A/N: Alright, a little delayed, I know, but it is a bit longer to make up for it. So, kind of emotional chapter here, be ready for that, I actually got a little teary to be honest. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it.

Respond to the comments:

Money100: Indeed, she is. Poor Keeva is just overwhelmed with emotional angst

White Hunter: Indeed, Sid, Manny, and Diego will be Keeva's long needed support system, in their own special ways. I would see Buck as a role model for her too, (and yes, he's crazy, I completely agree), but he's going to be far more than an Uncle figure to her. The OC in the BuckxOC is Keeva. This will be BuckxKeeva (don't look at me funny, he made his odd preferences for mates known when he married a pineapple lol). I do hope the pairing doesn't scare you off though.

Selenastarsparrow1230: Sorry for the delay, hon! Yes, it is BuckxOC, but don't worry there's going to be plenty and bonding and fluffy moments for Diego and Keeva (as fluffy as those two can ever be lol). I'm glad you like the slow build too, I was this close to just kick starting it in DotD, but it didn't seem right to do so.

Sydnee: Thank you so much, I'm glad you like it. I do try to keep it fast paced, but also heartfelt. I'm relieved to know that I seem to be succeeding. Enjoy the new chapter!

A Wolf's Cry

Chapter 6

"Will you keep up, please?" Manny said impatiently upon their return. "It's hard enough to keep track of one baby." Keeva snarled at him as she passed to walk beside Diego. The tiger's cold shoulder was what she really needed now, it'd give her a chance to reorganize her thoughts and pull herself back together.

It wasn't destined to be though, as suddenly Roshan was sliding past her and away from the group.

"Roshan!" she yelped, the panic jumpstarting her as she raced after him…

And then she was flying.

Then screaming.

Her breath was frozen in her throat as she looked for something that would slow her momentum, but there was nothing around her but slick cavern walls. Desperately, she looked over her shoulder, hoping she wasn't about to smash into anything full force. Her jaw dropped in horror as she saw the tunnel open into dead air, her body vaulting into it moments later.

She screamed on the way down too.

Not wanting to land on her back, she managed to twist around mid-air, but instead of hard ice, she landed on Manny's back. Followed closely by Sid, who landed in front of her, and then Diego, who landed on his flank. The tiger dug his claws into his tough hide for purchase.

"Captain, ice berg ahead!" Sid's sudden exclamation had her attention snapping forward, eyes widening at the sight of the hooked curve of ice. Their screams died as their momentum slowed until they eventually slid to a stop. Keeva relished in the stillness as she heaved for breath, only to have it hitch when she heard a soft crack and groan of the ice beneath them. Her body already tensing in preparation.

"Oh, no."

With an earsplitting crack they were falling, and screaming, again. Separating from Manny, each individual landed on a different icy slide, and suddenly Roshan was directly in her line of sight. Her heart soared, she'd been twisted and turned so many times she'd lost track of the boy.

He was still sliding away from her though.

Filled with determination, Keeva leaned her body forward until she was nearly laying across the ice, the new position allowing her to move at a faster pace. The others caught onto the same thought seconds later and she was suddenly in a race with Manny and Diego to reach little Roshan. Keeva's smaller body keeping her just ahead of them, and Sid remained in front of her using his hands to scoot him closer to the giggling baby.

About the time the sloth actually managed to get his hands on the baby he was sent flying over a hill, losing his hold on Roshan in his shock, and the baby went sailing high overhead. Keeva's heart jumped to her throat, bt there was nothing she could do as she too was sent flying over the hill.

"Manny!" She barked looking over her shoulder to see the mammoth already raising his trunk to catch the child. Relieved Keeva turned back to face the front, only to have her eyes widened in shock as she was sent smashing into a wall. Her body hit it with such a force that she was actually sent through it and toppling into Sid, who had met the same fate. "Sorry," she mumbled reflexively as she lifted herself off of the sloth. Only to have another body slam into her when Diego came crashing in.

Keeva yelped sharply as he crashed into her injured side, sending shockwaves of pain coursing through her body as she hit the ground. That was an odd feeling, being sandwiched between the snow and Diego's body, in fact it was kind of weird.

"Ugh, get off," she groaned when Diego continued to lay there staring at her stupidly. At least in her opinion. "Right. Sorry." The saber got off of her, but again she was unable to remain on her feet for more than a few seconds before someone else came smashing through the wall.

Being mowed down by a mammoth at top speed was a whole different kind of hurt.

