Well it's been a while but the longer I go without updating the more interest this story gets. Some would spot a trend here and say get the message!, but I've always been a bit thick so decided to write a bit more since I've got a week off to play with and still love ice age to bits.
Next day
Peaches awoke early after a very troubled sleep and quietly set her mind to ponder the task of how she was going to tell her parents about the trapped sabers. Even if she could get them alone she didn't know how they could save the cats without her new friends eventually finding out how their parents came to be trapped in the first place. Everyone in the herd got along so well she really didn't want to be the one to spoil the multi specie harmony her Dad had created.
Peaches very much resembled her father as she considered and rejected various plans; she dearly hoped her parents would wake soon.
"Oi, big nose!" Steve whispered from his bed on top of various cubs and Manny's head.
Peaches ignored him as she really wasn't in the mood for that stupid cub right now.
Steve tried to get up but Sid's arm lay heavily around his neck and he was quite stuck. Sid didn't look that strong and Steve growled in frustration. "Hey food face watch'a doing?" he whispered louder. He waited impatiently for an answer but soon realised that none was coming "Hey I can see that you're awake so stop ignoring me"
"I'm thinking" Peaches snapped "Now shut up"
"Thinking? Why?"
"Because I can"
"I mean thinking about what? Stupid"
"Never you mind" Peaches whispered in her harshest tone and turned away so to ignore him better.
"You're up to something, aren't you? Just tell me" Steve persisted.
"No. It's none of your business. Now go away"
"Okay then I'll guess. Let's see, you love being 'Miss goodie two shoes' so I bet you've done something not so good, something wrong; maybe even bad"
Peaches didn't answer. But that didn't shut Steve up.
"Yep something really bad by the way you've been distracted and really quiet lately" Steve said hoping to eventually hit a nerve, "Something so bad that it has made you doubt that you're better than everyone else" he smiled as he saw Peaches' ears prick up at his guess.
"I don't think I'm better than every one!" Peaches protested "It's just hard not to be better than you"
"You're lucky that's all" Steve said disgruntled. "One day your luck is going to run out then we will see how good you really are"
Peaches suddenly felt very troubled "You're not good, not good like father, not at all" a little voice inside her mocked. "Just shut up and go back to sleep" She snapped at Steve louder than she had intended and accidently woke Sid.
"Kids what are you whispering about?" Sid yawed.
"Peaches has a secret" Steve replied.
"How exciting! What is it?" Sid asked instantly too curious to sleep.
"I can't tell you" Peaches sighed in frustration "It's secret"
"Tell us any way" Sid pleaded "I love secrets"
"No" Peaches said looking up to see Sid looking down at her from the top of her dad's head while surrounded by all her new cub friends. "You really won't like it" she said turning away again.
"Oh. It's a bad secret" Sid said thoughtfully.
"Knew it" Steve giggled
"Then how about you think out loud about it and I pretend not to listen" Sid tried.
Peaches knew her uncle Sid would be no help dealing with a problem this big "No" She replied.
"Fine" Sid said "Then I won't tell you my secret either then" he lied
"I think one secret is enough for me right now" peaches said uncomfortably.
"You know a secret shared is a um... half a problem don't you?" Sid suggested
Peaches considered this, half a secret did actually seem better.
"Unless the problems called Sid" Manny said interrupting them as they had interrupted his sleep, "Then it just gets bigger and worse as time goes on. Now why do I have to hear your bothersome voice all night as well as all day?"
"It's not me" Sid protested "It's Pe..."
Peaches gasped this was not how she wanted to approach her parents with this. She needn't have worried though Manny soon stood up sending Sid and the cubs tumbling from his back. Sid fell face first into a deep drift of cold snow before he could say anything more.
"Ah that's better, peace and quiet" Manny said as Sid was silenced by a mouthful of snow.
"And that's the thanks we get for our efforts to keep you warm baldy" Sid said indignantly "Well if I am going to get dumped in the snow every morning then you can forget about us sleeping together again tonight"
"We are moving south today and we are not stopping until its warm" Manny said "Either that or I find a quieter less claw filled blanket to survive the night with"
Suddenly Ellie woke with a start "Moving south? Not without Crash and Eddie" She blurted out.
Manny sighed in frustration, nothing was simple anymore. Moving south and getting away from the other mammoths before he was made to help hunt down any humans was actually great idea; he wasn't giving up on it yet. "Isn't it about time we went looking for those possums?" he suggested slyly "They've been gone days, they must be in some kind of trouble by now"
"Those boys are trouble" Ellie said eyeing Manny suspiciously "And what ever happened to giving them space and not meddling?"
