So some days passed in which all recovered from what had happened. Shira and Diego were about to look for a new home for the other conspecifics. Manny was glad that all was over but nevertheless he still had an eye on his daughter. Although Ellie also tried to distract him with other things.
Sid was still trying to ensnare the bright sloth. Of course, he wasn't able to refrain from being Sid and thus was quite a little laugh for all animals nearby. But he doesn't think about quitting because Yolanda was the first woman who not simply ignored him. She also laughed but he doesn't feel that she made fun of him. He also doesn't mind to hear her laughter more often. The old lady sloth found the white animal also quite alright. Then she doesn't forget to bring her something to eat as her grandson.
The two possums still had all paws full with the skunks. One of them still acted as if he were annoyed by Ruby but his sister and Lorene had quickly found out that it wasn't the fact. Therefore, they found it both good when the little one often ran round the possum to instil this a little responsibility. For Crash that would have been good too but they could still think of something for him. The mammoth gang didn't come back often because they still were afraid that these saber-toothed tigers might come back. Actually, it was only because of Steffie but the others would show her that it was okay to wander around again. Katie and Meghan found the idea not bad to push her friend through the whole valley so that she saw something different than their current sleeping place.
After Peaches had talked with her parents about their situation she searched the five to tell them that it was all over. Steffie reacted a little as if she wanted to tear Ethan from the spot. The peach-colored mammoth pushed it the wounds they probably gave her delusions but she also spoke only with Katie. Of course she had Louis by her side the whole time. Even if she was aware that the danger is over, it just felt better when she doesn't go alone through the area. Or should she say she felt safer when the molehog was there. She knew that it's crazy and she had even said that to the little one. Nevertheless, it felt right to have him near her.
The spined one even noticed that something was different about his friend. He only couldn't exactly put his paw on it what it was. Of course, he realized that she no longer swung through the trees and always waiting for him when she ran too fast. But he just thought it was because she doesn't was in a hurry to go anywhere. Then when they both ran to the mammoth gang she even put him on her back. She said after the talk that she doesn't want that he gets stepped on by mistake. Normally he would have placed himself so that something like that wouldn't happen but also doesn't complain. Sometime went his thoughts what affected his feelings for her back and forth. Now he had finally taken the decision to bring it behind him and tell her the truth. Even if he wasn't quite sure about everything.
"When I said we can't see each other anymore I said that because of Ethan. Ok, not only because of him. Well, you told me you only want be friends with him. I am glad. Not that I find it good that it hasn't worked out with you two but then I would probably never came to confess to you that..." He swallowed hard and looked at the floor. No, he reminded himself, looking self-conscious up again. So much he had endured lately and thus he would also overcome this hurdle.
"I love you. Really...I.."
"And I'm sure if the tree could answer you then he would return your feelings." Eddie said from above and his companion giggled.
"Look Louis! How well I can hang on a road already." The molehog rolled his eyes. He wondered if he would ever get something like privacy. On the other hand it doesn't matter that the two had caught him as he thought how express himself to the mammoth. The two already knew it anyway.
"That's great. It only surprises me that you can hang around with him."
"As long as I am traveling with someone clever that's fine." Since when was Eddie that? He asked himself but tried not pay attention to that and focused on what laid behind him. Because he doesn't want to stand with empty paws before Peaches so he has picked flowers. This time they were definitely not poisonous. He doesn't want such disaster again. He gets already sick when he only just thought of what would have happened if he had done it with the plants to Peaches.
He quickly shook his head. This time no one will be poisoned or attacked. Well maybe someone will get hurt but that will only be him if the mammoth declared that she can't return his feelings.
But he could cope with something like that if they still can be friends. On one paw, he can never get over it properly when he says nothing and on the other paw he is still afraid that it could change everything between them.
All think you're smart and now you're standing here and chatting with a tree." Continued the possum to tease him and came down. Now the spined one reached after his gift. He doesn't want that it gets used as a toy again.
"Let him uncle Eddie." Said the skunk now and came also to the ground.
"What've you got there?" Caught the molehog stepped back when she saw the flowers.
"Nothing." But however he couldn't get rid of the girl so easy.
"Please show me." She pouted with large pleading eyes.
"No. That doesn't work on me."
"It's a gift for his girlfriend." Louis really wanted to know why the possum always do this.
"Oh, you want say it all to her today." The skunk said cheerfully.
"No, I .." But he doesn't come to his explanation.
"Of course, the Casanova wants that and perhaps a romantic atmosphere by the sunset." Eddie told as if he would know such things.
