Don't own, just like messing with it.
Ellie was not surprised to find her brothers missing the next morning, they really were growing up it seemed. She sighed softly to herself, she liked them as they were; she liked the herd as it was, why did things have to change?
"Let's go!" Manny smiled enthusiastically the sooner he had his mind occupied the sooner he could forget about his missing herd members, they had only been a part a short while but it was the first night he Sid and Diego had been away from each other since they met however long ago that was.
Ellie tried to mirror his strength and determination "Times a wastin!"
"But my family is missing! Can't we go look for them?" Peaches had yet to learn to read into the subtleties of the unsaid word, her words pang the heart strings of her formally strong parents.
"We will see them later they have their own games to play today hon."
"Without me?" Her big eyes and wobbling lip made it hard to imagine there was anything out there beside Peaches.
"You will understand when you grow up." Manny hated saying that line.
"We will see them all here later, but first we have some new friends to meet." Ellie tried, that seemed to brighten Peaches outlook. Together they ate a quiet breakfast as they headed up over the steep valley wall towards the yet unseen mammoth herd.
Soon enough the ground became very trampled with the coming and goings of so many large feet and the shapes of distant mammoths could be seen. It was going to be strange being the same size as everyone else. Ellie tried to count how many mammals were gathered but found it imposable, like before when they had met another herd the mass movement of many bodies made it hard to establish where one started and another ended. She could however make out the different clicks, the very small calves and mums, the teenagers, the tear a ways, the gossips, the big bulls, some general millers. All looked bored, possums never had this problem.
Peaches ran excitedly towards some kids her own size, Ellie chased after her with the intention of bringing her back to Manny, but as is always the way, found herself surrounded by chatty mums cooing over Peaches. With no room for escape she looked back to where Manny was last standing only to see him becoming lost in a group of large males.
"Let's keep together, try not to get lost" Manny said to himself as he looked around to find that he was surrounded by strangers. One big grey bull in particular was not going to let him go without telling him everything about himself. This bull went by the name 'big Mick' and seemed to be chief elder if not the leader of this herd.
"Hello mate, I've not seen you around these parts before have I? So what's your story?" "Ah?" Boy it really was strange talking to mammals of the same height, and those pointy tusks aimed directly at him weren't half intimidating "We were just passing by, we're from east of here."
"East huh, anything happening that way? I travel more north to south, got to be a bit backward to want to go east to west." He eyed Manny up and down assessing him thoroughly, this was a strange mammoth he could feel it.
"Well where ever our feet take us rather than direction."Manny offered.
"Good, good, a bit of exploration was never a bad thing, so where is the rest of your herd?"
"Uh there is only the three of us mammoths in my herd, us and some friends travel together."
"What kind of friends?"
"The non-mammoth kind?" Manny studied Mick's reaction; this was not the norm but not completely out of the boundaries of acceptability so long as he didn't mention what kind of non-mammoths they were. Mick seemed to think about this some, there were no other species among this herd Manny noted.
"Come over here so we can all talk and keep an eye over things." And that was it Manny was accepted into the 'men's club' Mick had put his suspicions aside as any bloke who only had females for company would end up a bit peculiar. Hanging out with this herd and doing a few manly things was probably all that was needed to put him straight. "There's been some strange goings on lately, maybe with your fresh eyes you might help us get to the bottom of it all." Mick led them over to his favourite view point where they stood watching over the vast valley pastures and the herds moving over them grazing. Because any nice weather was short lived in the ice age it was what could be considered early summer with the flush of growth accompanying this spate of warm plus 4 daytime temperatures.
"Mammoths have been going missing of late," Mick explained to Manny as the others were well aware of the problem, just stumped at the cause. "More than old age and poor health alone would explain, and then yesterday I saw something strange. We worked hard over the years clearing the cave lions from this territory making it safe for our families; I for one won't let them creep back in." This was a bull mammoth's job; it was what they did, protect their herd; Mick spoke solemnly, other mammoths nodded sagely in agreement. "Lesser mammal's survival depends on our help so they tend to keep close for protection that is why we can understand you travelling with other species." Mick paused as if to let the idea of such a thing get as far away from him as possible before continuing. " Although I wouldn't Bill here keeps a few bison," He motioned towards Bill a big yet cross eyed looking chap with a few flies buzzing around him and few mammoths anywhere near him."And last year we stayed quite close to some caribou. We can be very open minded about these things." This was the first that some had known of Mick's tolerance but they all nodded anyway; better to give a united front than to bicker over the changing of opinion.
