Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.


AN: Ok, this just came up after watching something that I don't really remember about. Thanks for the reviews!


Chapter 19:

"What?!" The whole 'herd' demands in outrage. The police officers stationed at the end of the hallway glance their way suspiciously, hands drifting to their weapons. Ellie glares at them, almost daring them to use them. Shira's attention is focused on Diego.

"But you didn't do anything!" She growls in frustration.

Diego snorts. "Try telling the cops that." He sighs, and rubs his eyes. "At least I'll get to return here next year. I'm lucky that they didn't expel me."

"What about your guardian?" Ellie asks, concerned. "Your sister? Can't she do something?"

Diego smiles weakly as he shakes his head. "Diana can't do much now with so much evidence stacked against me. It's even because of her that I was allowed to stay at Half-Peak." He sighs, head tilted to the sky in frustration. "I'd better start packing; I'm leaving tomorrow."

This causes another barrage of outraged and shocked cries.

Diego's smile trembles into a smirk. He shakes his head as he turns to leave in the direction Soto had left by. "I'll be gone by morning."


Shira sighs as she wanders the school fields. It had only been four days since Diego had left, and she was bored to death. Their new guide was…well. Incompetent, hopeless, inept, clumsy, all of the above.

Instead of having dinner with the others, she had instead opted for a walk around the schools. The corridors were unnaturally silent with the students having gone to dinner, but there was a distinct air of melancholy in the school. A small memorial service had been set up for Zeke, and while it was popular, the students appeared too scared for themselves.

Police was still stationed around the school, but it was clear their investigation was going nowhere.

Shira would be terrified if she were mortal, but she can hear the comforting whispers of the deceased that walked around the school. She couldn't locate Zeke yet - his death was far too recent - but she allowed the whispers to guide her.

Moving to the football pitch, she stares down at the darkened field. Training had been cancelled for the week, though coach had insisted on resuming them by next week. After all, the Tournament was still coming up, and Half-Peak - regardless of the revelation that one of their students was possibly guilty of murder - was still the host school.

Suddenly feeling the whispers around her grow louder in warning, she straightens and squints at the field. A small figure was darting across the open field, often leaning into shadows and emerging of a shadow further ahead.

Quickly making her way down the steps, she kept her footsteps light and silent as she followed the figure.

She stops just short of the changing room, carefully glancing around the corner. Her eyes widened and her mouth drops open. It is only the whispers around her that keeps her quiet.

Doppleganger.

That had to be the only explanation.

Diego - or at least, a version of Diego - was leaning over the bench with something in his hands.

Shira's shoes squeak slightly as she backs away, and she throws herself against the corner, using a conveniently positioned mirror to see the Doppleganger whip around. A mark flares above his head as he does so, indicating its membership in the Changeling species.

Shira had one of her own on her wrist that marked her as belonging to the Graveyard and the Graveyard alone. No one would be able to remove her from there.

But no wonder the Doppleganger had targeted Diego, who was considered a fully-fledged witch. Dopplegangers often worked for hags, a lower form of half-trained Witches (those which were often stereotyped in films).

Dopplegangers possessed the same basic ability as Witches, including controlling surveillance footage.

Taking a deep breath, she quickly darts for the exit and finds herself in the football pitch. An outraged shriek sounds behind her and she knows that the Doppleganger had caught sight of her.

Shira pulls the shadows and spirits closer to herself as she tries to make for the stairs - once she was up there, she would be in sight of the school and help could come. Dopplegangers were cowards - they never fought more than one person at a time.

As the Doppleganger looms behind her though, she can almost sense that she would never be able to make it.

She looks around desperately, but there is no help to be found. Spirits were neutral by nature, and even if they weren't, there was nothing they could use against a Doppleganger. Curse her for wandering out at night, even if she knew there was danger involved.

Hearing the scuff of a foot indicating a lunge, she tries to careen sideways, but the Doppleganger somehow grabs her ankle. She gives a scream and tries to kick it in its face, but he merely snarls.

A shout sounds from the other end of the pitch, and Shira looks up, hope blooming in her. Ellie is at the front, expression fierce as she charges at the Doppleganger with Manny, Crash, Eddie, and Sid behind her.

The Doppleganger shrieks and vanishes.

Ellie quickly turns to kneel at Shira's side. "Are you okay?"

Shira gives a shaky nod. "A Doppleganger," she explains.

"A what?" Manny asks incredulously.

"Doppleganger. A form of changeling. One of the most dangerous foes to encounter alone; they worked as spies during the war, though most were cowards," Shira spits.

"Look out!" Eddie yelps.

Manny ducks, but Ellie isn't fast enough, and a football smashes into her face.

The Doppleganger still had Diego's face as he charges at them desperately, expression contorted into a snarl. He leaps up - and Shira doesn't have enough time to duck out the way, he's going to get her again, when a flash of gold whips through the air.

"Diego," Shira breathes in relief.

Dopplegangers were never able to take a Witch on one-on-one, especially if said Witch was a fully-fledged one.

"Get out. Now." Diego snarls, hands glowing gold. The Doppleganger snarls back with the same face, but it was starting to look a little uncertain.

"Our kind has listened to yours for long enough!"

Shira perks up. This changeling wasn't working for someone else? That was strange…and a little ominous, if she was being honest. This indicated a rebellion of some sort, and with the already tenuous situation of the Witches, this was not a good sign.

"Exit in your own form!" Diego orders.

The Doppleganger growls, but whines as gold magic washes over him threateningly. Turning into a scrawny boy about the same age as them, he scowls and exits the pitch.

Just as he's sulkily disappearing into a shadow, he turns around and lauches something at Shira.

Diego's eyes flare a brilliant green as a gold shield forms around Shira, rebounding the force of the attack back at the Doppleganger. The creature shrieks with pain as it is forcibly removed through a shadow.

Silence reigns for a long time as everyone tries to process what happened.

Diego waves a hand, and his magic envelops the shards of whatever the Doppleganger had tossed at Shira.

He looks up at the Dæmon-hunters.

Shira gives a smirk. "Took you long enough."


Even after Diego was proven innocent, his suspension was upheld due to increasing doubts about Half-Peak's security. Rumours were circulating about students getting pulled out or being transferred for next year.

The football team remains dismayed - two of their best players were now no longer on the team. What if another one followed?

Meanwhile, Valley continues to train hard for the Tournament. The same one that comes in a few weeks.