"And on the beach." Raved Ruby on.
"Could you two listen to me?!" Once again, Louis was simply ignored.
"You have to watch out that Manny isn't near." Warned the possum and the molehog gave up saying anything else.
"Why should he do that?" The little animal couldn't imagine why he should be careful around the male mammoth.
"As a parent you want to take care of your only child and if Louis wants to go out with her then.." This moved slowly and gradually away from the two. Then they paid no attention him now and so he had to take the chance. When he wanted to dig himself in the earth he was grabbed and pulled up by something. He of course hasn't dropped the wreath. That he had peachy fur in his face now made the whole situation not any easier. He namely doesn't know if and how much Peaches has heard from the talk down there. He chooses a tree in the forest and on that had to hang three known animals. Such luck could only come to him.
"Hold on." The mammoth whispered now and put him on her back. He immediately did what was asked and she climbed with him further up the tree. When they had both arrived almost at the top the molehog had to look down briefly. From below, it doesn't look so high.
She gently put him on a wide road. The larger animal was going to be sure that he was able to gold on even if it should get windy.
The spined one suddenly became aware that they both could really watch the sun go down. As he proved again that he couldn't fall down, he then slowly looked up at her only to look quickly away again. Not only the light hit his friend so that she looked like as if she would glow, she also smiled at him. Louis believed his heart would jump right out of his chest any time. He couldn't get nervous otherwise no reasonable sentence would come out of him. The flowers. Try that first, he told himself mentally and looked at his paws.
"I know they aren't as pretty as the others but I hope you like it anyway." He said, offering her the crown without making eye contact. If he would look at her again then everything would be for nothing.
But the mammoth found this gift more beautiful because it wasn't dangerous. In addition, she was glad that she had found her prickled friend in time. So they could enjoy together this view. Apparently Louis took her idea get up here well because he looked as if spellbound in the distance all the time. Maybe she shouldn't destroy the moment by beginning a conversation about things she has in mind.
In recent days, it was going back quiet around them and she finally found the time to think about all that what has happened. Of course, she also thought about her feelings for the animal next to her.
She was always in the belief that only another mammoth could make her happy. But with Louis she had also fun and she began to wonder if that doesn't counts too. Even if he is just a molehog he nevertheless did everything to protect her from danger. Of course, there were still some open questions but she is sure that they can answer them both together. That is when the prickly one also wants it. Actually, she wanted to talk to him about it but she also noticed in recent days that they never alone for long.
She realized she held the flowers still in front of her. So she tried skillfully to set the wreath on her head without that it can fall down easily again. When she was finished, she noticed that the molehog was staring at her.
"How do I look? I hope the stripes on my face are no longer the attention seeker." But he doesn't answer and only continued to look at her in silence. It made her a bit embarrassed and so she waved a little with her trunk in front of his face.
"Louis?" He blinked and then shook his head wildly.
"I was deep in my thoughts." Then he scratched his arm nervously.
"I've noticed. Now tell me what I look like with that?" The smaller one just sighed before he took up his courage and looked directly at his friend.
"It looks good on you. Of course you would even without the flowers.."
"What are you doing here?" Ruby inquired loudly between them. They both had totally forgotten the other two animals down there and that's why they almost had fallen from the tree as the skunk showed up.
"I think you just disturbed the moment we meant before." Eddie added with a grin and was a little out of breath. To show the little skunk how to climb up a tree was the dumbest idea he ever had. Since then he permanently ran behind the small one to take care that she doesn't fall down. Actually, that would have been Lorene's task but she only said 'You have taught her it so live with the consequences.' It annoyed him that his sister just had betrayed him and told that he would watch after the girl. On the one paw he doesn't want to play the guard all the time on the other side he could understand now how Manny has felt all these years. Not that he considers the little skunk as his daughter or something. That would be absurd. However, he was worried when she goes so high in the trees and hung on fragile branches. But the whole thing had a good side. Because the little girl learned fast and therefore they played some animals in their area great pranks.
"I should bring you two home." Explained the mammoth a bit disappointed because she really wanted to look at the sunset with Louis. Now they sat four in the tree and it was over with the romantic mood.
"Peaches you look very pretty with the flowers." Ruby made the compliment now what the molehog was going to say. He sighed silently, wondering why he couldn't afford as much courage to speak so bluntly.
"Thank you. Louis has picked them." She said proudly and grabbed his friend to put him on her back to climb back down. This couldn't help and smiled briefly to himself. But the possum had made it himself comfortable next to the molehog and nudged him with his elbow now.
