I own nothing, only lose it if I did, so for the best really.

After five weeks of gruelling physical and mental training we find Sid propped up by the customary fire, roasting some root vegetables. He started his 'bestest parent' campaign with every ounce of strength he had, and now was flagging from the effort, after all this was the longest that he had ever been a parent for.

Every day he would try to teach Snowball a new lesson, starting with the simple basics i.e. talking, coordination, climbing, very easy stuff, or at least it should have been, but Snow only wanted to play one game, 'chase and pounce' all day, every day, any interruption to the game was boring. Then there was Peaches, now a little healthy competition was one thing, but he could swear that she was purposefully bettering Snow at everything that he tried to teach. Sid pondered whether Manny was putting her up to this to highlight his second rate parenting, or if indeed it was all as innocent as everyone made out.

Sid contemplated this as he poked the flames, there was a pattern. He would be teaching snow, this would always be a long drawn-out task as Snowball's attention was short if nonexistent, and Peaches would, by chance be playing nearby with her uncle's. As she played Sid could swear she would glance over, picking up the necessary information to understand what exactly Snowball was required to do, then she would leave to play on her own out of sight for a while. By the time Sid would have Snowball repeating the rules and understanding that to get this lesson out of the way he would have to comply with what was being asked, peaches would return a master of the task in question, flaunting her new skill effortlessly and offering to help Uncle Sid teach.

At first Sid marvelled at her cleverness, but even he was getting more than a little peeved with her 'just what can't I do!'goodyness , especially as she seldom helped! The reluctant to learn Snowball would only revert to his favourite game of 'chase and pounce' and Sid would end up running after him running after a giggling wildly Peaches.

Earlier today he had, just to test, been teaching Snow how to light a fire, an impossible task for Peaches surely? Well by the time he had gathered the necessary wood and flint and explained the actions to a yawning Snowball, Peaches was already tending a great blaze a short distance away with a smirk on her face and an offer to help Uncle Sid get his started. Manny had appeared at that moment and told Sid off for being irresponsible with his fires. Crash and Eddie had agreed, so unless Ellie had had a hand in this than who else?

Sid sighed as he turned his sweet potato. Snowball sat beside him hungry as usual, he watched Peaches eating grass greedily. The possums crunched loudly up above, a few crumbs fell to the floor beside him. He did not dare chase Peaches while Ellie was there so he just glared, and counted the seconds until Diego returned with his food. Sid began eating. Snowball's stomach growled, chewing became the only thing he could hear. Finally after five of the longest minutes imaginable, Snow's patience ran out. He looked seriously at the dandelion beside him. Peaches ate them; Sid ate them, he had even seen those possums eat them, he was starving so it stood to good reason that this was the answer. Snow picked the flower and a couple of leaves and held them in his mouth. Peaches shoved another trunkful of sweet spring grass into her mouth 'do it' she seemed to beckon, Sid looked encouragingly at him, he felt compelled to try. Snowball chewed the plant slowly, it wasn't a nice warm wet feeling he was used to, rather a stringy difficult, cabbage mess that just bunched up into a ball in the roof of his mouth.

"Good huh?" Sid voiced "Full of vitamins for a growing body, and lovingly compacted into an indisputably beutiful flowery package."

Snowball swallowed hard, he was still not convinced but took another mouthful anyway in the hopes that it would get better.

"So Sid" Came Eddie's voice from above, "If you two are a couple, then how'd you decide which role each of you would play?"

"Guy's if you were in anyway mature, than Ellie would not need to tuck you up like the babies you boys really are."

"Sheesh touchy today aren't we? I was just asking.... Did you draw straws?"

"Look I can see what you're getting at, just because I stay home and look after Snow all day you think that I am a useless stay at home mom, no offence Ellie."

"None taken Sid as both I and Manny share all parenting tasks, seeing as we are equal in all we have to offer a growing child."

