Chapter 1: Life With The Herd
Three months later in a valley near the mountains, a herd lived near a cave near to a beautiful river by the woods nearby. Sid the sloth was sitting near a fire that he created himself as he looks around to see his family around him. Diego was just relaxing on a smooth rock near the others, Crash and Eddie were just playing around as always while six year old Peaches who has grown tall like her uncle Sid was watching Buck the weasel, craving a wooden dinosaur from his dino-knife.
"And presto! This dinosaur is just like the one I fought with many years ago before you were even born, lass" Buck said to the young mammoth.
"That is awesome" Peaches said in awe as she holds the wooden dinosaur in her paws
"So Buck; are you enjoying life with us lately?" Sid questioned the one eyed weasel.
"Honestly, there are times I missed my old home but being with you mammals brings me vibes of adventure and life here. So yeah, I'm glad to be with you guys" Buck answered.
Soon Manny and Ellie appeared before the others as they just got back from their date. Peaches was the first to see them as she runs up to her parents and cheerfully greets them: "Hey Mom! Hey Dad!"
"Hi sweetie" Ellie giggled as she hugs her daughter.
"Peaches, isn't it past your bed time?" Manny asked his daughter.
"I was just entertaining the lass here with this" Buck said as he points to the wooden dinosaur.
"Buck was showing me how to make dinosaurs out of wood" Peaches said to her mother.
"That's nice, sweetie" Ellie happily said before she picks up her daughter. "But now it's time for bed, darling"
"But I'm not sleepy" Peaches whined.
"Yes you are" Ellie nodded.
"No I'm not" Peaches yawned.
"Good night Peaches" The guys variously said to Peaches.
"Thanks for looking after Peaches for us, Diego" Manny thanked Diego.
"Anytime, buddy" Diego replied.
"What about me?" Sid asked the bull mammoth.
Manny just raised an eyebrow and asked: "What about you?"
"I was babysitting her too" Sid pointed out.
"Sid, I only asked Diego to babysit her, not you" Manny sighed, rolling his eyes.
"What? Why just Diego? I can be a good babysitter" Sid protested.
"Oh sure; you mean how like we actually let you babysit Peaches that one time and you ended up losing her?" Manny firmly points out.
"I...I didn't mean to lose her; the twins tripped me over with their pranks and made me lose sight of her" Sid explained.
"Did not" The twins denied even though they both knew it was the truth.
"Look, Sid; You're the last person I wanted to watch over my daughter" Manny said to the yellow sloth.
"Oh don't be so hard on the lad. I think he can do fine with stuff like that" Buck spoke out for the yellow sloth, winking at Sid.
"Don't encourage him, Buck" Diego doubtfully sighed.
Soon Manny sees Ellie singing Peaches a lullaby as the young mammoth soon drifts off to sleep; it made Manny smiles happily at the family he now has before Diego smiles at Manny and said: "You're one lucky mammoth, Manny"
"indeed I am. I couldn't ask for better friends and a wonderful family as this" Manny happily nodded, looking around at the herd and family he has.
Sid watches the others from afar where the dark of the night greets him away from the fire light as he sighs sadly, wondering what it would be like to have a family who loved him. Sure, he had the herd but lately Sid feels out of place with the herd, he can't describe it but things have changed over the last six years since the Dinosaur World adventure that Sid caused in the first place.
Diego noticed Sid from afar and asked: "Something bothering you, Sid?"
Sid just looks at the guys before chuckling: "Oh no, no problem here, Diego-buddy"
The guys just looked at Sid for a bit then just shrugged as they individuality called it a night and head inside their home cave except for Buck who was a bit concern for his sloth friend.
The weasel walks up to Sid sitting near a rock who was looking out at the night sky and listening to the gentle and distant noises in the night. The one-eyed weasel soon sat beside his sloth friend, cleared his throat before saying, "Quiet night out there, eh?"
"Yeah," Sid replied with a nod, not looking at the weasel.
The two remained quiet for a while before Buck asked, "So, ya wanna tell your pal your problem?"
"Problem? What problem?" Sid asked with a shrug.