Manny realised he was considered odd.
"Look! Those dam tigers are back. Just as we get rid of those evil cave lions another load of rotten cats come out to take their place!" Everyone squinted to where Mick was focusing; a small tan tiger was indeed crouching out of sight to the herds below.
"Just watch these tiger's lads you will see what I'm talking about."
"Well they do have as much right to the land as we do." Manny regretted instantly not biting his tongue, but it was only one little tan blob in a sea of huge herd animals what was the big deal?
"Yeah is that so? Your soft in the head Manny, you've spent too much time with.... what did you say you were hooked up with? "
"I didn't, but there's like the usual, a err... sloth and possums and such..." Manny watched Mick cringe.
"No accounting for taste but if you like 'em." Then he added in a low mutter to himself," smelly, always getting under your feet. Still always easy to replace 'em if you did happen to step..."
"They are fun to have around too." Well he couldn't deny it they were smelly, well one was but he was smelly enough for eight, and they did get under your feet, most days he or Ellie either kicked or trod on Diego who would choose to sleep in the most irritating places. Manny felt he was ever so alone in his opinion on living with such small mammals, so shut up and watched the tan coloured blob melt into the long grasses far below. Nothing happened for a while, then a darker, tawnier tiger appeared further out then the other, it was creeping up to a full grown adult long horned bison of all things (See cover of Beasts of Eden at Amazon for pic!). Manny gulped, this was going to get messy, stupid little cat.
"Here that's the one!" Mick whispered," He's trouble that one! I don't mind a few rabbits or old gazelles, after all don't want the place getting over crowded, but this cheeky little fella, I saw him take out Nigel (Blank looks all around) You know Nigel that big antelope buck, not that I spent much time talking to him or nothing like that it's just I could see him without looking down so we'd say hi as you do. Now he was top of his game when I last saw him fit as you like and he was well armed too boot and that blighter walked right up to him and had him anyway! Well lads those tigers have to be put in their place or it will be mammoths next and we fear nothing! So I say let's give 'em the old what's for and get it over with, Manny your coming with us, a bit of man sports will save you from your knitting circle routine back home."
"Those little Tigers aren't that dangerous, their actually quite tame even if you get to know them." Manny's words trailed off as he became aware of everyone staring at him. He really was struggling to make a good impression here with his big mouth! A little blue mammoth towards the back of the huddle let out a "cook- coo!" causing everyone to snicker at him.
"Ha ha funny joke huh guys." Manny chuckled nervously.
"Yeah Manny, you nearly had me there, real strange sense of humour you have there." Mick play punched Manny on the shoulder, despite his warm smile his eyes were dead serious "Real funny guy, predators are tame once you get to know em." He impersonated Manny's deep nasal voice. "We should all get together once in a while talk maybe invite them over for tea......" Now he trailed off as he noticed what was occurring down on the plains below. All laughter, including Manny's nervous laugh stopped as they too gazed at the cloud of dust and powered snow blossoming in the distance. They all strained their eyes too see as slowly it cleared to reveal the tawny blob that was the tiger sitting on a very still brown blob that had been the bison. "Why that little..." Bill began " He's done it again lads, getting far too cocky, stepping right out of line, right then anyone who tramples one of 'em gets named king for the day, let's go lads."
Manny stayed where he was unsure, chasing and trampling tigers was going to be far too much like chasing and trampling Diego; he couldn't really bring himself to do it. Dust flew all around him kicked up by the stampeding mammoths, as it cleared Mick stood staring at Manny, they were alone.
