Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Ice Age or its characters, because if I did, I would be extremelyrich.I only own that of which I created myself.
AN: Hello, everybody. My first story on fanfiction. I hope you enjoy it!
ICE AGE 3: The Saber Pride: Summary
We've heard story's about Sid the sloth. We've heard stories about Manfred the mammoth. Now, you'll get to read a story about the third member of the trio: Diego the tiger. The Ice Age was over, and so was the Melt Down. Now, the herd could live out the rest of their days in peace. Or so they thought. When an incident happens involving a pack of saber tooth tigers, Diego is forced to stay with them, and of course his herd stays with him. He is confronted with both his past and his future as he learns how to live and love. Meanwhile, not too far away, a young human warrior by the name of Inushuk lives. At sixteen years old, he is ready to marry his love, Kyria. But when his tribe is attacked by a rival tribe, he takes Kyria and flees. How do these two stories tie together? Read and find out.
CHAPTER 1
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"Sid, NO!"
"Come on, Diego, please?"
"For the last time, no! I am not carrying you!"
"Fine! I'll just take my wonderful conversation elsewhere!" huffed the sloth, turning and walking in a different direction. "Hey, Riley!"
Diego rolled his green eyes as Sid hustled over to the young mammoth. At six months old, Manny and Ellie's daughter was energetic, playful, and already as big as the Saber. Then again, even Diego, who's pride often overshadowed his heart, had a soft spot for his friend's child. Little Riley was, as of yet, carefree. Only she didn't understand how unusual her "family" was. Though she had two parents the same species as her, she also had two possums for uncles, and traveled in a herd with a sloth and a saber tooth tiger.
How such a herd had found each other is certainly a story worth remembering. It began not so long ago, when the world was made of ice. Of course, everyone is familiar with that story.
Now, everything was peaceful. Their adventures were over. They could travel southward without so much as a step away from their path. Or so they thought.
Diego watched on as Riley wrapped her trunk around Sid's middle and plopped him onto her back, and couldn't help but let a smile form on his face. The kid held no grudges against anyone and seemed to never be annoyed. She even listened when Sid talked on and on, often throwing her two cents in. She was a lot like her mother, but she had her father in her as well. She was very blunt and sarcastic, just as Manny often was, and while she was carefree just like Ellie, she had a much greater sense of humility, handed down to her from Manny.
Manny was another story. Diego never saw his friend so happy as then day he first saw his daughter. He had to say that he was happy for him. Ellie had done Manny so much good, and Riley had done him even better. He was always afraid of what might become of a family, due to what had become of his when he was young. Now, Diego was sure, those thoughts were gone from his head. He would never wish Ellie and Riley out of his life. Ever.
"Hey!" cried Diego, reaching a paw up to rub his head, which had been hit by a small stone. He hadn't a doubt in his mind who had thrown a pebble at him. It couldn't have been a whole second before Crash and Eddie, the possums, were on his back laughing.
"That never gets old!" Eddie said, kicking up his feet and lounging lightly on the saber's golden fur.
"Get off!" replied Diego, whipping his head around and snapping his teeth at the possums. With a light screech, they both scampered down his back and over to their "sister."
The Saber trotted after them, shaking his head. If there was one member of the herd he didn't want to upset, it was Ellie. He also knew a good way to upset Ellie was by threatening her brothers.
"Whoa, what happened?" asked Ellie as Crash leapt up to grab her tail, pulling himself to her back. Eddie took a different route, preferring to climb up her trunk instead.
"They threw a rock at my head!" spoke up Diego, hoping to save himself before the brothers could make up a story. He sounded very much like a child telling on a sibling.
Ellie sent a hard glance her brothers' way, and they ducked down a bit under her gaze. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't bother carnivores! You'll get yourself killed quick enough without provoking possum-eating tigers!"
"What carnivore? It was just Diego!" piped up Eddie, causing a low growl to vibrate in the tiger's throat. He lowered his stance, as if getting ready to pounce. Of course, he knew better than to do so, especially with Ellie underneath them.
"You just wait…" growled the saber, turning away from the trio and striding up towards the front of the pack. As he passed Sid atop of Riley and came to walk beside Manfred, he found it hard to believe that he had nearly helped kill both for a baby.