"Oh good answer." Sid turned his head back to look up the tree where the possums were hanging, "yeah we too are equal in what we can offer so sexually orientated roles don't apply to this family."

"Actually." Snowball liked knowing something no one else did so stated his piece of information very matter of factly," In a pack a mum would go out and hunt bringing the food back to the dad and kids. I never figured out what dads did, just sat around all day I suppose."

"Hah! So that makes me the daddy! in your face possums!" Sid threw a hot potato in their direction, but failed to hit anything let alone anyone. "So where is Manny?" Sid asked only too aware of Ellie's unusual presents at this time of day. He was guessing that they had argued, a problem for Dr Sid no doubt.

"Oh he left to check out some other Mammoths in the area, you know meet the neighbours."

"And you didn't join him........ because?" Sid beckoned.

"No reason. Just felt like chillin with you guys today."

"But I thought the two of you liked your long walks together?"

Yeah walkings ok, but I wondered what you guys did while we were away."

"Well that's easy, nothing."

"Not yet, but you never know with you guys do ya?" She laughed nervously, very out of character for Ellie. Sid felt uneasy and looked back to his vegetables. Eddie retreated further up his tree to where his brother was literally hanging out. A heavy silence descended as they all felt watched by Ellie, and tried not to notice. Eyes twitched and the fire crackled, finally the silence was Brocken by Snowball being violently sick. Loud hacking and wheezing filled the camp as Diego returned empty handed from his hunt, he rushed over to Snowball and hit him on the back causing a big green ball of chewed vegetable matter to come flying out.

"You let him eat grass?" Diego looked at Sid in disbelief. He turned back to Snowball "You don't eat grass, not unless you want to be sick, did you want to be sick? Then don't eat grass. And you should not have let him, what do you do all day if not teach him basic stuff like that?

"I teach him lot's actually. He can nearly swim."

"Great he can swim and eat grass, now what swims and eats grass Sid? Nothing!"

"Nurture, I give him the nurture that he needs to grow into the well rounded individual we should all aspire to be."

"You can't eat nurture Sid; you should have adopted a tree."

"Well then maybe you should think of becoming a tree as all your grouchy hunting has got you is nothing. If however you had learned to eat grass...." Sid stopped as he didn't like the death glare he was receiving. "Don't you ever grow up and become all stroppy like him Snowball."

"I'm sorry, bad day in the field." Diego muttered as he flopped down to lie on his side and shut his eyes. He knew he was in the wrong, after all Sid was not a tiger and probably didn't know a thing about being one. He would have to teach them both if he wanted any practical skills to result from their, or Sid's play.

Sid knew that was as good as he was going to get."So tomorrow we were going to learn to catch butterflies do you want to join?"

"Actually I was thinking it's time we taught him some proper hunting skills."

Sid really hadn't expected an answer, but felt a little flattered at the invite. His first family outing, to do something exceptionally gross. "I was wondering if that was going to come up."

Wiping his mouth and memory clean of all vegetable matter Snowball perked up, this was his favourite game. "Can we go now?" He squeaked excitedly.

"No, I'm resting." Diego snapped back.

"Maybe you can teach me here?" He looked slyly over to Peaches, who was straining to hear what was going on.

"Bad idea, from what I've seen she will only beat you." Diego snipped back. Snowball lowered his ears and mumbled something as he slouched off to pounce on some rocks.

Sid propped himself beside Diego. It had been a while since they had had time to just sit and talk together. Raising a family took more time than you would think. "Sooo.... were you as cute as snow when you were a cub?"

"I was tawny with spots, nothing like him." Diego shut his eyes tighter hoping to sleep.

"Ooooh ginger and spotty, tough break, guess that explains a lot though, bad attitude...."

"We were all gin...tawny with spots, everyone looked the same, not all pink and green and gay (as in English version of the word i.e. delightfully exuberant) like sloths, and mini sloths. Are they still around? Maybe we could find them, see if that offer to take you away is still open."