"Clearly you have spent far too much time around your cute little animals and your girls, you have gone soft Manny, just as I suspected. Now you are coming with us, you are going to chase some predators and you are going to act like the bull mammoth you are!" Mick hooked Manny's tusk with his own dragging him along.
"Wait I do protect them when we are threatened, I have protected them from predators so big you could not imagine! But you can't fight nature, you can't see off every threat before it happens, there are only a two tigers down there and ten of us bull mammoths here there's no threat." Just as he said it Manny saw three tigers rush out, now there were four of them.
"And there's more where they came from" Mick warned "we must attack now before their leader old Dave catches up. He is a big old boy that Dave and then we will need our numbers as he can sort this rabble into an organised pack and kill which ever mammoth he so chooses. So Manny we must keep 'em under control, it is our duty to our mates and the smaller critters that graze here because they know so long as mammoths patrol these lands they are safe, we can't let them down!"
He was right of course, he needed to protect before attack as well! Peaches needed to be kept safe and it was his responsibility to keep her safe. Manny strode forward with purpose, these sabres were not Diego, they were a threat.
"Ah that's the spirit!" Mick felt the resistance in Manny give as instinct kicked in. "Knew there was still a mammoth in there, stick with us and we will sort you out."
Meanwhile Ellie talked girl talk with the ladies of the herd. Well mostly an old girl called Jan, who spoke for everyone.
"So you say you're the only female in the group Ellie, must get a little boring."
"How do you mean? Blokes can do pretty much as much as us girls, just not as well, and no two things at the same time, which slows us down considerably." Ellie thought of how they always seemed to be stopping to rest despite the fact that both she and Peaches were desperate to keep searching for adventure.
"No I mean conversation wise, no who's dating who scenarios, no gossip! Poor thing, still I bet organising them is easy." Jan was the chief female of her own herd and very used to taking new girls under her wing.
"Huh?" Organisation? The word just didn't register on Ellie's radar, other than maybe doing a head count in the morning.
"Deciding where to go and when? You know taking charge?" Jan took in Ellie's blank expression. " Oh no! You're the matriarch, the herd leader the most important one! You look for signs, like when the weather will be best to visit such and such a place for the best eating or sunbathing or whatever you like best, you just say 'were off' and they follow."
"Oh, well the sloth does that in my herd at the moment, or at least should do that but we don't seem to do anything lately." (Ellie)
"Well, a sloth is a better choice of leader than a man I'm sure, but Ellie that is your job to take lead. Has no one ever showed you how to take charge?" (Jan)
"Well no." (Ellie)
"Then we shall have to teach you. We will start with the art of gossip, a very important tool to women, used to assess the mood and problems within the herd and keep in touch with what is happening from everyone's point of view. Now what is happening within your herd at the moment?" (Jan)
"Well, nothing great." Not compared to floods and dinosaurs anyway. The next thing that was occupying her mind was her missing brothers. "I'm sure it's nothing but well my brothers are trying to grow up bless 'em, and there is a little romance in the air, but whether or not it is real or imaginary is another thing, I guess I will know for sure when I get back to them." (Ellie)
"No wrong answer, men can't do for themselves, you can't just leave them to it. You have to take control Ellie and guide them. Now are they ready for a relationship?" (Jan)
"I suppose." Ellie remembered how important this all was to Manny so tried not to curb her rebellious nature.
"Are they good girls? Good enough for you brothers?" (Jan)
"Well Emma seems nice, I have not met the other one, but they are sisters so..." (Ellie)
"Very suspicious, must be something to hide, surprises are never a good thing. I shall show you how to asses someone for sure to know if they are good or not, for example you can tell a lot about someone from their hair alone. How much time do you think she spends on her hair?" And so it went on.... Ellie nodded her head often and smiled politely but secretly wished she was anywhere else. After what seemed like forever Ellie noticed the group with Manny in looking to the far distance and laughing amongst themselves. Suddenly they became very serious.
"Where are they going?" Ellie could not help but notice the gang of bulls disappear at full pelt downhill out of sight.
