Chapter Four: "And He's Got A Family"
Disclaimer: Ice Age belongs to Blue Sky Studios and Twentieth Century Fox. Millie and Wallace (FINALLY YOU MEET THEM) belong to Funkywatermelon (the one who originally inspired this whole story, thanks again). I would say everything else belongs to me, but I didn't really add anything of my own, so...
Quick A/N: Yeah, this was really hard for me to write this chapter. I hope it was at least ok for you. Plus, I didn't really get the transition right. At least I don't think so. And as for Millie and Wallace, I'm sorry I kept putting them in the disclaimer the whole time, but I figured, better safe than sorry. Ok, here we go!
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It was all coming back to him, seeing his new family in trouble like that. Time seemed to slow down. All the horrors of that day came pouring into his head all at once.
The sun was high in the sky and the birds were chirping their songs. Manfred knew something was about to happen. He just didn't know what.
He could see his mate, Millie, not too far off in the distance. Their son, Wallace, had gotten all muddy and she was trying to hose him down, with little success. Manfred walked over to them.
"Were you playing in the mud hole again, Wally?" he asked, lovingly.
The little mammoth glanced up at his father, smiled fakely, and giggled, "Maybe." Millie chuckled at her son's innocence.
"You two," she smiled. "Don't you ever stop?" she asked, jokingly.
"Because I'm all grown up and can do anything!" yelled Wallace, excitedly. The two parents both smiled.
"Hey, Manfred," she said. "I have something to tell you." Manfred wondered if this was the 'something' he had been anticipating. Suddenly, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what she had to say.
"I'm all ears," he said, smiling at her. He loved her more than words could say. Millie took a deep breath.
"Well," she started. "Do you remember that special day about six months ago?" Manfred thought back, but couldn't remember what was special about it. He shook his head.
"I do!" piped up Wallace. "Wasn't it your anniversary?" Millie smiled and nodded.
"It was. Four years," she said. She sighed, remembering the day.
"So does that mean that you were married for three years when you had me?" asked Wallace, with an inquisitive look.
"Yes, it does," said Manfred. He took his trunk and patted his son on the head. He looked back up at Millie. "What does that have to do with anything though?"
"That night," she said, slightly seductively. "Remember?" Manfred thought back and smiled as he remembered the romantic night they had.
"I do now," he said. He reached out his trunkto hold her.
"Eww!" interrupted Wallace. "Gross!" Manfred laughed wholeheartedly. He unlocked their trunks, for his son's sake.
"Anyways," said Manfred, backing away from his mate. "Still, what does that have to do with anything?" She laughed lightly. She was obviously going to have to spell it out for him. She gently took his trunk in hers and moved it to her stomach. With just a little pressure, Millie saw Manfred's eyes light up. He could feel it.
"Daddy," inquired Wallace. "What is Mommy doing to you?" Manfred's eyes started to water. "Is she hurting you, Daddy? Daddy?"
Manfred couldn't say anything. He was speechless.
"Wally," said Millie. "I'm going to have a baby." Wallace realized what had been going on and he jumped for joy. He made a small trumpet and ran in circles.
"I'm gonna be a brother! I'm gonna be a brother!" he chanted. He ran over to Manfred. The mammoth looked down at his lively son and hugged him. He started to run off to tell the others in their herd.
Manny wrapped his trunk around Millie's and embraced her tightly.
"Its going to be a girl," she said.
"How could you know that?" asked Manfred. "It's too soon."
"I can just tell. A mother's instinct," she replied. They watched Wallace run into the distance. Before anything else could be said, Wallace's little trumpet could be heard. Manfred and Millie saw him start to run back in their direction.
"Humans!" cried Millie, seeing the enimies. "Run!" She waited for Wallace to catch up to her, then dashed off for safety. Manfred turned to run after them, but stopped to try and fight off the humans.
The spears came at him, and fast. He couldn't think quick enough to dodge all of them. He turned to run with his family, but the humans had already surrounded him. He saw Millie and Wallace surrounded by humans too. They had cornered them against a cliff. Millie didn't have her tusks anymore, and therefore couldn't defend herself, or Wallace. She trumpeted, hoping that Manfred could save her.
He looked around, trying to think of a way to help. He looked up and saw more humans on top of the cliff. They were holding stones. Large stones. He sounded a warning to his wonderful, newly expectant mate and beloved son.
But it was too late.
His family was gone. Humans had taken them from him.
It took a long time for him to fall asleep that night. The beautiful day had turned into a nightmare he would never wake from. He looked up at the sky. All he could do was think of how he couldn't do anything about it. He fell asleep, alone, under the stars.
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This chapter was not fun to write. I thought it would be becauseI've always wanted to write my own version of the cave drawings, and I finally got to. I cried writing it, and then cried rereading it. I know that's lame to cry at your own story, but hey... I hope it was at least ok for you all. I haven't started Chapter five yet, but it's going to be called: "That's What You Do In A Herd", thanks Funkywatermelon for the idea!
R&R please?