Sid carried on as if he had not spoken "But ginger and spotty? I can't think of anything worse." His face screwed in thought. "Really I can't." After another thoughtful silence." So Diego, what does one ginger kid call another ginger kid?"

"I wouldn't know. What would one ginger kid call another Sid?"

"No it was a serious question, oh but now I wish I had a punch line."

"Ok we're going; I'm about ready to kill something now." Diego stood up abruptly letting Sid fall. "Keep up, you're helping Sloth."

Manny returned to the camp as they left "Aw, I didn't just miss another fluffy moment of marital bliss did I?"

"No hon, you didn't."

"Then what about any wild adventures from Sid or the twins?"

"Well, no you didn't miss any of that either." Elllie sighed, she so missed adventure, even a little one would be nice about now.

"See I told you to stop worrying, even if they did have an adventure without us, then so what? There will be others, and it is not as if they can't fend for themselves. In the meantime we're kind of having an adventure with Peaches, and I swear that I'd be envious of that." He smiled down at his sweet little Peaches; he wished that Ellie was just a bit more contented; she seemed to be longing more and more lately for something wild to spontaneously happen.

"But what if they discover a way back to dino land or, or maybe need our help? Manny I have always been there for my brothers."

"And you still are, but I think that this is more for you. I think that maybe honey you are an adrenaline addict and hope to fall into some mad scenario where we have to battle against all odds to survive. When you think about it we have been non-stop living on the edge since we met, you're a Fun junky."

"Maybe." She looked down guiltily.

"So are you going to join me next time I visit that new mammmoth herd?"

"Will we be gone long?"

"Does it matter? I promise it will be a worthy adventure."

"Hmmmm."

"You remember that park I built Peaches?"

"Course I do."

"Well, because there are more mammoths over there they have built this massive park and more. I would really like it if you came with me and saw for yourself, I missed your company today."

"Ok, ok." she smiled, Manny had a way of getting around her stubborn side far too easily.

Eddie cautiously ventured down the tree again seeing Ellie looking calmer."Hi Manny." He said nervously, testing the water. "So, when do you know you're really ready for a family?"

"If you're Sid you're never ready." Manny answered flatly.

"No, I mean like how does anyone know they are ready?"

"What? you mean me? You don't think I'm ready for a family? Bit late now to be cautious."

"No, that's not it either! I'm just asking how do you know? Is it possible to know?"

"I am going to stamp on you and then you will never know when you will be ready to have a family; you just won't live long enough to find out."

"Wow you are so touchy!" Annoyed that no one was taking this simple question seriously today Eddie stomped back up his tree.

"Ellie I think that your brothers next adventure would be best experienced by possums only." The thought of those guy's with kids was too much for Manny at any time of day, this herd was chaotic enough already.

"I agree. I wouldn't want to see how that's going to go down, when can we leave?"

"Well I only glimpsed the herd from this side of the valley, I recon a day's walking just to reach them, unless we move our herd closer. I will talk to everyone when we all get together later. Until then however, I'm going to find some food, it has been a long lonely morning walking all that way and back, would you care to join me for a snack?" Manny offered his trunk to Ellie.

"Shh! my brothers will hear, it's a walk remember?"

"They can't hear from up there, why are they so high? Probably planning some prank on us all. WELL SEE YOU LATER!" Manney called up, but the possums did not hear, nor did they notice them leave.

Crash looked down. "Eddie everyone's gone!"

"Wow, we are so out of this loop thing they have forgotten we even exist, bummer!"

"We just got to get noticed again, that's all, a practical joke has always done the trick, we will just annoy our way back into their hearts again."

"What if Sid was right, they think we are babies and now that they all have their own kids have abandoned us?"

"Get a grip dude do babies wet... no another example of what we're good at, well we... no that was Buck. Ok we saved Sid, no, we got Manney that time when Ellie was in trouble!"