"Throw their weight around a bit," Said Jan unimpressed. "Makes them feel important, just ignore them, then pretend to be impressed when they come back with the old 'we're the man stories'."
"But that looks fun!" Before she knew it Ellie's legs were carrying her off after them.
The remaining girl's tutted as they watched her go," We may have our work cut out for us here girls; she has clearly spent too much time in an all male herd poor thing. It must have sent her barmy, well it is up to us to teach her how to be a sensible proud female! After all she is a fellow mammoth." (Rip off from Dumbo story here if I think about it, but these are hairy pachyderms so it's ok)
Soon Ellie had caught up with Manny, her cheeks glowed and her eyes shone, she felt elated to be running with the herd, the thunder of feet the trumpet of trunks as they raced. "What are we doing?" she called over her shoulder too him.
"Stampeding lass," Mick answered before Manny could speak "This is no place for a girl! Go back to the safety of the herd!"
But Ellie did not hear as she had over taken and was now gaining on the leader of the race. Well Manny had promised this trip would be fun and this sure was! Dust and powdered snow flew up all around her as she over took the fastest male with a "woo whoooo", and left them for dust as she lead the way to the plains below.
Diego had been pushed off of his kill before he had even had the chance to eat. Now he returned to the trees where he had left Sid and Snowball. There was nothing but big game around here and he had really risked his neck making that kill after waiting all night for anything more suitable to come along.
"Wow those girls really are bullies" Sid sighed. They had waited ages to get that food and it was going to be ages again before the next meal Sid could feel it.
Diego shrugged he did not need an audience to his defeat; he needed a few more of his own kind to defend his food. He sat and watched the three females tearing away at his prize and remembered before when he had liked Sara, before her cubs and appetite had exploded, he kind of hoped she'd get blown up by a giant possum right now.
"Oh look!" Sid perked up," I think Manny's going to sort them out for you!"
He looked over to where Sid was looking mammoths were indeed stampeding in this direction their thunderous footfalls beginning to fill the wide valley floor with a sound like thunder. As soon as he had spotted them the noise became deafening.
"That's not Manny Sid!" (Diego)
"No look its Ellie! She is going to tell those bullies off for you, probably put them over her knee ha!"(Sid)
"Let's move out of the way." (Diego)
"But then she will miss us!" (Sid)
"I don't think they left us to hang out with their own kind today only to run into us again so soon. Come on those big pines look safe." (Diego)
As they ventured over they came across Eddie wandering aimlessly calling "Marco" to no one.
"What you doing?" Asked Sid.
"Looking for Crash." he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We got separated last night"
"We are meeting Ellie up in those trees; we just got to get high enough so she can see us through all this grass, coming?" (Sid)
"Sure." (Eddie)
Sid was made for climbing trees and did so effortlessly pushing Snowball up as he went, Eddie also raced up, Diego however struggled to reach the lowest limb.
"Come on already Diego you can see everything from here!" Sid called down.
Diego was tired and hungry and that branch was just out of his reach. He sat down exhausted, maybe he would just stay down here.
"Oh come on! Do you need me to teach you to climb too? Cause I will!" (Sid)
Out from the grass Crash appeared "Hey I thought I heard you guy's what you doing?"
"Keeping out of the way from stampeding mammoths." Diego replied "Think they own the place."
"Don't listen to him we are watching Ellie with her new friends whipping some bullies butts!" corrected Sid.
"Wow I knew she would be a hit with the mammoths, after all she was with the possums, go Ellie!" And with that he ran up the tree to watch. Diego's eyes followed him up looking for clues as to how he climbed so easily, when his gaze rested on a suspicions patch of dappled light above them. It took a moment but he recognized it, it was a leopard preparing to pounce on the four defenceless idiots in its tree! How the hell he ever found the time to hunt when keeping Sid alive alone was a full time job he never knew. He dug real deep this time and found the extra height he needed to get up.
"There not that hard if you believe in yourself." Said a proud Sid.
