Ice Age Anthology

Chapter Seven: His Niece

Diego watched as his cubs raced off with Peaches. It seemed like only yesterday Peaches was their age, and now, she was so grown up and responsible. As her honorary uncle, Diego couldn't be prouder of her.

He remembered the first time he laid eyes, mere moments after her birth. She was a round, fluffy ball of sweetness. Once the herd had returned to the surface, Ellie offered to let Diego have a closer look. The macho saber tried to decline, but was pushed into it. For a moment, the calf and the cat just looked at each other. Then, Peaches tentatively stepped forward, and nuzzled against Diego's side. It was enough to warm even the most hard of hearts, and Diego gladly nuzzled her back.

As Peaches grew, Diego preferred to not get too close to her, fearing his sensitive side might show, which would set him up for endless jibes from Sid, Crash and Eddie.

But one day, Manny and Ellie desired some time alone. With Crash and Eddie out being daredevils, and Sid nowhere to be found, it fell to Diego to act as babysitter. Neither Diego nor Manny were too pleased about it. Manny held no prejudice against his friend, but felt he wasn't the babysitting type, which Diego agreed with wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, Ellie was adamant on having a romantic day out with Manny, "Even if I have to drag you by your trunk" being her exact words.

So the two mammoths left, leaving the reluctant Diego with Peaches. By then, Peaches had begun talking, and so gurgled a cheery "Hi!"

"Hey, kid." Diego replied gruffly.

"Wanna play?" Peaches asked.

"I, uh, don't do 'play'." Diego told her.

"Please?" Peaches begged, her green eyes gleaming.

"Oh, fine." Diego sighed. "What do you wanna play?"

"Tag!" Peaches yelped, tapping Diego with her trunk before running off, giggling.

Diego came after the young mammoth, catching up to and pouncing on her. They landed a little roughly. As Peaches got to her feet, she sniffled.

"Sorry, sorry!" Diego apologised, patting her head in an attempt to soothe. "This is why I don't play. I'm a little too rough for ya, kid. Tell you what, why don't we play something a little less... physical?"

Looking around, Diego spotted a small melon on the ground nearby.

"Let's try this." He offered.

Moving over to the melon, Diego pushed it with his paw, rolling it over to Peaches.

"Now, back to me." He told her.

Giggling, Peaches kicked the melon back to Diego, who returned it to her. They went back and forth for a while, before Peaches decided to mix things up. Sucking the melon into her trunk, Peaches fired it into the air, where it came on Diego's head.

Peaches giggled immensely, rolling on to her back.

"Real funny, kid." Diego grimaced as he wiped the melon juice off his face.

As Diego got to his feet, Peaches stared at him intently.

"What's the problem?" Diego asked, nonplussed.

Without warning, Peaches suddenly started pulling at his tail.

"Ow!" Diego yelled. "What'd you do that for?"

"Tail broke." Peaches said. "I fix."

"Fix?" Diego asked. "Oh, I get it. Look kid, I'm a saber. Our tails are supposed to be like this."

"Weird." Peaches shrugged. "Like your tusks."

"My teeth are not weird." Diego griped.

"Weird, weird, weird!" Peaches chimed mockingly.

"Oh, yeah?" Diego suddenly grinned.

Quick as a flash, Diego began tickling Peaches with the flats of his paw. The mammoth calf squealed with laughter.

"Stop! Stop!" Peaches giggled helplessly. "Okay! You not weird! You not weird!"

Diego stopped.

"Thank you." He grinned.

"No fair." Peaches pouted, before grinning again. "My turn!"

Using her trunk, Peaches started blowing raspberries on Diego's stomach. This time, it was the saber's turn to laugh helplessly.

"Hey, quit it!" Diego demanded between breathes.

With Diego on his back, Peaches took the opportunity to pin him. Her three hundred pound frame ensured there was no escape from her onslaught.

"Okay, I give!" Diego gasped. "You win!"

Pleased with herself, Peaches climbed of Diego.

"Nice pin there, kid." Diego said breathlessly. "If I didn't know better, I'd say there's a little saber under all that mammoth."

Diego gently poked Peaches's stomach.

"Unca Diego funny." Peaches chuckled. She then nuzzled against him. "Love you, unca Diego."

Taken aback by the sudden affection, Diego stood dumbfounded for a moment.

"I love you too, kiddo." He said finally, wrapping a foreleg around her shoulders.

In response, Peaches gently curled her trunk around Diego's neck.

Diego relished the memory of that day. Not too long before, he would have considered the notion of being an uncle to a mammoth ridiculous. Nowadays, he couldn't ask for a better niece.

How ironic, that the young mammoth he once babysat for was now babysitting his own offspring. For the first time, Diego realised how Manny must have felt when he realised his daughter was growing up, a feeling he would surely experience firsthand when his own cubs were full-grown. It was a daunting thought, but if they turned out even half as well as Peaches did, Diego couldn't be prouder of them.

To Be Continued...

(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios.)