"We are soooo useless. That's it we gotta grow up bro."

"But I don't want to! I'm not even sure I can."

"Fine then I have to grow up for the both of us, or else we get left behind."

"Bit late for that don't you think? A really big Practical joke has always worked in the past"

"No, not this time Crash. This time is different, there is no life endangering threat surrounding the herd, so our light hearted comic relief is totally unnecessary."

"Where are you going?"

"To take a walk."

"You mean pig out behind my back? There are other ways to overcome your insecurities Ed"

"No Crash, I mean a real walk, to clear my head and figure out what I must do to grow up."

"Come back when you give up, wont you?"

"Sure." And with that he bounced from tree limb to limb until he was gone. Crash hung alone listening to the breeze, feeling very lonely.

"He'll be back, they'll all be back, they better not come back to find me talking to myself though. Eddie I'll grow up too, just don't leave me!" he bounded off after Eddie, but did not find him......

Diego, Sid and Snowball walked for a few miles in a heavy silence. Sid dragged his feet getting bored.

"Are we there yet?"

"No Sid." Said Snowball, angry that Sid could not even try to act like a grown up on this important expedition.

"Why do we have to go so far? There must be someone you can eat closer than this."

"Do you remember that time when no one could find Harry Sid?" Diego said.

"Yeah sure I do, I've never played hide and seek since."

"Well, ever since I have always gone at least a few miles from camp for dinner."

"Oh.... You could have said at the time we searched for days looking for him, and he was nice, I liked Harry."

"Yeah I almost felt guilty, but you needed the excercise, and you got to play your stupid game a few days longer so I thought I would wait till the time was right then tell you. Here this will do." Diego slipped under some low growing shrubs, and lay down to wait.

"Hey, but there's nothing here?"

"Nothing yet, Sid but if you look around we have here a good view of acres of grass to each side and something is sure to come along sooner or later."

"But I thought you stalked herds and chased down your prey?"

"I don't know if you've noticed Sid but I am really tired, so this will do. Now keep down, stay quiet and wake me if anything interesting happens."

Thirty minutes later.......

"Wow this is boring, makes chewing the old cud look electrifying." Sid looked around again for anything to play with.

"Will someone just come now." Snowball whined, surly no one had to wait this long to eat.

"I bet that dandelion looks good about now huh Snow?"

"No." Snow contemplated how good a sloth steak would look about now, and struggled hard to put all thoughts of food out of his mind.

"How about some sweet potato? You have never tried that, and it is sure easier to come by than your food. Or some fruit, everyone likes fruit especially pears and peaches we will have to try all my favourite foods see if you like them. Snow sighed.

Diego stirred from his sleep."We don't think about Peaches like that, or any of the herd for that matter."

"I was talking about fruit, have you ever even tried any fruit?"

"No need to. Always been able to catch all the food I need long before I get suicidal."

"But you have got to admit it sure is easier being vegetarian than hunting. Definitely more interesting, even if you believe all the stories you hear."

"Well hunting is definitely overrated, usually you edit it down to the last ten minutes for hero stories, but this is it. The wait, the anticipation, the total utter boredom really, you should never do this alone it can drive you nuts. Just try to sleep it will pass the time quicker."

Hours later...

"Oh Diego wakeup, look antelope just like on cave paintings."

Diego pulled himself up to see the distant herd grazing. They were slowly headed this way so he would wait until they were closer before trying anything. In the meantime he studied for any weaknesses he could use to his advantage. It was not long before he spotted a young male limping way behind the others. He looked to see if Snowball had spotted this opportunity. Snowball's eyes were fixed on the nearest animal, a full grown female with fawn nearby, his paws twitched with excitement, and he tensed his muscles in readiness to bound forward. The herd was too close for any mistakes to go unnoticed so Diego put a paw heavily on Snow's back forcing the cub to stay sat in position."First we must pick a target," he whispered"one that will fall easy," Snows eyes were still fixed on the large female. "Or one that has wandered a bit behind the others, maybe a weaker one that the herd would be less likely to defend in an attack." Still Snow looked to the strong alert female and began to wriggle to get to her. Diego forced his head to the smaller limping male who was now lying down exhausted with the effort of keeping up. Diego's words finally seemed to be sinking in.