"Piece of cake." Diego commented while glaring up at the leopard who tucked itself neatly against the tree trunk out of sight; with his herd safe he too looked out at the mammoths as they scatter the sabres. What goes around comes around after all, he thought with a little satisfaction that Sara at least didn't get to eat much of his kill, but a little disappointment that someone else had chased her off.
With the tigers gone the mammoths began to head off.
"Wait Ellie!" Crash struggled to get her attention they were just too small, so threw a well aimed pine cone hitting her behind the ear.
"Ouch, Hey guys!" Ellie's face lit up seeing her friends, she had really missed them.
"Look the cost is clear for you to eat now." Sid observed gratefully, no more boring hunting after all!
"We should stick together." Cautioned Diego, Sid was after all perfect prey being so slow and fat, and with three hungry sabres as well as other unknown threats leaving him behind while he and Snowball ate was not a good option.
"No way you guy's eating is too gross to even think about." (Sid)
"Fine but if anything should happen to these guys while I'm gone." Diego seemed to be talking to himself Sid looked around.
"Fine I won't touch them!" a female voice returned the possums jumped and looked up but could not focus on any one until she spoke again and the movement of her spotted coat gave her away as something other than dappled light "Easier said than done however if you were to share that meal with me I could guarantee my good behaviour."
"Done." Two cats exited the tree in one fluid motion she was smaller than Diego by a third had a long twitchy tail, no sabres and looked generally like a snow leopard. She made to go but waited, Diego looked back up the tree to Snowball. "Come on jump down!"
"It's too high!" Snowball called down.
"Then climb down" Diego returned, it was too high to jump, but the kid had to toughen up and think for himself in order to over come this problem. Snowball tried clumsily to hold the branch while swinging his rear out to slide down fireman style, but could not take his last foot off of the safe branch, he was just so high.
"I can't" Snowball finally admitted. Sid grimaced the kid looked so awkward.
"You have to listen to Sid's lessons you know!" Diego could feel his temper rising, not that he cared but this kid was going to have to fend for himself someday.
Ellie approached them. "Need a lift?" She lowered Snowball down.
Snowball could not rely on help from non-cats like that Diego thought before becoming acutely aware of how he himself relied on mammoths to not fall off of ledges more often than not, so bit his tongue at that. Ellie thought nothing of helping, that after all was what friends were for. She popped him down beside Diego and his new friend? She looked at the leopard questionably, waiting to be introduced, eventually she gave up he was obviously feeling a bit catty today. "Thanks for looking after my brothers." She said to Diego eventually.
"It's nothing." he replied.
"What do you mean we can look after ourselves?" Both possums announced with complete disbelief, they were still not being taken at all seriously!
"Of course you can." Ellie replied with only a mild sarcasm, she was shielding them from the other mammoths' sight knowing the exact opposite to be true.
"What are you doing over there lass?" Came big Mick's booming voice.
"Getting my friends!" Ellie called back. "You guys coming? It's as boring as hell talking to the females of this group I might need some of your comic relief to get through it!"
Manny breathed a sigh of relief as she held up her brothers to see, and no one else.
"Well stick with us while we patrol the area for trouble, don't want anyone being attacked by any hidden enemies." Mick called back.
"Ok!" She popped the possums on her back and then went to pick up Sid.
"I can look after him." Diego said indigently.
"Just thought you might appreciate some time to be you know a tiger." Ellie replied not meaning to step on toes so to speak.
"Thanks but no, besides he needs to teach Snowball to climb again it seems."
"Don't I get a say in this? I want a ride! I'll come back right after but it's boring while you uh be a predator. You wouldn't want to wait around all day while I did my thing." (Sid)
Well Diego had to admit that was true, "We will see you later then." He kicked snowball forward to emphasize their joint responsibility. He was not bringing this cub up alone here; he had better things to do than feed the bottomless little pit all day.
"Bye Sid." Snowball squeaked with forced tears, Sid was the only one who loved him and importantly the reason he was getting fed, he needed him on his side not riding off to play with mammoths.
"See ya!" Sid called without looking back.
Both cats stared in disbelief after the sloth before they crept behind Ellie safely back to the carcass where they hid behind till the Mammoths were gone.
