"Good morning, Louis." A keen mammoth greeted her little friend. This just crawled out of his hole with a yawn.

"Morning." He replied somewhat tired and rumbled his eyes. The molehog was simply not a morning animal.

"Hey, if you really don't feel like it you can still go back to sleep." Peaches suggested even if she had been looking forward to the trip. Finally, it wasn't something they could do every day.

"No it's not that. I'm just not used to this good mood this early." The girl frowned a little on this.

"I'm sorry I.." She began but he quickly realized how she had taken his sentence.

"No. I didn't mean it in that way. I think it's good that you spread good mood with your beautiful smile." When he stretched and looked around she came with her head down to him.

"Beautiful smile?" She asked a little mischievously while the other only then noticed what he had just had said.

"Well...you know you look good every day so .." Louis began to stutter because he still wasn't used to it. He just wanted to muster the courage to make Peaches a decent compliment but then he saw her father appearing behind her. This looked like as he heard their conversation.

"The day is very beautiful, isn't it sir?" The prickly one just said meekly then. The younger mammoth then turned around a bit disappointed.

"Dad, why are you awake already? Weren't you with Uncle Sid and Uncle Diego up all night?"

"Peaches I'm afraid your father wasn't even in bed yet." Ellie told then who appeared beside her husband.

"I just can't sleep when these striped rodents permanently whisper something in my ear. I dream that crap that comes from them every time. But I also didn't wanted to wake you too just so I can sleep." Manny said a little grumpy to his wife.

"It's all right. Now I'm awake and can take care of that so you can sleep." Ellie assured him before she looked at the younger two.

"I'm sure you also wanted to do something. I wish you a good time." So she winked at her daughter and took the male mammoth's trunk to guide him to her sleeping place.

"Are you still getting nervous when my father is near?" Peaches wanted to know from her boyfriend while they were leaving the place too.

"Well he could trample me after all when he finds it out." The mammoth rolled her eyes because the one they talked about had noticed it long before but as long as Louis is unwilling to disclose it she wouldn't say anything. Only her mother knew it they are a couple.

"You live for a while with us now. Don't you think he observed it?"

"Now that you mention it but I always think that he has maybe thought of something better for you."

"Yes, for example, to die as an old maid." Both had to smile because they really could imagine that he would say something like that. They strolled by a few fruit trees along and indulged themselves a meal. Peaches always handed Louis a few fruits down even he was allowed to climb on her back if he wanted. He did it rarely.

When they had eaten they went further because they wanted to a specific place today. They arrived at the square who they celebrated a bit last night. Peaches, her friend and her mother went home at the nightfall. Louis then went to sleep without another word and she even knows why. The theme of the party made him depressed but he also doesn't wanted show her that. Peaches noticed it anyway and talked with her mother about it. Finally she doesn't want that Louis was always sad because of it.

"Hey aren't that Sid and Diego?" So her little friend pulled her from these thoughts. She followed his gaze and realized that he was right.

"Should we wake them up or call everyone so they can see that too?" Said the mammoth amused. Before her hooves lays a saber-toothed tiger and a sloth. They are blissfully sleeping and cuddling with each other. But unfortunately the big cat blinked. Surprised, he looked around because it wasn't his normal sleeping place.

"Good morning Uncle Diego." She couldn't resist it to giggle. It was only then that the tiger realized where he was and what was on him. He quickly got up and threw the other animal down.

"Sid what have you mixed in this berry juice?" The saber tooth wanted to know and shook the other one. The sloth first answe was only a belch. The other three stepped back a little disgusted. Nevertheless, the lazy animal slowly sits up.

"Grandma it isn't so bright yet. Let me.." But Sid didn't come further because he suddenly felt like throwing up. He quickly got up now and ran behind a bush.

"Well that should be a lesson to you." The mammoth said and the molehog sniffed an empty coconut shell.

"The berries were already on fermentation. So that could be the reason why he felt so bad." He said and put the shell back.

"Come on Sid, we should clean up here and then go wash ourselves." Diego sniffed at his fur and noticed that Shira wouldn't let him back into their cave like that.