"Oh like that one! Look it is tired already!"

"Shhh! Talk quietly, yes that would be a good one."

"HO NO!" Sid, who had been happily watching the fawn, saw which one they were looking at to eat.

The heard at once looked up toward the shrubs they were hiding under, ears forward and nostrils flared for danger, but all they saw and smelt was sloth, so they settled back down to graze again.

Diego lifted his head again to peek out; luckily he had already had his paw on Snowballs back so pushing him down flat to the earth was done in an instant of Sid's stupidity. Now both cats glared at Sid.

"Heh, sorry." He whispered lowering his head so to be the same height as his friends." But not that one, it's only little."

"Little, weak, injured, and sits alone so has no friends, an easy demo." Diego hissed hunger pushing his patience.

"But you had a limp, were kinda slow, kept to yourself and we didn't kill you."

"No," Diego fought hard with his temper "you left me remember?"

"Reluctantly! I said I'd carry you!"

Through gritted teeth "Fine Sid, so which one would you choose?"

Sid looked back to the antelopes and studied hard. If he hadn't been so annoyed Diego would have laughed at the look of concentration on his face as he studied each animal. Snowball, under the weight of Diego's paw settled down for a long wait with a great sigh of inevitable boredom. With a dramatic roll of his eyes he squeaked "He is never going to choose one."

"Ah, that one."

"Which one?" Diego was not expecting Sid to actually choose.

"There that mean looking one."

"You mean the lead male?"

"Yep! He looks real menacing don't you think? I bet he's a real bully!"

"Ok." Diego looked to Snow who was now sat up and focussed on the chosen victim, his little tail twitched with renewed anticipation. "Then let's focus on the biggest, baddest one that might deserve to be killed off today for reasons guessed at by a sloth that has never met him." Sid was also crouched focussed souly on the big antelope, mirroring the intensity of Snow's absorption in the lesson. Diego watched the pair of them as he carried on. "The one who could skewer me twice over with those pointy horns, the one who is easily three times my size and....."

"Are we going to see any action today, or is this just going to be theory?" Sid had eaten before leaving, but he was getting hungry again and his stomach was defiantly distracting him from the speech Diego was now giving. "Only I'm going to need a snack, and to talk properly soon before some random involuntary shouting occurs, also Snow struggles with his concentration in verbal lessons he needs more to watch and learn rather than listen so he doesn't drift. I find actions can be worth a thousand words when teaching him anything. Did I say I was hungry? So if you guys aren't going to eat do you mind if I break cover and get some food?" Diego whacked Sid. "Ouch!"

"Watch and learn." He stalked off.

"Patience Snow, most important when hunting." Sid sat back happy that this boring lesson was going to end soon."Maybe if Diego had more, he would be a bit more successful and less irritable.

Snow looked hard at Sid."You know I think that you've got to work on your concentration too, you're only interested in silly things, nothing really serious."

"Hey you can learn a lot though the medium of play I'll have you know."

"Like what?"

"I'll tell you later, right now you're missing Diego's two cents worth of input to parenting, so look sharp kid and less talking!"

Diego skirted around to some longer grass so to hide his approach. He paused as he came along side the sleeping young injured male, pride made him pass by, he had always done as told no matter how ridicules. (e.g. go into a human camp full of well armed people or walk across a mine field of exploding hot water geysers.) He just could not say no and it was really beginning to bug him, why the hell was he following orders from Sid, and why did it matter so much that he would not back down from this challenge?