"Manny! I'm goin' out hunting! I shouldn't be too long," Diego called to his friend, turning to head slightly to the east of where the herd had stopped.
"Oh, can I come, Diego? I'll be real quiet! I promise!" exclaimed Riley, hurrying over to where both her parents and Diego stood.
The Tiger tried to keep the soft smile from coming to his face, and half succeeded. "Not really up to me, kid. Ask your Dad."
The young mammoth spun faster than Diego had ever thought was possible. "Well can I, Mommy? Please?"
"Oh, I don't know, Riley…" Ellie said, trailing off a bit at the end.
"Aw, come on, please?"
"If your father thinks it's alright," Ellie stated, looking toward Manny.
"Well, if Diego doesn't mind, I don't see why not," he responded, glancing questioningly at the Tiger.
Diego sighed as Riley looked at him hopefully. Manny's daughter would certainly slow him down, but something compelled him to say, "Alright, kid, come on."
"Yes!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down a bit, running a circle around her mother's front legs.
"You be careful, you hear?" Ellie said sternly to her daughter. "Listen to Diego, and do exactly as he says."
"Don't worry, Mommy, I will."
"Diego!" called Manny, beckoning his friend over. "Don't let anything happen to her."
"Ah, don't worry Manny. I'm not goin' to let anything near Riley. I'll even stay close by."
The mammoth seemed reassured, and let Diego go on his way.
"What now, Diego?" asked Riley, her voice high and excited.
"Now we be quiet. See this footprint? An antelope. He's just over this hill. I can smell him. Now listen, Riley, you can watch, but don't get too close. I want you to stay at the top of the hill, okay? I don't want you to get hurt, okay?"
"Alright." she said, a smile on her face.
"Come on, kid. Real light steps, okay? Be careful not to step on any twigs."
They reached the top of the hill with no mishaps. "Now don't move,"
Diego dug his claws into the ground and sprang into action. Just as he was about to leap at a doe, Riley's call was heard.
"Wait! Don't! You might hurt it!"
Diego sighed as he saw his prey prance away, completely untouched. He turned and looked at Riley, quickly saying, "That's kind of what you have to do if you want to eat it!"
"Oh! Right!" (AN: Big thanks to Whale Shark 7 for that little scene there)
Diego shook his head. He knew he should be annoyed, but he wasn't really. The herd hadn't gone far, and before long he had caught himself a descent sized meal.
As he was dragging his prey backwards, away from the stampeding herd, a sound reached his ears. It was a high-pitched scream.
"Diego!" called Riley. She sounded like she was in near panic. Leaving the animal carcass behind him, he spun instantly at the sound of her voice. His eyes widened and he sprung into a sprint as he saw her attacker. It was a small pack of saber tooth tigers! Three of them! Just like him!
He pushed off the ground with even more force as he saw the leading tiger draw nearer to Manny's daughter. He let a long, loud roar of rage escape his throat, which echoed through the valley. That alone was enough to slow Riley's predator, and he hoped it was enough to get to Manny and Ellie.
"RUN!" cried Diego, bounding up the hill, his agility allowing him to take even the steepest route and still travel at the same speed. Riley, however, seemed to be frozen in place.
The attacker leapt, claws out and ready, teeth bared, only to be knocked forcibly to the side by Diego. The two sabers rolled over the side of the hill. As he was rolling, a loud trumpeting sound was heard, followed by a second, and before long, the two mammoths stampeded into the area. Manny wasted no time in charging ahead of his daughter, tusks lowered towards the tigers, while Ellie went directly to Riley, wrapping her trunk around her and quickly escorting her out of the valley.
Another tiger from the pack saw this, and began loping towards the two, obviously hoping to take Riley from her mother's firm grasp.
Diego, having recovered from his fall, quickly darted after the tiger, passing it in one fluid motion and spinning around, coming face to face with the other saber. Without another thought in mind, he leapt, knocking his foe over backwards, pinning it to the ground.