"Where is Manny? He just is running away from all this work." The sloth complained as he looked around searchingly. Of course, he was the one who just doesn't want to clean up and with a large mammoth everything was going much faster. Then he noticed the one before him.

"My father is just gone to sleep. I think it isn't so good if you wake him again now."

"Peaches, can you help us? You don't have anything to do now right?" She sighed then she doesn't really desire it.

"Oh come on it's going fast if we help all four together." Louis looked away from his girlfriend to the sloth. Then he know the tricks of the sloth how to do nothing.

"Sid you collect all the coconut and pineapple shells." The molehog began to distribute the jobs.

"Nothing more." He was glad with this and grabbed one already. Diego turned his buddy and then he saw that almost the half beach was full with it.

"We are clearing the fireplace. Peaches get some water so that we can make out the embers. If it starts to burn again inexperienced could hurt themselves." The mammoth nodded and did as she was told.

"Diego you collect on all branches. It shouldn't be that much. After that you can go home."

"Are you sure?" Although Diego wanted as quickly as possible to go to his wife but he doesn't want to leave his friends alone with all the work.

"Of course. Yesterday was a party for you two sabers after all. I think that you shouldn't do the cleaning then." The tiger let this through his mind again and then nodded. The little one in front of him was smart and reasonable. Someday Manny has just to accept the decision of his daughter, he thought before he went to work.

"So that would be done." The molehog was really awake after all that and felt better from the good deed.

"It was still not fair that you just let Diego go." The sloth groused as he threw himself tired in the sand.

"Oh come on Uncle Sid. It wasn't that much work."

"You're a lot bigger than me. Of course it was easier for you." He grumbled to himself.

"Now you can go back to sleep." Added Louis but then he suddenly sneezed.

"You're full of ash. Come, we go to the water." So they let the sloth back which is probably sleeping again.

"Now we spent the half day with cleaning up already." Peaches sighed because actually she thought it wouldn't take so much time.

"It wasn't so bad. We also have done our good deed for the day." The mammoth nodded as she sprayed water over her friend to get everything black out of his fur. When he felt clean again he got out of the shallow water and dried off with a fluffy sheet. That was, unfortunately broken because it got hung on his quills.

Back to their normal way Peaches thought again about what she wanted to talk with her boyfriend.

"Isn't that wonderful Shira and Diego finally getting children?" She still remembered as the silver-haired tigress had announced that. The tigress wanted perhaps to say it only to Diego alone but he hadn't expected something like that and told her everyone could hear it. The result was that everybody was happy about this news. Only the male saber-toothed tiger couldn't cope with it and passed out completely.

"Yes that's great for them. I also have never seen a saber tooth so quickly on the ground." The little one said because he recalled that too.

"Me neither. Probably everyone gets weak by such news. I wonder if he will turn out like my father."

"You know your father is just careful. I would probably do the same if I were in his place." His voice was getting quieter in the end because he doesn't really want to talk about the subject which is a burden to him. But now he probably would have to do it. So he stopped in his tracks.

"Louis?" Worried she bent down to him because of course she noticed the change of mood. If you know someone for so long you learned things from the other. So she went slowly closer to him. He briefly stroked her trunk as it lay on his shoulder.

"You know I wouldn't blame you if you want to be with someone else to..you know.." At the words he couldn't even look into her eyes because of course the act would hurt him.

"When I what?" The mammoth didn't quite know what the molehog was talking about.

"You still wish you could have your own family...and with me you could never have that." He whispered but Peaches still understood everything. Louis had entirely turned away from her now. A thick lump filled his throat and he couldn't swallow it down so easy. His girlfriend had certainly never asked something like that of him but now that he made the suggestion she would be able to do it. He doesn't want that she can't be a mother just for his sake.

"Do you wish for it?" She inquired as quiet as him and she knew if he says yes then she would do it. Louis managed to make her happy every day and sometimes just with his presence. She would do anything so she could give him the same back.

"I .." His voice was suddenly so broken and she knew that it wasn't easy for him.