The long grass became sparser as he neared the target, from the shrubbery Snow and Sid could see him, and he could hear Snow craning to see. The antelope herd too and looked over to where Sid and Snow were hiding, their backs were now towards Diego the real danger and he crept closer still to the distracted leader. He crept so close in fact that he could now almost touch him. Diego paused why had he not been noticed? Was this guy so arrogant thinking no one would try it on that he needn't bother worrying about attack? Pompous git! Diego stood up and purposefully coughed to announce his arrival, after all, these things always started with a chase, it was common etiquette.

The big buck looked up mildly interested, then snorted in surprise, he was being stalked by a lone little tiger, he mockingly said "bring it on kitty" and gestured a "bowers salute' with his twin, meter long spiralling horns. That was all Diego needed, he lunged full force into the bucks shoulder forcing him to stumble side wards. Quickly recovering himself the buck smiled,"My turn!" He lowered his head and charged.

Diego, after gulping, turned tail and ran. He ran back past the sleeping young male concealed in the longer grass and lightly jumped over him, why could I not just go for the easy one? He thought as he dashed on toward the only real tree he could see an impossible thirty meters away. The crash behind indicated that his pursuer had not been so graceful. Diego turned to see the great buck aiming a but to the smaller, injered male in sheer annoyance. This was his chance as he was never going to out run him, he lunged at him again this time grabbing around his exposed neck and shoulders. This time the buck fell. Diego struggled to deliver a killing bite but could not reach any sweet spots that would instantly stop this beast. Instead he found himself rolling with, and now holding onto an angry standing bull antelope as he watched an ideal victim limp slowly away unharmed. Diego had a vast catalogue of 'what to do in scenarios when hunting', but sitting on your angry oversized victim was a difficult situation to get out of. He could not run, hide or climb somewhere safe, nor rely on his pack to save him. So he thought about apologising, and then maybe getting off, maybe ... too late the antelope began to run and kick wildly in tight circles trying to dislodge him. Diego held on tight and shut his eyes, this was going to be the most embarrassing defeat in the history of big cats, but as he prayed he noticed a pattern to the kicks and turns, if he timed this just right ... NOW! He pulled with all his weight into the turn before all four feet were on the ground hauling them both over for another roll only this time Diego came out on top and finished the fight.

He sat for a long moment in disbelief, his legs had turned to jelly after holding on so tight and his head swam with thrill of his feat, he had just single handily downed an animal big enough to feed a whole pack. Even Soto would have never tried taking a victim this big alone! If he could stand he would have punched the air, but as it was he just gingerly let go and slowly slid off to sit beside his prize as Sid and Snowball approached.

"Whooo that was exciting," exclaimed Sid "Snow really enjoyed it, next time though less drama as I got a bit worried, then bored as you dragged it out a bit ,then I may have shut my eyes..."

"Ok Sid I get it."

"So I guess I will just leave you too to it, as you know, Yuk."

"Don't go far these plains are used by a lot of predators, we should walk back together."

"I'll be over in that tree, there has got to be something for a hungry Sloth to eat around here."

Diego turned to Snowball "That's how not to hunt."

"But that looked fun!"

"It was." He said smiling before turning all serious again. "But you could get yourself killed doing stuff like that."

"Then why did you do it?"

"I guess." He paused before he could say I'm stupid." It's nice to challenge yourself, take a bit of risk every now and then. But it is plain stupid getting yourself injured or worse over nothing. Having said that you can also die of boredom I'm sure." He gave up trying to explain to Snowball what he could not explain to himself." Well eat up this won't go unnoticed long and we will lose it." He finished lamely.

Snowball greedily tucked in, this was much better than veg any day.

From far away, on a lofty wind swept down overlooking the open grass lands a lone bull mammoth watched the events unfold on the plains below with interest. "Tough guy eh? We'll see about that." He muttered darkly to himself and turned to rejoin his comrades.

Far away from the opposite direction, three female sabres also saw the action. "Foods up girls lets go."

