"Hey guys!" Katie came excited finally back in to her pack. After she met Louis she doesn't wanted to go straight to them again. She just wanted to enjoy some delicious fruits and then take a relaxing bath. Even if she was friends with Steffie, so she needed from time a moment for herself. This moment lasted today the whole day. When she wanted to wander back again, she ran into two possums on the way. Again, she asked after Peaches. But instead of simple response she got a fantastic story. She described this just to the other mammoths now.

"Really?!" Ethan couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. The molehog went against saber-toothed tigers. He had already noticed these strangers. Despite his impressive size, he always found it better to avoid them. Of course, he wasn't afraid, but he wasn't also keen on a fight with them.

"If I'm telling you this you can believe it!" Affirmed Katie. She found the whole thing very interesting. Once Louis and Peaches are back, she will squeeze every detail out of them. Somehow not really much happened without the two in their group. She was getting too old to just admire only Ethan every day. In addition, the light-haired mammoth also knew he wanted only to do something either with Steffie or with Peaches. It was fine for her, with the time she found out that Ethan wasn't really her type. Sometimes he was too immature and too much of a poser for his age. She couldn't really blame Peaches that she prefers to hang around with Louis than with him. Besides her little friend was really a nice and smart guy. Apart from the fact that he wasn't a mammoth she found him ok. But she also knew that Ethan doesn't like him. He perhaps didn't mind the little ones per se. It was just so that he was jealous of him. But instead of saying what he wants, he prefers to play the cool one. But that couldn't work forever. Eventually her friend Steffie will see that she either do the first step herself or she must forget the guy.

The other mammoths would be lying if they said they weren't impressed. Ethan was a bit disgruntled over this. It wasn't that he doesn't found the action cool somehow. It was just that he looked ridiculous to all that. Even if he knew that Peaches never do compare her friends to each other, he still felt neglected. She might not see it, or maybe it was because the molehog didn't want to be seen, but he had noticed the amorous glances which he secretly threw at her. It is bad enough that the little boy had a crush on a mammoth, but why it had to be one on which he had already in his sight. That his chosen one also tried to win distance from him wasn't something that improved his mood. He wasn't used to fighting for attention of a girl. Usually they always came of their own accord to him. He had urgently to think of something. Losing wasn't an option for him.

"The little one is so brave. Perhaps you could learn one thing or two from him." So the blonde mammoth pulled him back to reality. Ethan rolled his eyes and turned away from her.

"Everyone had done something like that in such situation." He grumbled a little out of tune. How could he have time to impress the mammoth girl when she barely was nearby? So he made up his mind firmly to do something with Peaches tomorrow.

Oh no, thought Steffie annoyed. She knew namely that look on Ethan. This presumably means that he was up to something. Well, today, he would surely not want to sneak to Peaches, unless he is keen on a conversation with her father. Somehow it seemed to her benefit that this old mammoth was so small minded. So at least he couldn't slink to Peaches at night. Otherwise he would have already done it if he could. Maybe the two would then already be a couple. She couldn't allow that under any circumstances. Again and again she wondered what was so interesting about the possum girl. Well yes she is a lot more flexible because she swung through trees like a monkey. But that wasn't exactly a good trait for a mammoth. According to their knowledge, they should move always graceful and proud. Finally, they were the largest animals on land. Everyone should respect them.

"There you are. I was beginning to worry." Ellie said joyfully as she encountered her husband and the others near to their sleeping place. But as she was just looking around she noticed the one they had really wanted was still missing.

"Don't tell me you couldn't find Louis..." But before she could end her sentence Manfred already came in between.

"Calm down. Of course we found him. Peaches said he would go home and recuperate right."

"Oh well. None of us thinks badly of him if he needs time for himself. I mean what he did in two days happened to nobody of us." Diego added and could understand the motive.

"You should also go. It's getting late." The mammoth mother turned with a sly smile to the tiger. This looked a little skeptical at her. Since he had absolutely no idea what that means.

"OK. You're probably right. I should lie down alike in order to go a little easy on my shoulder."

"Yes you should." Ellie replied back with a smirk. Diego found it slowly quite strange. So he turned and ran off.

"Until morning." That was the last thing he said before he was completely gone.

"Say it Ellie, you did something with Shira while we were looking for a retiree sloth on the beach." Wanted Crash bring his sister to talk it out. She only smiled silently as she turned back to Manny. Her brothers didn't have to know everything after all.

"Is Peaches already gone to bed?"

"Yes. It was a long day for all of us. By the way we have picked up some people on the road which now sleep in our cave, but only for today. As I see it tomorrow will be a long day too. If you did not mind then I'll go to sleep now too."

"Great. I thought we get an adventure story told before we go to bed, but no everyone is too slothful for that." Eddie began to complain.

"Apparently everyone has done something adventurous today. Only we were bored all day." The other possum took a part to the wailing.

