was probably because he and Diego were such great friends, that Diego's hunting side was a side of Diego that he would never see. Therefore, Manny was in a weird way intrigued.

Diego shrugged, "nah, not really. I could have let him go. But I didn't want him bragging to all in his herd that he could outrun me. So I just cut him off and then-"

"Diego… getting a little too much into the details here." Sid reminded his friend.

"Right. Sorry." Diego snickered; he enjoyed making the sloth a little jumpy. As long as it never got too out of hand. Manny stared into the fire, with his new family. Suddenly, he remembered the family that just a year ago, he had. In fact, next week his son would have turned one. He sighed, attempting to make the thought fade from his mind.

Sid noticed his friend's sudden melancholy. In a way, the sloth was very empathetic. "Manny, is something wrong." Sid asked, noticing it took Manny a delayed second before he could respond.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He shrugged, still not meeting the sloth's gaze. Manny just stared into the fire, in attempt to hold back tears, but one of those stupid things still found its way down the mammoth's face. Diego noticed.

"Manny," Diego drew in a breath. 'Is there any better way for me to do this than just coming right out and asking?' Diego thought to himself. Sighing, deciding that what he was going to do was the best way to phrase it. He looked at Sid, who could read his friend's eyes, the sloth nodded, Diego nodded back. "Does this have anything to do with… with… your old family." He spoke quietly and slow, "what happened to them?" He almost whispered. More tears began to flow from Manny's eyes. Diego regretted his decision. "I'm sorry." He replied, Diego was never good at these talks.

Sid helped his friend out, "Manny, we're here for you buddy. We're a family, and families help each other out. " Sid smiled. "Talking will make you feel better 'ya know?" He touched Manny friendly, hoping to encourage him.

"No." Diego disagreed, "I'm sorry, I brought it up. Manny, don't talk about it until you feel like it."

"No, Diego, it's fine. I can't believe that I'm saying this, but Sid's right. There's something I've been wanting to tell you two." Manny sighed, not knowing where to begin.

"We're listening," Diego replied the fire glowing in the now pitch black of the night.

"We'll listen all night if we have to," Sid said, boldly.

"Yeah," Diego said, "we will."

"Thanks," Manny said plainly, "Well, it actually happened in October," he began, "my mate, Sophia, and our son, Seth and I were just minding our own business out on this one hill that Seth loved to play on. He would always pick the flowers there for his mom, and eat a few. He was really energetic, he played with other mammoth kids from our herd in that meadow too. But this time, it was just the three of us." Manny wiped away a tear, Diego and Sid silently exchanged glances, but their eyes were glued to Manny. "So, Sophia, Seth and I went to the water hole first thing that morning…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"How much fun do you think we'll have today, daddy?" Seth bounced around as Manny smirked at Sophia.

"I think, we'll have," Manny sucked up a trunk-full of water, "This much fun!" He squirted the water all out on Seth.

Giggling, Seth cried, "haha! No fair!" He then inhaled as much water as he could and squirted Manny right in the face.

"Aw. No fair!" Manny echoed his child.

"Having fun boys?" Sophia asked, humored from a distance, being careful not to get herself damp.

"Yeah, mommy, we're having…" Seth started out, as his mother turned around…

"THIS MUCH FUN!" He and Manny both sprayed the lake water onto Sophia, who shrieked slightly. Then laughed, a jingling laugh.

"So, that's how you guys want it to go down?" Sophia giggled, she picked up a protesting Seth, and walked to the shore of the water. "You're going down kid!" She exclaimed, carrying Seth over to the water's edge.

"Oh, no. Daddy, daddy, help me!" Seth screamed, trying to hold in his laughter while his mother threw him into the water. After a few bubbles at the top popped, Seth surfaced, giggling and swimming happily. "Daddy, you didn't save me." He pretended to pout.

"You're next," Sophia then, pushed Manny into the water with all of her strength.

"Whoa!" Manny exclaimed, surprised. He surfaced as well. Then he smiled, he couldn't have asked for a more perfect family. Sophia giggled, as Seth shook the water off of him.

"You okay, daddy?" Seth smiled one of Manny's favorite smiles.

"Yeah, kid. I'm fine."

"Okay, I'm gonna go to the hill and play for a minute, okay?"

"Okay, be careful." Manny said, nonchalantly. 'Like anything is going to happen, my life is perfect.' Manny thought to himself. Manny and Sophia locked trunks, happily as they watched their little son run along up to the hill. "I love you." Manny said out of the blue.

"Ditto." Sophia smiled at Manny. You see, the moment the mammoth's admitted their love for each other, (about a year back,) Sophia was the first one to say 'I love you' to Manny. Manny tried to think of something to say back to her other than 'I love you too.' But all that came out was 'Ditto.' Sophia had a great sense of humor, so she laughed her magical, jingling laugh. Ever since that time, the couple was bound together.

"Mommy, Daddy! Run as fast as you can go!" The two mammoths shook their heads as they heard Seth running. But the extra sounds caused them to look up faster than lightning. There following Seth was a tribe of about fifteen humans! "Help me!" Seth cried. Humans began running from Manny's direction as well.

Sophia ran away, Manny tried to follow her, but found himself surrounded by humans. 'Is this really happening?' Was all he could think to himself. He suddenly heard his mate shout for him.

"Manny!" She trumpeted.

"Oh no!" He heard his son cry, "daddy, daddy help me." He sobbed into his mother's trunk. Manny saw the humans back his family up against a cliff ledge. He reached for a human's spear, but was struck with it in his trunk. He winced at the pain. Afterward he heard a human call, and realized that humans were at the top of the cliff with boulders. Sophia whimpered, and before Manny knew it, the humans dropped the rocks, crushing his family, and his dreams.

All Manny did for the next several days was cry. He soon shut himself off from the rest of the world. He left his small mammoth herd. He soon became a recluse, living away from the other animals. Hardening himself, until he found the friends, who he loved as a family.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"And… I guess… that's it." Manny said, wiping away a few more existing tears.

Diego and Sid sighed in unison. "Manny," They both began then looked at each other then at Manny. Manny, returned their gaze, then he did something unexpected. He laughed, loudly. Diego and Sid looked at each other, very confused.

"What's… so… funny?" Diego asked, slightly uneasily.

"Sorry guys, It's just." He sighed, "I don't know what was funny. It's just that- I lost my family. And I know that I'll never fully recover from that. But, you both, have helped me. You're my family now." He smiled. "I know that it sounds corny… but."

"That was beautiful!" Sid exclaimed, crying, he ran up closer to Manny, and hugged him as tight as he could. Diego smiled at Manny, who smiled back.

"We're here for 'ya."

"Thanks, Diego, thanks Sid. But can you get off of me now?" Manny's eyes lit up, happily.

Sid sighed, "okay, okay, just as long as you're okay."

"Thanks guys. Sid you were right, that did help me feel better." Manny smiled.

"That's what you do in a heard." Sid finished. The gang smiled at each other, awkwardly.

They all soon went to sleep, and that night, Manny had a dream. It was about his Sophia, and his Seth. He decided, no he would never get over the deaths of his first family. But this second family made just about everything feel right again.

Well, there we have it! My first one-shot ever! : ) Hope you liked it! I just saw Ice Age 3 today, it was so cute! So I wrote this in celebration, again, I hope you liked it! Please leave a review and tell me what you think! ; ]