"Hah! We've taken so much food off of this fool i've almost forgotten how to hunt for myself."

"Don't say that Jess, this fool is going to end up dead sooner or later pulling stunts like that, and we are going to be back to stage one 'working for a living' rather than chillin." Said Sara.

"Still he is still alive now, no reason not to look forward to a little more girl time and having fun before work starts again."

"Your right Tammy and I am planning something special." Sara smiled wickedly as she thought of her plans, a day out only witnessed by single young cats with no strings or cubs to think about.

"What are you planning Sara tell us."

"Soon Jess, when I am sure we can pull it off. I can't risk you too blurting it out in front of that damn lazy alpha of ours, or the cubs. This has got to be hush hush until I say so, but if it does happen believe me your both going to enjoy." Sara winked at her two pack mates as they trotted off toward their meal.

Jess slowed down at the mention of cubs, this was her first litter and she wasn't quite as old and cynical as Sara yet. "Shouldn't we be calling for old Dave and the cubs to join?" She looked back in the direction of their pack den, a group of rocks not half a mile away.

"Not yet." Sara snapped "Old Dave will as usual eat the lions share and leave us with the scraps to share with the cubs. I say we call them after we have had our fill and leave Dave to babysit a while longer, after all what else does he do all day other than sleep? Now come on girls our carcass is getting cold!"

Ten minutes later they reached their destination.

"Ok girl's best furious faces, let's go get our food." They approach snarling with hackles raised. "Back off Diego this is our food now."

Diego looked at the three of them with feigned disinterest. This was why he was so tired, he kept getting mugged by these three bullies as well as others when he carried food back alone across the open plains.

"You know it will go straight to your hips if you don't work it off once in a while catching your own stuff." Diego snapped a bit disgruntled, he could have used a bite or two more before moving on.

"You know this wouldn't happen if you were part of a pack." Sara replied, a little sympathy in her voice, they had stolen rather a lot off of him lately.

"It's easy enough to catch another." He lied, and badly he was getting terrible at lying lately. "Come on Snow, we were leaving anyway."

"Suite yourself loner." Sara watched the odd couple of cats stalk off.

"Do you think my hips are getting bigger?" Questioned Tammy.

"Don't listen to him Tam." Said jess "He's just a typical male."

"No not just a typical male." said Sara her gaze now distant."Different. I think our carefree days might be numbered girls."

"Hope not," giggles Jess. "I'm enjoying this; it's like being an alpha male."

"I'm moving my plans forward or else we might never get an opportunity like this again, now listen up girls.........Whisper, whisper......."

"Why did you let them take our food?" Snowball whined.

"No big deal, we will just find more food tomorrow, let's just get cleaned up and find Sid.

Snow scowled he did not like being bullied, especially by girls, and especially by species that were below that of a cave lion. He thought some dark thoughts about revenge while he cleaned himself up before they started off again.

"Let it go Snow, a pint sized pup like you is not going to kill three sabres anytime soon."

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I'm guessing lion attitudes are as bad as tigers. Once I would have been hell bent on revenge, but that just gets you distracted, and you may miss the next opportunity when it should present itself. Look." Sid sat breaking nuts from a hoard he'd found in the tree he was sitting under.

"Your first opportunity to stalk prey, but don't hurt him, and don't eat him, just sneak up and jump him, it will be funny, uh, good practice."

Snow nodded and crouched down to stalk, then skipped with a high playful step over to Sid and jumped in his lap.

"Oh hi guys, you're done already?"

"These girls came over and took our food." Snow stated matter of factly."Diego said it was ok, but I was still hungry."

"You called that a stalk? Were you not paying any attention to today's lesson?" Diego said aghast at how little this cub had learnt.

"Sid was talking all the time, and I cannot see through his head."

"Hey, not all the time I wasn't. I just thought it needed a little commentary that's all, but less deflecting are you afraid of girls."