It was then that he noticed that the struggling animal below him wasn't a Tiger, but a Tigress. A female. He didn't, however, let her go simply due to this revelation. Instead he growled in a low voice, "Take your hunting elsewhere. A herd of antelope just went that way. I'm pretty sure that there's a flock of birds a little bit more to the west as well. But there's no Mammoth on the menu tonight."
"Who are you?" came a male voice to his right. He looked up at the brawny male, but still kept his front paws firmly on the tigress below, refusing to let her up, no matter how much she struggled.
"Name's Diego. Not that it's any of your business."
"I'm Bruno," stated the tiger, "and I say what is and isn't my business."
"That is, unless it has to do with me."
"Oh, I think not! Oh, and I'm ever so curious… Diego. What's a tiger like yourself doing alone, playing body guard to a family of mammoths. Shouldn't you be with the rest of us?"
"That's my business, not yours," replied Diego, narrowing his eyes.
"Maybe he's an outcast."
Diego's head whipped to the tigress next to Bruno.
"Well?" she asked expectantly. "Are you? Oh, and I'd like it if you let my sister up. Alaya really doesn't belong on the ground.
Diego had nearly forgot he had her pinned. After a moment of thought, he stepped off of her. Immediately, she rolled over and stood up, retreating to her sister's side. Her tawny eyes gazed angrily at Diego, and he met them briefly before turning back to Bruno.
"I left my pack on my own accord. As did the rest of my herd."
"Your… herd?" asked Alaya, speaking for the first time.
"Yes. My herd. Me, three mammoths, two possums, and a sloth. Why? Do you have a problem with that?"
"A strange herd, isn't it?" she asked again. Unlike the other two, she seemed slightly curious.
"Ouch!" cried Bruno suddenly, a paw reaching up to his head. "Who did that?"
"Oh, Bruno, I'd like you to meet Crash and Eddie," Diego said, smirking. Though he hadn't actually seen the possums, he knew their handiwork.
"See, Diego, we've decided to forget what Ellie said about carnivores."
The two had yet again hopped onto his back. Also, Sid had appeared next to him.
"Whoa, Diego, there's four of you!" he exclaimed. Bruno bared his teeth at the sloth, and Sid took a step back. "Nice kitty… don't eat me!"
"Nobody's eating anybody!" exclaimed Diego, stepping in front of his herd. "Listen, we came here for the summer. We're not leaving."
"Oh, and you think we are? I have a whole pack of tigers who need a place to stay. I don't think they'd just up and leave willingly. Nor will I."
"We have no intent of bothering your pack. So long as you don't bother ours."
"I don't think you understand, Diego," laughed Bruno. "I don't have to let you stay here. I have fifteen tigers verses you little "herd." But… I'm going to let you remain. We can always use an addition to our pack, and seeing you fight… I have to say I'm a bit impressed, you having not been with other tigers. You stay with us. Maybe you'll decide to stay for good."
"I don't think so," growled Diego, not taking his eyes off Bruno.
"Oh, but I do. You stay with us through the summer, and we promise to stay away from your… herd. You try and leave now, and my pack brings you all down." Bruno stepped forward, past Diego, coming to stand in front of Riley and Ellie. "All of you," he said again, staring pointedly at Riley.
Ellie pulled the frightened mammoth closer to her side and thrust her tusks out. Manny trumpeted again and strode ahead, stepping between his daughter and Bruno. The tiger was not stupid by any means. He knew the weak spot of the herd without having to be told.
Diego roared again as Bruno stepped over the boundary, getting close to Riley. He pounced, knocking Bruno aside, even after Manny stepped between them. He wasn't sure why he pressed his luck with the larger tiger like that. Maybe he wanted to prove to Manny that he would protect Riley no matter what. After all, she had been with him when she was attacked.
Bruno growled as he hit the ground. Diego was already standing by Manny's side. Though he may not be stronger than Bruno, he was certainly quicker and more agile. By this point, Diego was sure he was the leader of his pack.
A glimpse was caught of the tigress's faces, and Diego read only shock, bewilderment, and a hint of admiration. He hadn't long to ponder this, though, as Bruno was back on his feet, and his eyes were burning with fire, and also something else which Diego couldn't be sure about.
Swiftly, he struck a paw out, his claws forming three deep gashes in Diego's shoulder.
