After traveling a little ways, Diego glanced back at Roshan. "What are you doing!" the tiger asked. Manny and Sid also glanced back at Roshan. The boy was stomping through the snow making his footprints as big as possible.
Roshan glanced up at Diego and smiled. "Just playing" he said. "Playing what?" Diego inquired, "Lead the predators to us". Sid looked worried, "Do you really think he could!" he asked worriedly. "Maybe you should stop that" he told Roshan worriedly.
Manny smiled slightly, "Don't worry, Mr. Jittery" he said. "Diego's just kidding. The kid's foot prints won't lead predators to us any more than your stench would". Sid sighed, "that's a relief--Hey!" He crossed his arms at Manny's insult.
Roshan smiled. "I was just a little bored" he explained, "so I'm pretending I'm a baby mammoth!". Ellie smiled in amusement at this. Manny looked slightly shocked. Roshan turned to Manny smiling, "Aren't I cute!" he asked. "Uh- yeah" Manny said quickly, turned away. Roshan stopped smiling and looked at Manny. "You ok?" he asked. Ellie glanced at him as well now. Manny didn't answer.
"Uh--Roshan" Diego said, causing the boy to look at him. "Maybe you should just drop it. You don't remember the cave with the drawings and you didn't find out what me and Sid found out".
Crash and Eddie looked confused and intrigued by what all this secrecy could be about. "Cave, what cave?" Crash said. "Must have been before we met them" Eddie told his brother. Ellie turned a concerned look Manny's way, "Did something happen?" she asked. Manny shut his eyes and kept his face turned away, not her...he couldn't tell her. Ellie stepped closer, "Manny...come on, you know you can tell me anything". Manny turned to look at her once more, the most uncertain look he'd ever had currently on his face.
"No, I remember the cave" Roshan went on to Diego. He got a slightly far off look on his face and continued. "Yeah, Sid was commenting on all the drawings" he said. "There were tigers and antelopes--Oh yeah, then I got upset and Sid told me they were just playing tag!". Roshan smiled at Sid.
Diego looked surprised, "You remember a lot" he commented, "but maybe we better cut the conversation here". Roshan looked confused. "Why?" he asked. "I remember other stuff to. Like there was also this picture of a baby mammoth.".
Ellie heard this and turned a confused look first to the boy and then back to Manny, who still looked like he didn't know what to say.
Diego cleared his throat at Roshan, but the kid just kept on. "Yeah, I crawled over to it and looked at it" he said, "Then I recognized that it was a mammoth so I looked at Manny and--". The boy paused a minute as pieces started to fit into place.
"Manny looked upset" the boy whispered, "and when I fell on his trunk and he lifted me up he was--". Roshan's eyes went wide as he finally understood the meaning of the cave drawing. He covered his mouth with his hand. Diego sighed. "Finished with the story?" He asked. Roshan looked down and nodded, "Uh-huh" he said.
Manny kept his gaze on Roshan as he noticed the still confused and also sympathetic and worried look Ellie was sending him. He sighed, "Come on" he whispered, "Let's keep going".
"Manny..." Ellie began, taking a step after her friend who was also more. He didn't turn around.
Roshan glanced up at Manny and felt so bad he started to cry. Sid walked over and took the boy's hand. "Come on, you can walk with me" he said, trying to comfort the kid.
Roshan pulled away slightly and shook his head, then he glanced at Manny once again and began to run off. "Hey, kid wait!" Diego called after Roshan, but the boy didn't stop. "You can't get lost!" Crash shouted after him retreating form.
"Boy, he's really feeling guilty!" Sid said.
Manny sighed, "I'll go talk to him" he said. "You sure?" Diego asked. Manny nodded, "yeah". He glanced behind him at Ellie, "and I'll explain on the way" he continued. Ellie nodded, "I'm coming" she began as she dropped both of her possum brothers off with Diego and Sid, "and with the both of us we're sure to find him faster".
Manny nodded, "I only ask you hang back when I do find him...so that I might talk to him". He sighed again, "You'll understand after I explain". Ellie just nodded and followed after Manny as the two of them took off.
"Tell the kid we all love him!" Sid yelled. Diego glanced at Sid, then shook his head. "And that he's a part of the herd!" Sid continued. "And we don't want to lose hi-". Diego clamped his claw on Sid's mouth. "I think he gets the point" he said.
Ellie stared forward as her feet continued to just move along almost in a trance, yet how else was she suppose to react to Manny having just told her about his old family he'd lost. "Oh Manny..." she gasped. He shut his eyes, pausing for a bit, "Ellie I'm so sorry I didn't tell...". Ellie paused him by laying a trunk on his, "i...it's ok" she said, in a voice that didn't sound completely sincere. Manny bit his lip, "are...are you sure...I mean I'll completely understand if...".
Ellie both reprimanded herself and laid her trunk on Manny's once more, "No Manny, I'm sorry, I had no reason to be even a tad bit insulted...not after how good you've been to me all these years; and of course I understand why you were hesitant to say anything...I only...hope I'm not insulting the memory of your...of Sari" (ooc: yes I made up a name for Manny's old mate).
Manny immediately shook his head, "No of course not, I...I'll always love both of you". Ellie smiled, "I'm glad, and I love you too, but we've wasted enough time on my emotions with a small human child lost on his own. Let's go find Roshan". Manny nodded and they continued on in their search for Roshan.
Manny sighed as he and Ellie continued to follow Roshan's footprints. Even if the boy wasn't playing anymore, he still made footprints that were easy to follow when he ran.
Manny walked on, hoping he would find Roshan soon, before the kid got into any trouble. Suddenly the footprints disappeared though. Manny looked around him confused. Roshan wasn't anywhere in sight, so why did his footprints just stop here?
Manny then looked at the ground closer and found the answer. There, in the snow where clear scuff marks! The kid had scuffed his feet over his footprints while running and covered his tracks! Ellie's eyes went wide as she saw this as well. Manny sighed. "Why did Roshan do that!" He said worriedly. "Doesn't he know better! What if a pack of wolves or tigers or something else came along and we couldn't find him to save him".
Manny shook his head, he wouldn't think about that! He tried calling Roshan's name a few times, and Ellie even joined in, but for all they knew the boy was just not answering him. the two mammoth's tried not to worry as they continued their search.