"How about you meet cute molehog girl and.." But she couldn't speak the sentence to the end because he already turned frantically to her.

"I would never do something like that!" He professes and then he recognized in her expression that she wanted to bring him to say that.

"See? I don't want that, too. After all I have my family and you're a part of it." So she pressed him gently to her. Louis sighed contentedly and leaned slightly against Peaches. He could count himself as lucky to have someone like that girl. Of course, her relationship wasn't always so easy. Third parties don't always understand this but as long as they always had each other they would be ok.

"But if it should overcome me to be a mother anyway then you have be my child." Joked the mammoth as it again let go of him and stood up.

"Of course." He shook his head on this and walked on. But then she started to tickle him on the belly with her trunk.

"Has my little baby really washed himself everywhere?"

"That's not funny." Louis it didn't really like it when someone made fun of his size but as the mammoth teased him like that he just has to laugh. She doesn't want to show mercy and so he had no choice but to dig into the earth to escape the attacks. Peaches saw that she probably was over doing it.

"Come back to the surface. I stop it, ok?" The molehog decided to follow her request but tickled her now. He found it only fair.

"Fine I understand. I never do it again." She snorted and then fell laughing to side. Confident of victory, Louis smiled down at her as he stood up on her other side.

"You just shouldn't mess with me." But she still had a trump card. She rolled around easily so that she was now completely on the back and the molehog lie a little shocked flat on her underside now. When his head was on her chest he could hear the rapid heartbeat. This probably went so quickly from the previous action. Nevertheless, he closed his eyes then the sound soothed him immensely as this normalized slowly again.

"You're not planning to sleep there?" She asked as her little friend stopped moving. He quickly jumped off her when he finally realized that she probably couldn't get up if he remained in this position.

"Sorry I was.."

"Louis, you don't need to apologize for that. Or should I apologize if I do something like that?" To illustrate her words she stroked him with her trunk over the belly then up to behind the ears where she scratched him lightly. He smiled and pushed her trunk aside even if the massage felt good.

"Of course not." In short, he looked around again then he gave her a shy kiss on the trunk before he let it completely go. Slightly embarrassed Peaches pulled it back now.

"We should go on." She means to change the subject and also that Louis couldn't look into her face. Finally, they were adults and thus she shouldn't have to be ashamed of her feelings. Yet she doesn't want to let him see that he can make her blush.

"You don't have to run this fast!"

"We have to hurry or we'll never get there in time." The molehog didn't come to an answer then his girlfriend swung from branch to branch now. So there was only the way through the underground. He was also much faster there. But the mammoth didn't know how else to get rid of the butterflies that rose in her belly. Her boyfriend really confused her sometimes with his small expressions of love. It was one thing to which she couldn't get used to.

"We don't have to be this fast. The night can't run from us after all." The little one cried as loud as he could so that she understood him.

"Yes but who knows whether a clear sky is available all the night."

"Well yes but.." Irritated Peaches looked down as the voice of the other suddenly failed. She quickly realized why Louis didn't continue.

"Did it hurt much?" She asked compassionate because her boyfriend had hit his head again but this time against a stone.

"It is ok but I could have been more careful." A little annoyed he rubbed this place as he completely got out off the ground.

"The rest of the way we can walk unhurried. It's not that far anymore." He suggested and the mammoth sighed but agreed and came from the tree.

"Here, take some snow." So she trickled some of the white stuff on his head.

"Thank you." He holds the cold for so long to the bumped place until it melted. The same time they ran on. When the snow melted on his head, he stroked the wet fur back. So they walked for a while in a comfortable silence. The molehog just wanted to ask her if they should still look for something to eat but then he saw something frustrating.

"Is something wrong?" Peaches wanted to know when she saw his worried expression.

"Look there." He pointed to the sky and the mammoth turned in that direction. Disappointed, she realized that there was a dark cloud.

"Oh no and I thought it stays nice all day today."