"Diego!" cried Riley as the saber drew back, gasping in pain.
Diego struck out in response, narrowly missing Bruno's eye. Then, he lunged forward at him, pushing him off balance before darting a few feet away where he stood still, his breathing labored a bit as he tried to push the pain in his shoulder out of his mind.
Bruno, having regained his balance, sprinted toward Diego, who, in turn, gave chase. There was no question about the tiger's strength, but did Bruno have the speed and stamina to catch him? His shoulder burned in pain, but he ran anyway, the tigers making a complete circle around the large valley. After another half-circle, Diego noticed Bruno begin to fall back, losing speed little by little. It was a little longer before his loss of speed became quite apparent. Diego took this as his chance to switch to the offensive stance.
He sat back a bit on his haunches and spun, facing Bruno. Now, he thought, he was in a fair fight. Bruno slid to a halt, standing to catch his breath. Diego took advantage of his opponents mistake and charged forward, swiping his claws over the tiger's side and knocking him over again. As he stood over Bruno, he knew he could have killed him. He also knew that it would do him no good, while showing mercy on the leader of the pack might help him a great deal.
The cat lay underneath him, wincing in pain. Diego did, however, notice a smirk come to his face. "Diego," he said, his voice slightly softer now from the pain of the cut. "Good job. You fight with good strategy. Of course, if it were me, I may have gone for the kill, but that's just me. You stay."
Diego finally understood what Bruno was trying to do. He was testing him. He wanted to see how he fought. Apparently he had met the standards. How could he refuse to stay? If he did, Bruno set his pack on the herd. Riley came to mind. "Let me talk it over with my herd."
After a moment of silence, Bruno replied, "Fine. On one condition. Alaya and Aria are to go with you, to ensure you don't run off without our knowing."
Aria, Diego assumed, was the other tigress hunting with them. Diego held his gaze on Bruno for a moment, considering his condition. He knew that, by tiger standards, the other saber was being considerably thoughtful and generous. Also, just from first impressions, Bruno seemed to be true to his word. "Deal."
"So, how did you come to be in this… um… herd?" Aria asked Diego as they began their short journey away from the valley.
Diego ignored the tigress, instead trotting up to where Manny and Ellie walked, Riley still clinging to her mother's side like a newborn.
"Hey, kid. You okay?" Diego asked softly.
Riley took in a deep, shaky breath and nodded her head.
"Don't worry, Diego. She's fine," said Ellie, wrapping her trunk around her daughter's shoulders.
Diego looked toward Manny. "I'm so sorry," he said, dropping his head a bit.
"Sorry?" Manny asked. "For what? You saved our daughter, Diego. Why should you be sorry for that. If nothing else, we're grateful."
The tiger looked up, letting a slight smile creep onto his mouth. "That's what you do in a herd."
The mammoth smiled, remembering the last time Diego has said those words. Then, he was also confronted with other sabers, and then he had defended them just as he had today.
"Um, a little help back here!" came a cry from behind. Normally they would have been worried, but the voice came from a certain sloth named Sid.
Manny and Diego shared a look, holding it. It turned into something of a short staring contest.
"Oh, alright. I'll do it," sighed Diego, turning around and walking slowly back towards the screaming sloth, who's middle was now currently being held in the mouth of Aria.
"Come on, ladies, you don't want to eat that," said Diego, shaking his head. "You might get a disease."
"Hey!" exclaimed Sid. "I'll have you know that I'm completely nontoxic!"
Aria rolled her eyes and dropped the sloth, who landed with a thud on the ground.
"Well, we didn't exactly have any dinner. Of course, we would have if it weren't for you."
"Oh, Aria, forget it. Bruno told us to leave them alone anyway, remember? Besides, as much as I hate to admit it, they have a saber and two mammoths verses us. Think about it."
"Oh, alright. But we're going hunting first chance we get tomorrow! I'm starving!"
Diego rolled his eyes and turned away from the tigresses, Sid scurrying after him.
"Whew! Thank goodness you came, Diego! They would have eaten me! You know, they kind of remind me of you! Except, you know, they're girls. You know, you and that light colored one would make a cute couple, especially since that one didn't try to eat me, you know what I- um, Diego, that's my throat! I use that to do a lot of things! Swallow, talk, breath…"
Sid sighed as the tiger let him go.