"They've got claws you know, hey maybe I am, do you think I should go back and cure myself with those three lovely looking women?"

"You said they had fat hips from being so lazy." Snowball was really good with facts.

"Have I ever told you you're a tattle?"

"Hey I think we got more pressing problems." Sid did not like where this was headed. "Snow was that supposed to be your first stalk?"

"Maybe."

"Well it needs working on. You can practice as we all head back together."

"What's the rush, I thought you liked mysterious time out from the herd."

"Well, from the top of my tree I saw a monstrous snow slope I want to sledge down." It was true he had been admiring the virgin snow ripe for a bit of snow board action, something Sid was remarkably good at, unlike hunting. Also he knew Diego enjoyed fast rides so would be more than likely to come with rather than stalk off.

"Sounds too good to miss, lead the way."

Snow skipped along behind practicing his prowl.

Meanwhile Eddie sat alone staring at his reflection in a pond while he contemplated what mature actually meant, and whether or not he could get away with keeping his sling shot while he matured. He had been sitting for quite some time deep in thought when a hand gently resting on his shoulder made him jump.

"Sorry." Came an unfamiliar female voice "it was meant to be a comforting gesture not a means to scare you silly."

Eddie stared hard at this new comer; she looked just like every other possum.... But with curvy hips. "Your a girl?"

"Yeah, neat huh?" She followed his eyes as he scoped her out unashamedly."I suppose you're a boy?"

"You look just like my brother."

"Thanks, I think? You don't look at all like my sister."

"You have a sister?" Could this get any better?

"Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that actually, look I was concerned, you have been staring at that pond forever and I thought I'd better see if you were ok." She said as she took a seat beside him.

"Well, my sister kind of left without me today, and, you see since she had a baby I've been a bit left out I guess. This sounds really stupid, but before she used to carry me everywhere and tuck me up when she thought I was asleep, and well she still does, but now she has all grown up and got a family and stuff and I guess I want to grow up but I'm not sure I can, so here I am looking at this pond."

"U-huh, your older sister?"

"Yeah my big, big sister."

"Most people would just find that weird, but well my sister carries me around, and I suppose treats me like a kid, and well I love it, so I understand where you are coming from, but I'm afraid I can't help you. Unless you need help finding your sister again, you see Fleet, my sister, is really good at tracking."

"Would you go out with me? My brother is also single if that helps, he could double date with your sister, only it's kinda rare to find someone who shares so much in common." (Possums work fast.)

"Uh sure yeah why not, umm my sister is kinda not a possum though so you may want to rethink that." (All Possums work fast!)

"Wow, my sister is not a possum either! I thought you'd find me weird if you knew she was a mammoth!"

"Well that's great, so you're totally ok with other species?"

"Are you kidding, me and my brother hang out with just about every type of animal there is!"

"That is so cool, I will call fleet my big sis over, she won't believe this, we seldom share friends."She threw back her head and screamed in a strange howling gesture. Eddies face dropped as Fleet, a big slobbering long legged wolf, bounded over to greet them. This is my sister Fleet, I'm Emma by the way."

"That's a wolf."

"Yes! Very sharp this one!" Emma nudged Fleet as she spoke. " Fleet this is Eddie we just met but I kind of like him, so try not to eat him ok?"

Fleet stopped panting hot wolf breath for a second and ran her tongue across her long snout. "I won't eat a friend." She spoke simply in a high voice more suited to singing than casual speech, she then pushed her snout into Eddie and roughly sniffed him all over cataloguing his scent so to make good on her promise. "Smells like possum, mammoth, sloth and cats." Fleet could not hide her excitement, she lived to chase things and cats were ever so good to chase, she bounced around the two possums weightless and graceful. "Let's run."

"Sure, would you like to come Eddie? Fleet can run like the wind, it's always a blast."

Eddie who had not taken his eyes off of Emma yet was not about to. "Sure!" And with that got quite carried away.