"The sun isn't down yet. Maybe it just goes by." Peaches liked that the prickly one was always so optimistic but it doesn't last long and the water poured so from above. The two searched hastily something where they could stay under. As the larger animal saw a rocky outcrop she grabbed her little friend and ran with him there.

"So here at least we don't get so soaking wet." She said and crawled backward under the rocks because she was too big for it while standing. The rain seemed somehow to have no end and now Louis didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry." He was upset because he would have found it nice if the trip would have been gone well.

"Hey, you're not responsible for the weather."

"Nevertheless, you were so happy and the next full moon comes only back after some time."

"There is nothing we can do there." Peaches found that Louis was too far away. So she pulled him a little closer to her.

"What are you doing?" The smaller one inquired uncertain.

"No one is here and I haven't cuddled with you lately."

"You know my spines.." But she interrupted him already from talking more.

"I got used to them and you should know I have thick fur." The molehog sighed with a blush and endured the whole thing. After a while the mammoth stopped because she had the feeling he doesn't seem to like it. A little crestfallen she let go of him. In the beginning, when he told her that he saw more in her than just a friend he looked forward to times they could be alone and cuddle with each other. Now it seemed he doesn't want to come near her at all. Maybe it has become clear to him that the whole thing with her was too much. Finally, they both just confessed that they were more than friends but no one spoke of love.

She wondered what negative thoughts she had while she was here alone with her boyfriend. If there was something to discuss then Louis wouldn't hide it from her.

"Peaches? Are you okay?" He worriedly looked at her.

"Yes."

"I've called you twice but you were apparently deep in thoughts. It has stopped raining but if you don't feel well we could stay here." Surprised, she looked outside. It was true, the clouds had cleared and the sun came out again. She shook her head, smiling.

"I'm really ok." And without warning her little friend she grabbed him, crawled back out of the stone and ran. The rain had in fact already taken some time and the sun began slowly to go down.

But the molehog gave no words of complain back because he found it also great that they could go to their place now. This was in a mountain behind a waterfall. Once you left the steep path and the water behind you came to a cave. It was rather a passage in which the molehog had always to lead the mammoth because the light wasn't so good there. Of course it wasn't so dark that Peaches saw nothing but she liked it when Louis held her trunk and so she wouldn't say anything. On the other side of the aisle there was their secret place. It was like a hole in the mountain. Moreover, it was very high because before on the edge it goes pretty steep down. They were here because of the view you could see everything from here. Their homes, the beach and the mountains but most importantly was the view of the sky.

"You see, we still made it in time." The prickly one said and was just as happy about the fact. The sun had been by the horizon but they were still able to watch as she left the country.

"It's beautiful." Peaches then turned to her little friend. This looked almost dreamily at her. But when he noticed that she looked at him, he cleared his throat and looked quickly back out.

"Yes, it's beautiful." The mammoth just smiled and let come silence over them. A little light gave the sun still but that didn't stop the stars from appearing already.

"What do you think if we stay overnight here today?"

"We're going to sleep earlier yesterday because of the long walk. Maybe it was too much for you that you ran the last part. It's better if you lay.." She short held his snout with her trunk so he couldn't go on talking in a rage.

"Louis, I'm not tired and I don't feel the need to lie down now. I only suggested it because here we can really be alone. She was thinking of her parents, uncles and neighbors who lived nearby. They hadn't lots of privacy in their herd and it doesn't matter so much to her but if there was a chance like this offered then they should use it.

"If you don't want then that's fine." She added and played a little disappointed.

"Of course I want." That came a bit too loud from the molehog because their hiding place gave his sentence as an echo back. Embarrassed because he heard his own voice, he turned away and scratched his head sheepishly.

"I mean here isn't a tree near you can hang on."

"You know I can sleep on the floor. So out with it! What is the real reason?" The prickly one sighed and looked at his feet.

"Of course I like to spend time alone with you but at the same time I always fear that something could happen to you. The view is wonderful but if we stay until morning other animals could also find a way up here. Peaches I know you're strong but I always can't help you in dangerous situations as I would like it. I.." Once again she held him from talking on with the trunk and raised his head.