"Ah c'mon now, Sid. I may be bonkers but I can read ya looks even through my patch 'ere," Buck chuckled with his arms crossed.
"I'll believe you on that," Sid also chuckled.
"Now spill the beans. What's eating ya mind?" Buck asked.
Sid didn't really feel comfortable talking about his problems, most of the time, the herd with the exception of Ellie, never even bothered to listen to Sid's problems as most of the problems could be ridiculous but even when it's serious, they don't even have the patience to listen to the rambling sloth about his issues, so why would Buck?
The sloth just changed the subject and said: "Just thinking about something from long ago in the past"
"Oh really? What are ya thinking about?" Buck asked.
"My old friends" Sid answered.
"Your old friends?" Buck curiously tilt his head.
"Yeah, I had friends in the past, I wasn't exactly a loner if that's what you're thinking" Sid explains.
"Nah mate, that's not what I'm thinking at all. I was just curious to hear that" Buck pointed out.
"Oh ... Right" The sloth slowly nodded. "Anyway, when I was a kid, I used to have three great friends; Through all my mishaps they were the nicest bunch of sloths I've ever met in my life"
"Really now? Wot were their names?" Buck questioned the sloth with a smile.
"Well first there was this cheerful blue sloth name Niamh; she is so sweet and joyous that she can make friends with anyone" Sid chuckled.
"Awww she sounds nice" Buck also chuckled.
"Yeah, the others were siblings, Dodger and Carrie; Dodger was a tiny green sloth as a kid, he too was friendly and would also love to do daring things like you, Buck, you'd like him" Sid continued.
"I bet I would; and this Carrie lass, what was she like?" Buck asked.
"She was a bit of a leader of the group. She was strong, fearless and had a bit of attitude but in spite of that, she was also a nice friend to hang out with" Sid spoke about his old friend.
"Well your old friends sound great, what happened to them?" Buck questioned the sloth.
"I...I don't really know; last time I saw them, my family was leaving the place I once called home and they had to stay behind with their families...I haven't even see them since we were kids" Sid sadly replied.
"Sorry to hear that, lad" Buck apologised.
"I do miss them a lot but...I don't think they would remember me anymore" Sid sighed out.
"Look on the bright side, lad, you have a herd that cares about you now including your old pal, Buckminster" Buck attempted to cheer Sid up.
Sid just smiled at the one eyed weasel and softly reply with: "Thanks" then the two friends went back to watching the night sky together before they eventually drifted off to sleep.
The yellow sloth woke up in the morning to find Buck next to him, asleep and snoring loudly; the sloth turns to see the herd is still asleep in the cave as the sun slowly rises to greet the early morning. Sid then quietly decides to go for a quiet breakfast by himself for he went down to his favourite spot where the sweetest berries bloom and a river so clean that the water tastes cool and nice.
Once he reached to the spot where the berry bushes and river bank are, he happily feasts on some of the sweet berries before washing the taste down with the water from the river.
"Is that who I think it is?"
"Dodger, shut up"
Sid poke his head up from drinking the river when he heard the whispers nearby as he calls out: "Hello?"
"I'm telling you, Carrie; it's him!"
"Will you shut up?"
"Is someone out there?" Sid called out again.
Suddenly he heard a high-pitched sneeze before he turns to see three shadow figure in a small cave before a stern female voice hisses: "Oh good one, Niamh!"
"S-S-Sorry. M-My nose was i-itchy" Niamh apologised.
Sid slowly approaches the trio in the cave as he calls out: "Don't be scared, I'm not going to hurt you! My name is Sid"
"It is him, I knew it! It's him!" Dodger happily gasped.
"Have we met?" Sid asked the shadow figures.
"No, we haven't" Carrie quickly called out.
"Carrie, shut up!" Dodger firmly scoffed.
Sid then enters the cave before he sees the trio as he slowly begins to recognise the three sloths before him. "Dodger? Carrie? Niamh? Is...Is that really you all?"
"Hi buddy, Long time no see!" Dodger happily greeted.
"H-Hi Sid" Niamh nervously greeted.
Carrie just said nothing as she looks on at her childhood friend from the past who was thrilled and surprised to see them again after so many years.
What happens next?
Stay tuned to find out!