"I said that ages ago, now we all know they don't stand a chance of ever having a relationship so we better go see what's gone wrong" Manny said with more frustration, Ellie always chose the worse times to be hard headed.
"No" Ellie said firmly. "I for one have not given up on them. They can do this, given time, maybe... Well the important thing is that we all believe in them"
"So let me get this straight" Manny said catching on Ellie's brief moment of doubt and using it to his advantage "After all these years of not growing up you think that now they are seriously going to turn their lives around and become sensible mild mannered mammals?"
"Maybe, stranger things have happened" Ellie said thoughtfully "Just look at our time together and all the totally improbable stuff that's occurred" Ellie said though unconvinced of her own argument she couldn't not speak up for those scoundrel brothers of hers, after all if she didn't who else in the world would?
As if he could read her mind, Manny had the same idea "Okay" He said rather smugly, "Then let's put it to the vote. Sid, Diego what do you think are Crash and Eddie capable of growing up or should we go save them now?"
Though he would never admit to it Diego agreed with Ellie, if those boys actually did grow up then a couple more days wait in the cold would be worth it. But being loyal to a fault to the herd leader he answered "I'm with you Manny, Sid's got more chance of growing up then both of those miscreants put together, we'd better go save them"
"Yeah that's true, those guys are hopeless" Sid chuckled, till he saw the angry and betrayed look Ellie was shooting at him. He looked at Manny smiling wistfully southwards, the warming rays of the rising sun glinted on his ferocious tusks, suddenly an angry look from Ellie seemed not so bad compared to how Manny could get when he got angry "Sorry Ellie, It's sad but alas true"
"Right so it's decided we find them and go far, far away" Manny quickly concluded.
Peaches let out a very heartfelt sigh, she had not had time to say good morning today and already her Dad was up and saving the herd again. Well she would tell him and he would fix everything just as he always did and everything would soon be right again. Suddenly she thought of an idea to get him and her mum alone "Wouldn't we cover more ground if we split up?" She suggested "Maybe us three go this way and some others like go over there somewhere to search?" She said hugging her Dads trunk hard and pulling him toward Ellie and away from the rest of the herd.
"Good thinking Peaches then we would cover a lot more ground and get this over with much quicker" Manny agreed.
"Come on kids!" Sid said also brimming with enthusiasm as he imagined his home coming applause for finding the possums first. "This will make for a perfect orienteering and tracking lesson!" he said excited. After all how could he fail to win what he suddenly saw as a competition, he had ten noses designed for tracking under his command, this was going to be a piece of cake.
"Don't go to wild Sid" Diego cautioned his friend "If the cubs mum shows up and the kids aren't here then there might be trouble"
Sid's enthusiasm was instantly deflated. "But I was going to win!" He whined "And I thought you didn't want them anymore and that I could keep them"
"Sid I keep saying that they're not mine" Diego growled.
"Wait a minute" Manny said interrupting, concern crossing his face "Those sabers might be back already?"
"Already?" Diego muttered in disbelief "It's been like forever"
Peaches tugged on Manny's trunk but he had become like a lead weight to pull "Uh mum, dad, about that" She said as she tugged harder on him to follow.
"Relax everyone" Ellie said "possums are too small for sabers to hunt so nothing to worry about"
"Uh honey I wasn't thinking about the possums" Manny said awkwardly.
"Than what could you possibly be worried over now?" Ellie asked as Manny and Diego, and even Sid shot her a look of total disbelief. Manny wondered how to say this without scaring Peaches.
Peaches took advantage of the herd's moment of silent astonishment "Mum, Dad I really need to talk to you guys, like now!"
"Not now angel this really isn't play time any more" Manny said in a stern tone, he needed his herd together and safe right now, his head went into his default over protective mode as a plan formed "Ellie, Peaches you will search over by the mammoth herd on high ground where you can see any signs of trouble; uh the possums coming from any direction over a greater distance. Sid you search close around here keeping an eye and an ear out for anyone, possum or saber, that t-rex didn't eat you, so you should be safe enough. Me and Diego will search everywhere else agreed? Good then let's get going! Come on!"
"Manny that would mean you searching a very large area" Ellie said suspiciously as Manny ushered her along in the direction of safety and the mammoth herd.
"So?"
"Well that could take weeks on your own"
"Well if that's what it takes to find those brothers of yours" Manny said with a total lack of sincerity.
"And well those Mammoths are boring and I have spent far too much time over there already" Ellie whined as she realised Manny wasn't about to change his mind on this.
"And staying here is boring" Sid whined louder "How come you and Diego get all the interesting bits to search?"