"Well, have you already confessed it?" He inquired with a grin and Louis smile went away. He immediately held the others mouth shut so he couldn't give out anything anymore.
"Confessed what to me?" The two sat on Peaches back so of course she had understood everything exactly. As Ruby was seated there, she punched Eddie in the side and gave him an angry glance. She namely could recognize by the spined ones face that he had told nothing to the mammoth and she also found it inappropriate that the other said something like that.
"For what was that?" Wailed the possum as his snout was free again and wondered where the little one took so much strength.
"Actually, I just wanted to say that I sleep longer tomorrow." The mole hedgehog explained then because he still owed his friend an answer.
"Ok. Then we'll meet later." But she knew that there had to be more behind it. If it only was about sleep, Eddie would hardly be interested in that. But she left it there for now and climbed back down to the ground.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Shira rolled her eyes but smiled.
"Diego, we're be back soon in our valley. It would make no sense to take a break now." Although the male saber-toothed found that she was right, he also doesn't want she expects too much from herself. Finally, some wounds on her body still have to heal. Moreover, she could step normally with her injured paw just since today. He should simply say nothing more and run after her. Both of them were traveling for several days now to bring these four tigers to a new home. First the silver-gray tiger wanted to leave alone with them but that wasn't an option for him. Thus he was looking for a cave for the conspecifics and his partner told them something that involved hunting. After a busy day in which they had only run he wanted that they stay two days there. Of course, they weren't in nearby the other four all the time. Because they wanted to see how they pierce through themselves. When they were both completely certain that the others would make it without them they went back.
Today they would finally arrive back in their home. That meant if they still hold out without making a break for a while. Diego has to keep telling himself that the other tigress wasn't a child and he has forget what happened to live normally again. Shira sighed and shook her head as she ran ahead. Yes she could understand him and his concern but it can't go on like that.
"Are you ready for a race?" She asked but already moved away from him.
"Hey, that's not good.." But he broke off as the distance between them got too large. The other saber-toothed tiger also disappeared in a bush then. If she wants to play then she should have it, thought Diego and runs a little faster.
"Careful it goes down there!" He heard it but it was too late as he slid down the small hill and landed in a mud hole.
"Something like this should be healthy for the fur." Said the tigress amused by the dry edge.
"Try it out yourself. Then you know it." The male saber-toothed threw some mud to his friend but of course he doesn't hit her.
"Well if you want to play in the puddle then have fun." So she was going to run on. When she disappeared into the bushes she naturally waited for him. This got up a little annoyed from the dirt and out of the pit. He shuddered but unfortunately it doesn't help much to get rid of the stuff. Diego saw that it was no use getting upset now and he really should have concentrated more on the way. He immediately ran then he also doesn't want to fall behind too much. But he couldn't find her so easily even when he had her scent in the nose. He ran for a while because he thought it was because the bushes were so thick. But when he stood on an open area, still he couldn't see her.
"Shira?" He called because he figured that she couldn't anymore and was resting somewhere. No response came back. A rustling was next to him and he looked quickly between the leaves but there is no silver-gray tigress.
"Come out now! Didn't you say you don't want to make a break?" He turned again in a circle around to be sure that he hasn't overlooked anything but at the very moment the missing one jumped out of the bushes. Without that Diego saw a chance to ward the attack he was rolled around with her. But he doesn't want to be a loser lay down on the ground and she turned them both again. What he doesn't notice first was that they were both rolling down a hill this time.
"At least you're going clean now." Shira explained, laughing and pushes the others again into the cool liquid. They both landed in clean water now. Played angry he looked at her dripping wet and then stepped without words to the dry land. That wasn't far away because they were only in a small spring.
But the female tigress doesn't notice that her partner was only pretending, so she wondered now if she had overdone it.
"Diego, I don't.." Because she looked to the side she doesn't get how he grinned and started a counterattack. Just as she looked up to him to apologize he threw mood from his fur in her face. This namely began slowly to separate from him again.
"That wasn't fair." She complained and jumped away from him to wash the stuff quickly from her face.
"Was that here fair?" He asked as he pointed to his fur and probably meant his mud bath from before.
"At least it has expelled your serious face. Or you had you decided to be an old killjoy?" After that she stretched out her tongue to him like a little kid and jumped away again. Smiling, he followed her immediately. The cleaning of his fur could wait now.
"The first one who is by our friends is the winner." He heard her call and he put a bit of speed on to show her that he doesn't make it so easy. Of course, he still looked after her injuries but the mud bath somehow helped improve his mood.