"Why would a mammoth help you like that?" Asked the leopard (Pseudaelurus if you want to get technical)
"Long story" Diego replied too content to eat than chase her off as a sabre should.
"I have time" she was genuinely interested. Indeed interested enough to stay and eat on the ground rather than take a portion back to the safety of her tree.
"Another time maybe, you're awfully trusting, never had a sabre pull that stupid tail of yours?" The silly looking tail twitched and waved seemingly with a life of its own, it was all he could do not to swat at it.
"I've seen you about, your different to the other Sabres around here, are you taming cave lions to be less hostile?" She gestured to Snowball, who was stuffing his face like a kid in a Willy Wonka factory. He lifted his head to head from his food and spat through his bulging cheeks.
"I'm going to be the biggest, baddest predator around here one day so watch it spotty!" Said Snowball with all the arrogance he could muster.
"Yeah, you'd better hope so because you're the weakest in this crowd so shut up before you annoy someone". Diego could not help but think that's what I really used to be like, but the kid did have to learn to be a pack animal with rules and all that. He purposely continued to talk to the leopard to get the pack attitude out from his own system. "No plans, just didn't feel right letting the little guy fend for himself so, I guess I would help him out."
"Can we be the baddest predators around here?" In his mind Snowball was already a fearsome beast, king of the ice age, his imagination grew far faster than he did in reality.
"Yeah, we already are, don't see anyone else with an all you can eat steak."Diego said, but thought 'first lion I see you are so gone'.
"Snowball smiled, his white fur stained red with bits of meat sticking to his face it was a smile only a mother carnivore could appreciate.
Diego smiled back, he liked the cubs over sized attitude, maybe he would make sure it was a nice lion that he dumped the kid with.
"Shame" the leopard continued "you seem to use different species to your advantage a lion could be a good thing to have around. Too bad humans around here seem to target lions, he is the first I've seen for a while, this place used to be crawling with them. I didn't mind as they ate big game, mostly mammoths and my prey is small, so we rubbed along in our way. Now that they have gone and these sabres have moved in it's different. They are far less tolerant of other cats and our paths and prey species cross far too often."
"Well don't bother me and I won't bother you" (Diego)
"I know you don't hurt things that you talk to, that's why I'm making this effort to get to know you."
Damn, she had him sussed. "I'm still a sabre you know"
"No one's perfect, my name's Lisa by the way"
"Diego and" He wished for something more masculine "Snowball. Tell me what you know about cave lions, like where would they retreat to if their pack was threatened?"
"High up in the mountains, where the humans find the snow harder to negotiate, that's why I'm down here actually what few lions are left are angry, hungry, vicious things and they are not nice to be around so I moved. I used to tell them you know at least you have each other, and hope of reclaiming a pack and land one day, it's not like you're a leopard and expected to live on your own regardless of whether you want to or not. Shesh I mean all you can do for the whole year is talk to yourself, hope to remain sane enough for when the only bloke comes by once a year you can still remember how to converse without scaring him off too soon, and then you are persecuted by every living thing, it's more like being a leaper than a leopard, that's why I was so interested when I saw you, I thought maybe I could make friends with my food but so far It hasn't worked out, I get hungry and binge sometimes and well... I'm babbling aren't I, sorry it's just that it has been so long since I've talked to anyone."
Diego looked at Snowball, maybe he should keep the kid around at least until his herd got back together, he really did not want to end up insane. They continued to eat in silence, with Lisa making an effort to keep her cool.
"That lass of yours is alright! A true mammoth. But what are those weasels'? Toys for your kid?" Asked Mick of Manny.
"The possums are," Manny felt foolish saying brothers due to having to explain Ellie's odd past, as well as the fact that they acted like really mischievous children. "Well they are her childhood friends and the sloth is my friend from back when I lost my first family."
"Oh well you never said that before what happened?"
"Humans happened" Manny said bluntly.
"But they eat lions" Replied Mick stupidly.
"No they just kill them because they eat mammoths their favourite food. Where I come from Humans eat anything they can catch with pointy sticks and rocks." It seemed all so distant now but still anger crept into Manny's voice.