"Hey! I don't get it! You yell at us, and then you go and eat him!" cried Aria, trotting up beside him, Alaya following. If there was one thing he noticed about them it was that Aria was the leader, while Alaya was always found quietly following.
"I'm allowed. Besides, I wasn't eating him. He tastes bad! I was just teaching him a lesson," drawled Diego, not turning to look at them. Instead, he continued walking towards the front of the herd again, stopping next to Riley. To his distain, the sisters followed.
The little mammoth cowered away, stepping further underneath her mother at sight of the two tigresses. "Aw, look. She's scared," came Aria's voice.
He wasn't sure whether the voice was taunting or sympathetic, but in any case, he stepped between Riley and the tigresses. "With good reason," he replied, his tone accusing. "Three full grown sabers coming at her would be enough to scare most."
Aria looked around Diego at the mammoth. Ellie, in response, wrapped her trunk around her daughter and pulled her further out of sight, glaring at the tigress. Diego also blocked her view, taking another step forward.
"Stay away from her," he growled, his tone low and threatening. "If I ever catch you bothering her, I'll… well, let's just say that Bruno won't be able to save you."
"Okay, okay. Relax, Diego. We won't go around scaring your little friends."
"They're my herd. Not my 'little friends.' Get used to it!"
"So, Manny, what are we going to do?" asked Sid from atop Ellie's back.
"I… don't know. Every way I look at it we have to stay here. There's no loophole, no detours, nothing. We go, they hunt us. We stay, they don't. At least they say they won't."
"No. You're wrong."
Everyone looked up at Diego as he spoke, save for Riley, who was lying asleep in between her parents. Had he found a way out of the situation?
"You go. I stay. They don't want you to stay. They couldn't care less about you. Bruno made it clear that he wants me. That's the solution. Problem solved."
"No, problem not solved," argued Manny. "We aren't leaving you here alone. This herd doesn't split up."
"Come on, Manny. It's the only way out of this."
"Then we won't leave. That's all there is to it. How many times have you risked your life for us? All we're doing is returning the favor."
"That's right," chimed in Sid. "Hey, you just saved my butt two hours ago."
"Then that solves it," stated Ellie. "We're staying. We just have to hope Bruno stays true to his word. For all our sakes."
"Well, what do you think?"
Alaya, broken out of her light trance by her sister, looked up quickly. "What?"
"What do you think about him? I mean, you must have some opinion. You've only been watching him for the past... what was it now, an hour or so?" Aria said, laughing a bit.
"About who?" asked Alaya, turning her head away a bit. Of course she knew exactly who her sister was talking about, but she would never admit to it.
"Oh, don't play dumb. Diego! I mean, it's not all that often that a strange, mysterious tiger comes out of nowhere and pins you to the ground, now, is it? And can you believe he attacked Bruno? I mean, how much bigger is Bruno than Diego and he still went for him! Come on, you've got to have some thoughts."
"I don't like him," said Alaya stubbornly.
"Oh, you're just saying that 'cause he pinned you! But you have to admit that he's handsome! Come on, Alaya, look at him!"
"Okay, so he's good looking! That doesn't mean I have to like him!"
"Well, no. But you know you do!" urged Aria. "Why else have you been staring at him all evening?"
"I haven't," replied Alaya, lifting her head from her paws.
"Sure, Alaya, sure."
"I haven't!" the tigress defended herself.
"Go talk to him tomorrow. He doesn't seem to like me much anyway. How do you think he came to be in this... herd?"
"I don't know. Something must have happened with his pack... or something. I mean, he had to have been in a pack before. After all, he's proved he knows how to fight other sabers. Just look at Bruno."
"Well, ask him tomorrow when you talk to him!"
"I'm not talking to him!"
"Oh, yes you will!"
"I won't!"
"Whatever you say, Alaya," sighed Aria, knowing that her sister would talk to him eventually.
Wll, there's the first chapter! I hope everyone liked it! Please R&R! More to be posted soon! SteelersGrl36