"Don't worry so much or you will end like my dad." She said jokingly and let him go to sit down comfortably.

"I know but.."

"But nothing. Today I say it to you as your girlfriend that you should stop and have to enjoy the evening with me." Louis smiled and gave in. Then she was also right. He couldn't always and everywhere be worried. Thus he looked back into the now starry sky. Suddenly he saw something sparkle.

"Peaches over there!" Although the mammoth immediately turned the head in the direction she saw nothing unusual.

"What was it?"

"There was a small shooting star and I wanted you to see it too."

"We definitely see more but for now you can make a wish."

"I.." Again his snout has been locked.

"You can't say it out loud. Otherwise it isn't coming true."

"I don't want to say that. Also I have everything I've ever wanted." He now looked at her with a smile and she knew what he meant.

"Oh Louis." Joyfully and without warning she pulled her little friend closer.

"Hey, it's all right. Actually, we came up here to look at the moon." So she let him go again. This time she wanted to know if her thoughts from earlier were correct.

"Don't you like it anymore when I touch you like that? Do I hurt you? I actually thought that I can control my strength but.." The prickly one put his paws on one of her front legs to calm her down.

"I know that you would never hurt me and of course I like to be close to you."

"But you do feel uncomfortable."

"Believe me, it's not you. It's just.."

"Yes?" She asked as he turned away because he didn't know if the next step was really correct now.

"Every time you pull me to you I am hot and cold at the same time. I'm happy and I'm also afraid that I say or do something that I can't take back afterwards." Only for a brief moment, the mammoth was speechless but she knew very well what he was talking about.

"I love you." She could see how the fur on the neck of the little one got up by her sentence. Whether it was from joy or shock she didn't know that but she was serious.

"Something like that for example." She added to tease him a bit. Peaches also don't want let the whole thing hang in silence and to calm her heart down.

"Yes, something like that." He confirmed with a played laugh to not to show that he felt caught.

"I know we are here because of the stars and the moon but could you briefly look at me." He followed her request even if it means his heart became louder and louder. He wondered if she could hear it with her ears. When he saw her face he got her warm smile he liked so much. The one for which he would do anything to see it more often.

"I mean it. I love you." Repeated Peaches whispering and Louis was sure if he dies now, it wouldn't even bother him.

After a while the larger animal is getting a little nervous because her friend seemed frozen. Perhaps she had got it all wrong and her confession was completely out of place.

"Louis?" Carefully, she touched him on the shoulder and then he came out of his trance. She was glad that the moon shone so brightly over the land or she couldn't have seen his happy face.

"Yes..of course I also..I mean I love the same.." He was so happy over her words that he now stumbled over his own. Then he short closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down again.

"I love you too. I really wanted to say that." Now she could see the relief as if a heavy weight fell from his shoulders. Satisfied, he put himself down so that he could sit at her side without pricking her.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Peaches inquired as she looked up at the moon again.

"I wanted to but there always came something in between. Just like on the day when we were swimming." She had to ruffle the fur on his head with her trunk on that.

"At first I thought all day you were in a bad mood because you couldn't in the water but then in the evening I noticed that you were jealous."

"I'm sorry, but when I see these large and handsome mammoth men around you then it just annoys me." The molehog said open now and was a little ashamed of his childish behavior.

"Because of this you jumped in front of the one guy when he came up to me? He really could crush you. Even if he has spines in the foot afterwards."

"Yes, I know that he only wanted to pull out the water plant from your hair."

"Besides, I had already told him when we were swimming that he has no chance because I already have a boyfriend."

"You haven't told that." He said puzzled now.

"I didn't want to talk about that at night again and the next morning I forgot it because Uncle Diego woke us in such a panic." Both had to laugh as they thought back to it because the male saber tooth responded here and there a little too nervous because of Shira's pregnancy.

"When the children are there you will be Aunt Peaches." Said the little one smiling.

"That sounds so old. We'll see how they call us Uncle Louis." Both looked just now in the beautiful night sky outside and enjoyed being together in silence. Of course they discovered other shooting stars but they had only one wish. They want always stay together.