The herd sat by the fire Sid had made. They were all tired from the battle with the pirates that happened earlier that day. The sun wasn't yet going down, but soon it would and the herd would gladly welcome sleep. It had been a very busy day. The herds newest member, Shira was lay up against Diego's side with his fore-leg wrapped gently around her stomach. She wasn't really talking much to anyone beside Diego and Sid, when he was questioning her on 'The Life Of A Pirate'. She felt awkward being there. Not a week ago, they had been had fought with Diego on multiple occasions; she and her crew had tried to make Sid and Granny walk the plank; tried to keep Manny, Sid and Diego away from the rest of the herd. And now, they were welcoming her into the herd; Diego was lay up against her, holding her; they were accepting her.

Because of everything she'd done to them, she didn't really feel like she belonged with the herd... or if she should be allowed after everything she and the pirates put them through in that single week.

It was like Diego could feel how tense she was being there with him and the herd. He bent down to her ear and whispered.

"What's up? You OK?" Shira didn't really want to seem like she doesn't appreciate what Diego and the herd had done for her, because she does, so she just nods her head then rests it on Diego's paws.

Diego licks the top of her head and neck earning a small, barely audible purr; if he couldn't feel the vibrations in her throat he wouldn't have known she had purred at all. The rest of the herd sat watching the Sabres quietly, smiling. They knew, apart from Granny and Louis,that Diego had felt the loss of the same species as him. He had always sort of missed having Sabres around, but it had been ever since Peaches was born that he had felt it more than ever. Sid kept on saying 'It's his age. He wants a girlfriend.' Even though the herd didn't really know how old Diego actually was, Sid kept on saying this. Diego looked a few years younger than Manny, and he wasn't that old.

Ellie was looking at the Sabres when a sudden thought popped into her head.

"Shira?" Shira looked up at the female mammoth "How you feeling? After earlier? With Gutt?" Diego looked at Shira with a confused expression. She hadn't told him what happened when they Pirates first got to the Land-Bridge

"Better, still sore. I'll be fine. I've come back from worse than this."

"What do you mean, what's wrong?" Diego asked, concerned.

Looking at Shira, he spotted a dried red patch on her under-belly. How could he not of noticed that?! He stood up, stepped over to her and lay down facing her underbelly; looking at the red patch in more detail. He saw a medium-sized cut along her side. His eyes widened in surprise.

"How did you get that?! Gutt!" Shira sighed, letting Diego know that it was in fact Gutt that had hurt her. "If he wasn't already dead, I'd kill him!" It was safe to say that Diego was angry and frustrated that he couldn't have protected Shira from Gutt. If only she'd jumped on the ship with him instead of staying behind with that psycho.

"Diego calm down. I'm fine. Really." Shira licked his nose. But Diego wasn't going to accept that just yet.

"Why did he do this to you?"

"I can answer that." Peaches spoke to her Uncle, "Gutt and the pirates were rounding us all up and putting us on the ship when Gutt grabbed me and mom. They tied mom up and kept me. Gutt tried to cut my leg with the knife, but Shira stopped him. He didn't like that. He cut her up instead to get

revenge on Shira and you, Uncle Diego. He was going to wait for Dad to show up, before he hurt me and mom."

"And Shira was already hurt when the Pirates got to us." Crash said.

"Yeah Shira, how were you already hurt?" Eddie asked the Saberess, jumping onto her back.

"I let Manny, Sid and Diego get away from Gutt. It had consequences." Diego brushed Eddie off of Shira's back. He licked the dried blood off Shira's stomach gently making sure not to cause Shira to much pain when ever he licked near her cut.

As the sun went down the herd all went into the cave they'd found when they reached the island. It was just a temporary one until they found a larger one, as this one was quite small. Shira and Diego lay down together at the front of the cave. Diego once again licked Shira's stomach, Shira began purring

softly -because there was no-one besides the two of them left awake.

"Little Kitty enjoying the attention?" Diego asked, smirking.

"Don't call me Kitty!" Shira tried to act angry at him, but failed; Diego had started licking her again therefore she purred again. Diego laughed softly at her.

Once he was satisfied, he curled himself around Shira using his fore-leg to pull her close. Shira

nuzzled her head against his chest, earning herself a purr from the male.

"Softie..." She giggled

"Well what do you expect? Of course I'm gonna purr when the girl I've loved since I met her, starts nuzzling me..." Diego realised what he'd said and looked away, embarrassed.

"Like I said... Softie! But your my Softie now." Shira licked Diego's chest and he licked her head,

"I love you too Diego."

The two carried on nuzzling each other in silence for around 5 minutes before they settled down to goto sleep.

"Shira?"

"Yeah Diego?"

"I won't let anything hurt you... ever! I promise."

Shira smiled and licked Diego's muzzle slowly.

"I know. And I will love you and protect you forever. I promise."

The sabres shared a small, gentle kiss before falling into a peaceful, dream-filled sleep.