Keeva pulled her head out of the snow with a groan and a tired huff. Giving a light shake of her head to rid the snow from the top of her head, she couldn't help but glare at Manny reproachfully. He seemed too tired to care though as he clutched a giggling Roshan securely in his trunk. Sid teetered dizzily at her side, muttering nonsense as he tried to sort himself out. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask about the tiger when he suddenly popped up out of the snow like a daisy.

"Woo! Alright, who's ready for round two?" Diego inquired excitedly, punching his paw through the air, only to falter as everyone stared at him as if he'd lost his marbles. "I-I mean, uh…t-tell the kid to be more careful."

Keeva shook her head again, but this time in mild amusement, rather than annoyance. She might've laughed were she not so tired, and her mood not so dampened, but as it were she really didn't want to be bothered with anyone's antics at the moment. She pulled herself to stand, shaking out the rest of the snow from her fur, ignoring her side's twinge of protest at her movement. "Mm!" Keeva was unable to fight off a light groan of pain, but managed to keep it discreet as she turned to face the tiger. "Which way?"

And just like that, they were moving again, back in their regular formation. Sid managed not to knock himself out again, and it wasn't long until caverns of ice became caverns of rock. Moving further in, cave drawings began to decorate the walls, man-made drawings. A flare of hope swelled in Keeva's chest, maybe Diego knew what he was doing after all.

"Oh, look!" Sid cried excitedly pointing out a picture on the wall. Keeva looked over, letting her eyes roam over the hunting scene with mild interest. Roshan whimpered as he looked at the image of sabers taking down a herd of antelope, but Sid was quick to reassure him. "Oh, don't worry, don't worry. The tigers are just playing tag with the antelope…with their teeth." Diego chuckled as he walked up alongside the sloth and baby, making Keeva tense. "Yeah, Sid, let's play tag," he purred. "You're it."

"Ah-heh," Sid chucked uncertainly, "very funny Diego."

"No witty comebacks, pet? Cat got your tongue?"

Keeva glowered up at the saber, who recoiled in shock. Not from the indignant glare that had come to be expected from her, but from the unfathomable sadness shining in her eyes. The poor girl looked positively tormented. When he didn't say anything, just stared with wide eyes and a dropped jaw, Keeva lowered her gaze back down to the cavern floor.

"Hey, Manny, look! Mammoths!"

"Oh, somebody pinch me," Manny drawled sarcastically as he started to pass the sloth by. "Aw! And look, he has a family!" Keeva, eyes still on the floor, found herself suddenly bumping into the mammoth when he stopped suddenly. The dark she-wolf peered up at him, first with agitation, and then with almost morbid realization. Manny's eyes were haunted, and she could tell that his mind was taking him far away, to someplace deep within that he'd rather not revisit.

Keeva stepped aside as the mammoth moved to look at the drawing as Sid continued to ramble, oblivious to Manfred's pain. Keeva eyed the pictures too, ears folding back in dismay at the scene depicted before her. A mammoth, his mate, and his calf, all being hunted by man. The bull, Manny, she'd have to guess, because why else would he be looking so brokenhearted? He was the only survivor, forced to watch his child die by man's spear, and his mate, cornered and desperate, have heavy stones dropped upon her. The wolf felt her eyes sting with tears, heart going out to the usually stoic mammoth at her side.

Without even thinking about it, Keeva leaned over and nuzzled Manny's leg as if it would offer him comfort, and she hoped it would. His head snapped down, dark brown eyes meeting lapis blue. For a moment, all he could do was stare wonderingly down at her, but then he saw it. The same way Diego had seen it, the tormented look in her eyes, the shadows of pain, and of grief. She'd known loss, loss of someone very dear to her. She was trying to convey comfort through understanding.

The mammoth had to look away from such open eyes, from all of her raw emotion. He couldn't take it. He scooped up Roshan in his trunk, before looking back at the wolf, still staring with a too emotional expression, but he met those eyes long enough to give her a nod. It wasn't curt, it was meaningful, and Keeva caught the message loud and clear.

Thank you.

A/N: Man! This almost turned out as long as the prologue…well, cut out my A/Ns and it's probably closer to 1500 or so, but still long compared to my other chapters…Anyway! Let me hear your thoughts and reactions to Keeva's angst, Diego seeing into that hurt, Manny and Keeva's emotional moment. As the story progresses we'll dive more into Keeva's past and the world of wolves, I know you guys have got to be dying for that, I know I am, and I'm the author! But in the meantime, I'll cook up another chapter for you.

See you in the next!