Yeah, yeah I know it's kinda weird to put two chapters up within like, 30 minutes of each-other, but I wanted to build suspense. Plus, I really wanted to definitely put Chapter 2 up tonight.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age or the characters (except, well, you know who I came up with)

Ellie and Peaches stood over Shira's body, with Louis on Peaches' head, watching the tigress' chest rise and fall as she breathed. Suddenly, her chest stopped rising and falling, and she attempted to sit up straight. Keyword: attempted. She collapsed back on the tree-floor, whining in pain. Ellie reached out to her with her trunk.

"Shira, sweetheart, what is it?" she asked kindly.

"The cubs! Where *gasp* are the cubs!" panted Shira. Ellie's eyes grew wide. She turned to her daughter.

"Peaches! You and Louis go get the cubs and take them, erm, somewhere else!" demanded Ellie.

"Why can't we bring them here? Miss?" added Louis quickly.

"Louis, they're mother is lying in a puddle of blood on the floor with a spear in her side! They can't see that! Aztec and Carmen are only young!" explained Ellie, as patiently as she could.

"Are you having a slow day or something?..." asked Peaches sarcastically.

"Just go!" sighed Ellie, waving them off with her trunk.

"But-"

"GO!" roared Shira, losing her temper at last "JUST GO AND GET THE CUBS!" She then returned to gasping and whining while hugging baby Kisi. Startled, Peaches hurried out of the tree, Louis clinging to her trunk,

"So, what do you think?" asked Manny, gesturing to the giant cave beside him "There's a spot for everyone! A lovely big rock for the tiger and his tigress-" Diego growled "- with two fine rocks next to it for the cubs,a large tree which – despite the fact it defies the laws of nature – is perfect for Ellie, Peaches and the possums, with a nice, soft mossy area underneath for me to sleep on, and finally, a pair of good-sized rocks for Sid and Granny!" Manny smiled proudly, pleased with himself for finding such a perfect place for them all to live during the winter months.

"Not bad" admitted Diego, inspecting the rock that he would share with Shira "Not bad at all."

"Well…" began Sid, before a rounded cane hit him on the back of the head "Ow! What the…GRANNY!"

Granny hobbled past Sid and Diego, waving her cane at them angrily.

"Well, get outta the way already! Granny wants to see her new home!"

"Granny!" groaned Diego "How'd you follow us!"

"Where's Precious gonna sleep?" asked Granny, completely ignoring him.

"Granny, Precious is a whale, she can't sleep in the cave with us!" explained Manny, trying to control his temper.

"Watch it fez!" snapped Granny "Now Precious may be a little bloated but she's no whale!"

This long day, thought Diego, just got longer.

"Hey, so, if we've officially decided that this is gonna be the cave we migrate to, can we, maybe, GO HOME!" he shouted angrily.

"Aww, does the tiger miss his tigress?" teased Sid, in a cutesy voice. Diego growled deeply. Sid then decided to grab Granny and run. Smirking, Diego chased them. Manny rolled his eyes before following. Sometimes the herd could be so childish!

At exactly that moment, in a cave on the other side of the island, two tiger cubs were cuddled together, whimpering and mewling.

"Don't worry little sis, I'll protect you!" whispered Aztec quietly, patting his sister on the back while trying not to cry himself.

"Little sis?" repeated Carmen "I'm only 10 minutes younger than you!"

Both attempted a half-hearted laugh at this, but neither succeeded. Suddenly, they heard footsteps. Quick, heavy footsteps.

"A-Aztec!" stammered Carmen, only to be 'shushed' by her brother. She pressed herself against her brother, comforted by his firm and protective hold. A shadow appeared in the doorway, and it was getting closer and closer…

"DON'T HURT US!" cried both cubs at the same time. They did that a lot.

"Hurt you?" repeated Peaches "Wouldn't dream of it!"

"PEACHES!" Both the cubs delighted flung themselves at the mammoth with extreme joy.

"And Louis!" said the little molehog, feeling hurt "I'm small not invisible!"

Peaches laughed, and so did the cubs, even though they hadn't heard what Louis said, they were just copying Peaches.

"Right, right c'mon kids! Me and Louis have to get you guys…uhm…somewhere else" Peaches smiled at the cubs. They both gazed up at her with confusion. She nodded.

"Yeah… I'll explain later"

Louis leapt up onto Peaches' head, using her topknot as a landing-pad, so that she could lift the cubs up onto her back.

"Hold on tight!" called Peaches "Ouch, okay not that tight!"

"Sorry!" squeaked Carmen, loosening her grip. And with that, Peaches took off to, uhm, somewhere else.

Okay, well that's Chapter 3 done with. Yeah, I know it's short, I just got excited. Hey, if any of you guys have any ideas of 1. Places that Peaches could take the kids, 2. Names for other hunters or friends of the cubs, and 3. Funny (or dramatic) scenes.

Not all ideas will be included, if I don't include yours, I'm sorry, but I've probably just had too many idea's sent in. I'm gonna do Chapter 4 tonight, but I'm planning it to be short, focusing on the hunters, the home-finders (Manny, Sid, Diego and Granny), and maybe a little bit on Shira's recovery (mental recovery, I'm still taking ideas for physical recovery and anyway I don't want her to get better too fast because Diego hasn't even got back yet).

Thanks a lot! :)