Chapter 28: A Moment of Peace
The gang cuddled up to Sid and embraced him to which the sloth happily embraced back before he said, "Guys, you saved my life."
"Just as you saved ours before," Tawk happily pointed out.
Buck soon ruffled the head of his best friend and cheered, "You bloody tough son-of-a-gun! I thought you were a goner for sure!"
"I thought so too," Sid replied with a nod.
"Sid, why didn't you tell us about this situation? We could've helped you," Flora sadly questioned.
"I guess you guys were too busy with your lives that I didn't want to interrupt and be as annoying as I was years ago and, well, Manny and Diego are not much of talkers," Sid replied before he turned to Manny and Diego and added, "No offence."
"None taken," Diego said with a shrug.
Manny helped Sid up and said, "Well, we can talk about this now if you wish."
"Ok," The sloth said with a nod.
"Come on, buddy," Diego said as he and Manny helped the wobbling sloth walk with them.
"Should we follow them?" Diana asked.
"I think their conversation should be left alone with them," Tawk replied.
"Aye," Buck said, nodding in agreement.
"So what about Carlotta? What if she attacks again?" Flora questioned in concern.
"Let me check if I can see her like she sees us," Diana replied.
She quietly chanted a spell and used one of the walls as a magical mirror to see what Carlotta was up to before the others saw that the witch wolf was unconscious to which Diana smiled and said, "I guess my magic knocked her out."
"You clever lady," Tawk chuckled happily to Diana which made the albino weasel blush.
"You guys rest up for now. I'll keep an eye out on that hag," Diana replied.
"Are you sure you'll be OK?" Tawk questioned.
"Yes," Diana replied with a nod.
As Buck and Flora walked away to another area, Tawk watched Diana motivating the wolf as the Chief couldn't help but feel proud and happy that Diana was becoming more confident and brave than before. Soon he walked away to catch up with the others as he saw Buck gently resting his head on Flora's pregnant belly and sweetly sang to the unborn child.
Buck:
"And if that pterodactyl don't fly
Daddy's gonna blind his remaining eye"
Flora couldn't help but giggle at Buck's attempt to sing lullabies to their baby to which Tawk shook his head with a smile and chuckled at Buck's playfulness before the one-eyed weasel happily said, "Sweet dreams, little one."
"You're going to be a great daddy, Buck," Flora giggled as she kissed her husband.
"Babe, I'm going to be the best dad in the world," Buck chuckled.
"We'll see, my boy. We'll see," Tawk chuckled as well as he joined the others.
"So does this mean you guys worked out your issues together?" Flora nervously questioned the men.
"Aye, lass. Ya old man and I talked it all out," Buck replied.
"I'm so glad you two are not fighting anymore," Flora sighed in relief.
"Flora, there is something I wish to tell you. Something that will explain to you why I was like the way I was with Buck before and all that," Tawk said.
"What is it daddy?" Flora questioned.
Tawk began to repeat his tale of how he and his past wife Volda were expecting a child before they had Flora and the unfortunate events that occurred within the loss of the first child. Flora looked at her father sadly and held him close before she sadly and pityingly said, "I'm so sorry to hear about that, Daddy. I can tell it was so hard for you and Mom."
"Indeed it was and ever since your mother passed on too, I felt hopeless until Buck and the others came along and changed our lives...Now I know I was harsh on Buck when this all began but thanks to him and Diana, I've managed to move on with my life for you and your mother," Tawk explained.
"Th-They did?" Flora asked.
"Indeed, my sweet child," Tawk warmly replied as he nuzzled his daughter before adding, "I want to be there for you and be the grandfather of you and Buck's child," Tawk happily replied.
"That's all I ever wanted for you, daddy. To be happy and be a part of my child's life," Flora happily sniffed as she held her father close.
Buck smiled at the scenario before he felt the baby kicking its paw on Flora's belly as he excitingly spoke out, "The baby's kicking!"
"Really?" Tawk asked.
"Yeah! I can feel the baby kicking! Go on daddy! Feel it!" Flora excitingly squealed.
Tawk nervously rested his head on Flora's belly before he felt the soft kick of the baby on his cheek as the soon-to-be-grandfather gasped and chuckled happily to which he became overwhelmed with tears of joy before he sniffed out, "Hello, little one."
Meanwhile Sid, Manny and Diego were resting outside, discussing the issues that had happened a while ago to which Sid explained that he felt scared of the herd being back to the way they were when they first started as a herd and to the point where he confesses to the others about the mistreatment from his real family.
"So...yeah. That's all I have to confess," Sid sighed.
"I feel so sorry for you, Sid. Your family should have treated you better then you wouldn't have turned out like this," Manny said in pity.
"But then again, he wouldn't have met us nor made this herd," Diego pointed out.
"True, but I feel bad for everything I screwed up for you guys," Sid replied.
"Nobody is perfect, Sid. Take me, for example. I'll admit right now that I'm just a moody ill-tempered mammoth, but that's just my flaw and how I am," Manny admitted with a shrug.
"Yeah, and I'm a cold-blooded sabre who hunts mammals like you guys even if it does creep you out. It's who I am," Diego added.
"Sid, we may not have been the best of friends at the start and I know I sure wasn't, but hey. I wasn't that pleased to be with Diego at the start too," Manny chuckled.
"Right back at you," Diego sarcastically yet jokingly replied.
"But you are part of our herd and family. Nothing would be the same if you were gone and I mean that," Manny assured Sid.
"Imagine that without you, no more warms nights without the fireplace, no more adventures and no more herd," Diego said in agreement.
"Wow, I never thought I had that much impact on you guys like you do on me," Sid honestly admitted.
"No matter how things will go with us Sid, even if your dumb ignorant parents don't care about you like we do and, not being awful, no matter how stupid some things you do can be, you will always be like a brother to me," Manny concluded with a smile to his brother.
"Not me," Diego scoffed.
"Huh?" Sid said in confusion
Diego just laughed and pulled Sid in a headlock before ruffling his head and chuckling with, "I'm kidding you, little knucklehead! Of course you're like a bro to me!"
Sid and Manny chuckled with Diego before Sid smiled at his two family members and saying, "Thanks, guys. You're the best."
Diego winked at Sid and Manny pat his head with his trunk when suddenly, they saw multiple bright lights going into the cave as Sid asked, "What's going on?"
"I don't know, but I hope it's nothing too bad," Manny replied in concern before the trio rushed back inside the cave.
What happens next?
Stay tuned to find out!
ALSO PRETTY PLEASE GIVE CREDIT TO DUSK19, FOR NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT HIM