"Well maybe we will be keeping an eye on our humans then. Thought eating lions was a bit odd, they can't taste nice on account that they can't behave nice." (Mick)
Together they walked a circuit of the visible lowlands; Ellie walked a little way a head keeping company with Sid and the possums. Manny wished he could join them but just couldn't shake Mick. He no longer cared about Sid coming along however as there was no way Sid could do any worse than him at mucking things up with the mammoths.
Big Mick felt he needed to impress Manny if he was going to stay with the herd, this he felt was important as with so many mammoths going missing lately they needed every member, safety in numbers after all. Mick went out of his way to do some nice deeds as they walked breaking a frozen waterhole open allowing some anteaters to drink for a start. Then he sculptured some fun features into an existing ice bank to create some ice slides for the younger members of various herds found grazing here to enjoy, he even went as far as to check any pot holes for trapped voles!
Before long however Mick plus a few other older mammoth started to complain of arthritic pains and so left the younger members (excluding Manny and Ellie) to complete the survey while they headed back.
Although Manny saw straight through it Ellie was impressed by big Mick's caring side. "So what else do you guys do?" She asked.
"Well, there is forest clearing, boulder throwing, next month is wolf watch! Girl you would enjoy that! We find a good look out spot and watch for pesky wolves, and then we chase 'em, that's one for faster mammoths. You missed the cave bear bash, now that's a little trickier, they like to stand their ground, a sport for the strongest mammoths that.
"So basically you bully every predator in your path." Ellie cut in disgusted.
"Ellie." Manny cautioned."When in Rome!"
"It's ok Manny she is only a lass, why missy even our good ladies take for granted their safety these day's as we fellas have done such a good job keeping evil at bay. If we didn't why who could? Predators breed like vermin, if you can see one than there's a pack about with at least six cubs on the way. That's what I don't understand while herbivores only have one child at a time then why do carnivores have six? Makes no sense at all, mathematically they would wipe us all out if allowed. Thanks to us when you go home to your funny little herd they are still there, in fact all other species still exist at all thanks to us. There would just be sabres eating wolves, wolves eating lions, lions would eat bears and so forth, but when we chase off these evil blighters we allow for the existence of gentle deer and antelope and bunnies and even your dirty little rat friends there. Despite the fact that they carry every disease under the sun and smell, we tolerate and liberate them as diversity on our plains is.... well they must have some sort of reason to exist I don't know what they do exactly or why, but anyway."
"That's very big of you." Ellie said with a touch of sarcasm. She decided the women of the herd were right to ignore the men, what a load of hot air!
"So you'll both be staying for the night I trust? Tonight we will be recalling the tale of old blowhard the loudest mammoth of all time and how he formed the mountains and valleys we walk with his mighty blasts."
"Stories I love stories yes we are staying." Piped up Sid. Who went on to keep everyone up all night till they had recounted every tale no matter how stupid of how mammoths did absolutely everything. Manny was secretly proud of him and the possums for not interrupting this time but then the stories were being told by far better than he could have managed. Peaches had made a few new friends that day but rushed back to be with her uncles when she saw her parents return with them.
Meanwhile back at the designated meet spot Diego settled down to spend the night alone it seemed with Snowball. They curled up tight missing the fire that they had become accustomed to sleeping by. He wasn't lonely after all he was going to leave not long ago, wasn't he?
Sara very cautiously approached. She had panicked when Diego was not in his usual location back in the forest and so was relieved to have tracked him here, she had feared that he had left for more of his strange adventures. She looked around for any danger especially as Diego had described to her in the past of how he kept company with Mammoths of all things. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found him alone with that cub and the only scent of mammoth in the area was two days old. So he had made that part up, as well as the rest most probably. She walked confidently forwards now "Hey Diego, remember that favour you owed me?"
Diego jumped at the sound of her so close but wasn't surprised that she had managed to sneak up on him, after all that t-rex had almost trodden on him that time without him hearing it coming.