"But now is it enough guys. We now just go to sleep. We can even come up with something great tomorrow that we could do, ok?" Crash was already beginning to yawn.

"Alright. but just because everyone here infects us with sleep. Even Peaches is already in bed and it isn't properly dark yet."

"Yes that must mean something." Eddie said and stretched his body. Ellie really had to agree with her brothers there. Her daughter goes rarely so early to sleep. So the trip must have been exhausting. Maybe she is not asleep yet, thought the female mammoth and wanted to come closer to the tree where Peaches hung on. But the possums wanted to do something else. They wanted in fact just sneak away, but she had known this tricks since she was little.

"Where are you going?"

"Um, we didn't slink over to the cave, if you were thinking that." Stated Crash and found that there was no better excuse in the moment. His brother only slapped his paw in his face to that response. Although nothing better would have been on his mind he wouldn't have said that. The mammoth mother kept the two right in front of her face.

"You can sleep over there if you want." The possum brothers were very excited at the announcement, because they knew that there's a 'but' coming.

"If get on Manny's or our guests nerves in the night then there's trouble. Got it?"

"Got it" It came synchronously from the rodents and both disappeared satisfied in the direction of the cave.

"They will also never grow up." Ellie sighed and turned again in the direction of their sleeping place.

"Hey sweetheart, went the rescue operation well?" Asks the mother of her daughter when she realized that she was still awake and looked head over in the sky.

"Hey Mum. Yes everything has been great." The younger mammoth explained it with a small smile but a little absent.

"But?" Ellie hooked by because otherwise her girl wouldn't act so depressed if all went well.

"I don't know. Maybe tomorrow everything looks different."

"If you say so. Good night."

"Although for the mother that sounded not so good, but she didn't want to question Peaches more.

"Good night Mum."

A little exhausted strolled Diego now to the cave, hoping that at least his roommate felt a little better than him. Because he didn't have enough power to stay awake tonight and take care of her. But that doesn't mean he wouldn't do that if he had to. Then he saw her already sitting at the cave entrance, she probable had been waiting for him. He quickly tried to tighten his exhausted body to not look tired.

Of course the female saber-toothed didn't miss it because she watched him since he had arrived at the foot of the mountain.

"And? Was the trip successful? " She inquires curious.

"Yes, all are safe and sound back at home." He just walked into the cave and was amazed when he found something to eat. She of course followed him.

"I thought that you were hungry when you get back."

"Fish?" Irritated, he looked at the scaly something.

"Well I couldn't ask Ellie to help me catch a gazelle." She explained a little offended because she actually thought that he would be glad about it.

"Shira it's okay. I just thought you didn't have to do it in your condition."

"In my condition?" Yes she admitted she still felt bad this morning and also after the attack she wasn't in form. But now she felt better and she wanted to do something good for him. It made her a bit angry that he only thought of how she was. Then her expression changed as she perceived how he smelled.

"Say, where have you been? You smell as if you were buried alive."

"Thank you." Said the male tiger with a sarcastic tune and simply began to eat, since he really was a little hungry.

"It wasn't meant like that. I'm glad you're back safe." While she said that she snuggled closer to him. It corresponded to the pure truth of what she uttered.

"Ehm, Shira I just wanted to say..." Diego began to talk. The thoughts he had while he was briefly under the earth, he had to reveal now. Ultimately, he never knew what was coming tomorrow. He short breathed deeply in and out.

"Yes?" She whispered and was very close now. But that let him abruptly fall silent again. In Diego's head was chaos. 'Beware very beautiful but mesmerizing eyes! Quick cancel this! Abort mission!'

"Diego? Are you okay?" She was worried when she saw a bit of panic on his face.

"We ... I should go to sleep. It was a strenuous tour." He distanced himself from her and went in his usual corner. Unintentionally he left his flat mate with a feeling that told her that she had done something wrong. He just didn't want to face her so weak but yet he had forgotten what it meant when a female brought a male saber fodder.

But Shira shook everything away that just went through her mind. Maybe it really was a tough day for her companion and so she ran to her corner where she fell asleep before she started to cuddle to the other. She understood that he probably still needed more time. A little thoughtful she observed the sleeping tiger from her side. Yes Diego was something special and her friend. Until now she never had met a male saber tooth in her life who just let her do what she wants. Of course she would never be suppressed by anyone. Especially not with someone she had to endure with for the rest of her life. She couldn't have stand long with something like that, let alone bring children into such a world. Now that she looked back to the years with Captain Gutt it wasn't exactly an equal existence. In her life she had always searched for some recognition. Just someone who appreciates what she did and who she was.

