A/N: Feb 24, 2013: It's been a long time since I've written anything and I'm sorry for that. For more on my writing right now I've explained in more detail on my profile page. This is just a random story I thought of while watching Ice Age today. The events in this chapter is set during the first film when they come across the cave paintings. This is before the events of meeting Ellie in Ice Age 2 and delves slightly into Manny's past with his first family. Written at about 11:30 pm, I wouldn't expect perfect quality... There may be another chapter in the future about Diego's old pack.

1- Manny

The small herd of animals pulled themselves out of the snow and wandered into the cave, the rock a dark contrast to the snow at their feet. The cave itself was covered in a variety of brightly colored paintings, depicting many different animals such as the antelope, saber tooth tigers, and other familiar species.

Yet while his companions looked around in awe of the paintings, Manfred found himself spacing off and forging on ahead. He heard Diego and Sid talking behind him and the baby coo in response. He was almost to the exit when he heard Sid call from behind him.

"Oh look Manny! A mammoth!" he said.

Not turning around, Manny rolled his eyes, "Oh, somebody pinch me," he replied sarcastically.

Oblivious to Manny's indifference, Sid continued, "Hey, hey, this fat one looks just like you. Aww! And he's got a family! Oh, and he's happy!"

Manny flinched, turning to look at the painting Sid was pointing out. From the slight distance he could see the outlines of the family of mammoths. He moved forward, walking over to the painting to get a closer look.

"Look, he's playing with his kid. See, Manny, that's your problem. That's what mammoths are supposed to do. Find a she-mammoth, have little baby mammoths, and-" Sid said, yet Manny could barely hear him.

His eyes locked onto the painting, sliding over the figures of the family. The father, mother, and child mammoth. He could still hear Sid talking but his mind was somewhere else. On a memory he had been trying to forget. He heard Diego's voice cut in to the sloth's chattering, allowing silence to fall around them.

Suddenly he was back there again, on the worst day of his life. And, there she was, his first mate. Her light brown fur and bright blue eyes were as stunningly beautiful in his mind as they had been in real life. Then a smaller mammoth came running into his memories. A child- his child- and he came running up to greet him.

He smiled, and he wrapped his trunk around the younger before the child ran off to play. His mate smiled warmly up at him and moved in close to wrap her trunk around his. He relaxed and tightened a hold on her. But then the memory turned sour.

Manny heard a distant young cry, and his young son came running into his field of vision, being chased by a herd of humans. His mate and he broke apart and he turned to face the attackers. Run. Get out of here.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his family run away from the hunters. He started his attack on the hunters in front of him but he was soon surrounded, being attacked on all sides. He heard another cry, and whirled around to see a horrifying sight. His mate and child had been backed up against the rock face of a cliff, hunters blocking off any exits. Their spears keeping them intimidated. Stop! Leave them alone!

Manny tried to push towards them but the hunters kept them separated with their weapons. He saw more humans from above, holding large rocks and he watched in horror as they attacked his family from all sides. He heard another pain-filled cry, not realizing it was his own. No… stop! No please… NO!

He closed his eyes, forcing himself out of the memory. When he reopened them he looked down at the picture of the young mammoth. He reached out his trunk, petting the wall, thinking back to his young child. The stone was so cold… if only he could see his family one more time… if only he could hold his child one last time.

He felt himself overcome with emotions, threatening to crush him, when suddenly his trunk brushed up against something warm. He snapped out of his daze, blinking repeatedly as the images faded from his mind, realizing a small hand had come up to join in petting the painting. His eyes warmed and he looked down to see the human child standing in front of the wall, holding himself up with his hands pressed to the painting.

The child turned to him, and wobbled. Manny caught him before he could fall and lifted the child into the air. He looked at him carefully, and he saw the human smile up at him. Without thinking, he pulled the child towards him and he felt him hug his trunk. Manny felt his eyes watering yet he couldn't help but smile as the child hugged him back tightly.

He closed his eyes, thinking back to his own child, the young life taken by the hands of hunters. He had felt very uneasy at the beginning of their journey about saving the child. He thought that the young boy was going to grow up to be like the hunters someday, but he couldn't see that happening now. This child- human or not- was very much like his own. Manny closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the youth before finally pulling away, placing him back on his back before turning to the exit.

This time... I will protect my family.

-O-