"Hi Sara haven't you had enough food off of me to repay that dept and more?" He snapped a little to begrudenly for someone who maintained that catching prey was so easy he wasn't bothered by how much she stole from him.
"You mean the food you took off of my packs territory? No, I need you to babysit for a few days while we are out of town"
"No way, like I keep saying I really don't like kids."
"Ha, you really don't have a choice you owe me big time remember?"
"Yeah but." Oh hell he did owe her, and she only had two or was it three kids he could just give them to Sid to play, with job done, easy. "So where are you guy's going anyway?"
"Don't ask and you won't be disappointed." She said quite smuggly.
Well now he was intrigued, but how was he going to get her to spill?
"Ok you beat it out of me but don't say I didn't warn you! We are going to Mount Pleasant, heard of it? It's the fifth peek from the south end of this valley, and it's where at this time of year cat nip just happens to grow in abundance, an absolute Mecca for all herbs it's why grazers get called herbivores they taste so seasoned up there."
"Wait!" Quick think "Take me with you!"
"Oh no you get to baby sit, this is the way it is breaks my heart but you go on enough adventures by the sounds of it and us working mum's need a little 'me' time away from the kids, so no!"
"Leave them with their dad, you won't even notice I'm there, I'll even start catching extra food when we get back, come on!" It was his best shot, surly she just had to crack.
"Ah, that was the plan but Jess being Jess blabbed and now old Dave's coming too, otherwise we were going to get you to cover for us, you know pretend to be me and leave them food every day, so no". Sara roared softly to the kids who came bounding out of the night and into sight. Sara's tan three with paler spots from when he had seen them before followed, by three more with less spots, followed by two tawny and two more brown ones.
"Any more?" Diego all but squeaked.
"Um no that's it I think, my three, Tammy's three and Jess's four, yep ten this year, a good year!"
"No wonder you need the food."
"Tell me about it, I just noticed five girls and five boys cute huh? They will bring our pack numbers up to a healthy number."
"Bring your numbers up to noticeable size, man will hunt you! You have to be careful with numbers."
"Nonsense no one hunts the hunters we fear nothing especially not weak humans. Now see you guy's in a few day's time be good for uncle D, oh and after your little stunt earlier with the mammoths they never got fed so if you don't mind. Chou!"
Ten cubs turned to face him he was not as big and scary looking as their dad who resembled Soto so they as a pack edged forward towards him. Diego edged back as did Snowball from the sea of spotty fur advancing.
"Sit, Sleep now!" Diego commanded them. They hesitated, then obeyed. Diego sighed with relief.
He curled up with his back to them, things would look better in the morning, Sid would be back and it was only for a few days, at least it couldn't get much worse. It was not long before he felt little paws on his back scrabbling to climb him, his worst nightmare drowning in kids! They were all on top of him before he could move and he found himself pinned down by the sheer weight of them. Now that they were off of the cold ground they shuffled to get comfortable, little claws and elbows dug into every part of Diego. He tried rolling to knock them off but the cubs stuck to him they were very used to this game. Finally they settled, Diego was lying now on his side to accommodate as many cold paws and noses as possible in his warm fur, at least they were still and the torture of their squirming had now stopped. He would have sighed with relief but the fear of waking even the one sleeping across his face and starting a chain reaction of shuffling was too great, instead he listened to their peaceful sleep breathing as ten dreams began to take place.
Snowball was not asleep, he was not happy about this his first night away from the warmth of Sid and now these new cubs enjoying the warmth of Diego as a bed while he was cold and feeling strangely inferior. Self piety did not sit well with Snowball; he was too strong willed for that kind of nonsense so he set about correcting the situation. He marched over with a grim determination and began to climb up to his rightful position on top of everyone else. He was bigger, fatter from today's food and defiantly better than all these cubs put together and made it known as he defiantly made sure he trod on each offending cute nose and paw on his way up before turning several circles to underline his point and finally curling up to sleep despite the wriggling of several disgruntled cubs trapped beneath him.
Diego vowed to kill him in the morning.
Wow what a big chapter! thanks for reading all who make it this far!