"Can't you sleep?" Inquired the male tiger and pulled her out of her thoughts. This couldn't rest because he felt Shira's glance in the back all the time. When she doesn't answer he turned to her despite his comfortable position. Of course, his shoulder doesn't like it very much. It probably wasn't the best that some of the stones fell hard on him. Surprised, he realized that she was not far away from him. He hadn't even heard that she came closer. Probably because he was half in dreamland already. Now he looked at her and waited because she obviously wanted something. Only then it had clicked in his head. She probably wasn't feeling good. He immediately made preparations to get up, but she held him back.

"Stay where you are." She whispered and then took a little distance from him because she wasn't so sure about her plans. Now Diego also saw slight embarrassment on her face. This confirmed to him that he really was half asleep. Shira wasn't the type who could be so easily embarrassed after all.

"Don't you feel well?" This was his next question.

"That's not it." With the sentence she mad another step further to him.

"But?" He watched her as she came closer to him. Now he could see a slight smile in the dark.

"You want to sleep with me again." He noticed and was very pleased about that fact. Almost at the same moment he realized what he had just said.

"Ehm, I didn't mean..." He swallowed and was getting a little nervous.

"Of course you can sleep by my side if you want, then it could be very cold at night. I can understand that you.." But his chatter ended as she cleaned his wound again and he lay down his head so that she didn't see that he was unsure about this situation. Even though Diego was not the ideal saber-toothed tiger but he had his pride and it would crumble if he would show weakness in front of Shira. It was embarrassing enough for him that he had just stuttered.

"Calm down Diego. You don't need to be nervous because of me." She says it so simple, but explain that to my old heart. Even if we were in this position already, it is difficult for me to get used to the feeling.

But these thoughts did not last long because the fatigue overcame him suddenly and the female tiger still snuggled a little to him. Shira knew that earlier he faked to be asleep and incidentally he threw an eye on her. Still, it was very nice to be able to sleep next to him because he smelled good and was pleasantly warm. Although today hung a slightly musty smell in his fur, she didn't care about it. As she also slowly walked to the land of dreams she hoped that it was something nice and that her friends are also happen to be there.

At the beach there was a completely different atmosphere because Sid was too exhilarated to sleep. Finally his dream had become true. All the years of waiting had been worth it. They had mocked him and told him that it would never happen but finally it did. She had stolen his heart. A bird of prey also wanted to do the same with him but he didn't believe that they both spoke about the same thing. But now it's different. An adorable woman had come into his life. He found her beautiful and bright like an angel.

"Ouch..granny? What was that for?" The older sloth had just hit hard against the foot.

"You were dancing in my way. What's going on anyway? Where have you been all day? Were you not looking for a couple of kiwis for me?"

"Yes, but.."

"No but! Do you want that an old lady is going to starve to dead here? You also should look around here tomorrow. I think we have striped rats in the house. I tried to chase them but the beasts are pretty tough."

"But Grandma, I've met someone."

"Is it a fruit?"

"No."

"Then a replica of you made from sand."

"Also not. She is real this time."

"I am sorry to have to tell you that Sidney but relationships between sloths and fleas don't work."

"She isn't a flea!" Declares Sid and was getting a bit annoyed.

"Don't be so loud in here and bring me at last something to eat!" The younger sloth would reply again but what he saw that it made no sense if his grandmother was hungry. He would just bring Yolanda to the beach tomorrow or he does something ridiculous and she didn't want to spent time with him anymore.

Or he cancels the meeting and brings it up later, because he couldn't introduce her to his family when they had absolutely no date. Maybe he should ask the sabers for a double date to make it easier for him. It could break the ice a bit or ruining everything. Yes it is a great plan. If it doesn't work for them, he could still chat with Shira. Or should he ask Ellie and Manny for something like that? No with Diego he is better off. If he does something embarrassing the tiger could eat him at least so that he no longer has to live with the shame.

"What's going on?" Yolanda was indeed tired but she was concerned why her skunk friend wasn't going to sleep.

"We shouldn't have done that." Said the skunk mother a bit angry. It was all too much for her. Thoughtfully she looked down at her daughter. She was falling asleep on the way here because so much excitement was tiring for the little one. Lorene knew already that tomorrow wouldn't be an easy day.

"What do you mean?"

"Well going with these strangers. Now they are nice to us but tomorrow we are their breakfast."

"Now you're exaggerating."

"The .." The mother noticed that she was getting loud and so she lowered her voice again because she didn't want to wake up the sleeping one.

"For this that you're actually very shy, you throw yourself quite nicely to the idiotic sloth."

The sloth found it neither nice nor fair what the other uttered.

"Don't be so mean. He may seem a little clumsy, but otherwise he is quite nice."

"If you say so but tomorrow I'm looking for something else to sleep."

"Let us sleep now. Maybe everything looks better in the daylight for you." With this the larger animal wanted to bring her friend to better thoughts, even if it didn't work at the end. Nevertheless, no one should be go so negatively throughout the life. The skunk just shrugged before she closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep. She would never admit it but she was a little tired of the whole thing.