"Because" Manny slowly and somewhat painfully explained "Crash and Eddie are far more likely to turn up over by the mammoths where Ellie you have been known to hang out playing various games lately"
"Sports Manny, I have been playing sports" Ellie corrected.
"That's what I meant to say. The other most likely scenario is that they wander back here our most recent camp, so you guys are really in the best spots for potentially finding the possums first. Plus when you do find them you know where everyone is so can alert us and we can all get back to having fun in the safety of a large group way south of here sooner rather than later" Manny explained carefully as he was making his plan up as he went along, it sounded pretty convincing he had to admit.
Everyone fell silent as this actually did seem like a good idea.
Ellie reluctantly allowed herself to be pushed along at a pace that was a bit faster than she would otherwise have liked. She could think of no more protests to stop this good but boring plan. "You know we can make our own way over, you don't need to escort us as well as search the entire continent"
"I know, it's just I would feel better if I saw that you were safe first"
"Dad you really don't have to worry..." Peaches said as they were quite out of ear shot from the rest of the herd now plus she could see her uncle's Sid and Diego were too distracted to really be listening in any way.
"You're right" Manny said patting his daughter thoughtfully "Nothing to worry about, just think of it as another crazy adventure which we all inevitably survive from, tails crossed "
"Well you see, those other sabers, the cubs parents..." Peaches stammered, whishing she had rehearsed this more rather than arguing with Sid this morning.
"Are not soft like Diego!" Manny near shouted with great concern "Ellie, Peaches you can't trust strangers or anyone that's not part of our herd" He said in his sternest voice to them both "Especially strangers with big teeth!"
"Yes I know that" Peaches said angry that he should speak to her like a baby "But I..."
"No buts!" Manny commanded.
Ellie giggled "no butts"
Manny ignored her and dictated on "some animals are not safe, not everyone can be trusted, some animals can even be dangerous that's the way nature is. You must always be on your guard and stay by bigger stronger mammoths, if you see anyone you don't know, Ellie I hope you're listening to this!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah you're worried about everything again" Ellie said mock yawning. "Manny I am actually capable of looking after myself you know, I survived for years before I met you. Now I appreciate your concern but I think that we're all a lot tougher than you give us credit for, and frankly it's a bit insulting"
"But that's what I'm trying to tell you!" Peaches shouted over the pair of them "I know that those other sabers are not like Diego, I..."
"Manny!" Sid shouted from not very far away drowning Peaches out completely. Both Peaches and Manny huffed in irritation.
Five minutes earlier,
Sid began making a breakfast of porridge for both himself and the cubs "Oh look" Sid commented casually as Manny ushered Ellie and Peaches off further and further away "Manny's going to team up with Ellie and Peaches to search after all"
"Well that's just great" Diego said "If they're not going to stick to the plan then they could at least tell us"
"Relax you can stay here with us!" Sid said offering Diego a bowl only to have it pushed back at him "Well, seeing as we can't help search, thanks to you; I have decided that today is going to be all about feelings. And how you have hurt mine spoiling my orienteering lesson and rejecting my good food; and porridge isn't junk before you say it"
Diego shut his mouth for a moment "Looks worst than junk"
Sid ignored him and started his lesson "Now kids let's talk about hurt, not when you are physically wounded from something that you can heal from but when you are cut deep inside by someone's careless words and/or actions"
The cubs looked confused "How can you be hurt when you're not actually hurt?" Breezy, one of the cubs asked.
"For example" Sid explained through a mouthful of food "How's it feel to be all abandoned by your folks like you are? Wouldn't you rather live with me instead?"
The cubs looked very concerned; it had been a while since they last saw their parents suddenly they realised what it was to be hurting without being actually hurt.
"Aw don't get the kids messed up with all that kind of drivel" Diego snapped with a look of sheer horror. "Sabers don't talk about feelings or any mushy stuff like that, and kids she is probably going to turn up anytime soon like she always does after a very long hunt. This is normal for tigers."
"What? Really?" Sid said astonished that other mammal's parents could be as neglectful as his own "So your parents left you as well?"
"Yeah of course" Diego lied as best he could to put the near tearful cubs at ease "It's good for you, builds character" Diego noted that no one was convinced as a few lips started to tremble "Why My mum left me for a week once. I waited patiently just like she told me without fear, then when she did come back she had the biggest antelope you ever saw"
The cubs faces instantly brightened.
"My mother was dragged back by an antelope and told shed get reported if she made a run for it again. She used to sit and count the seconds till I was old enough to leave home saying it could never come around soon enough" Sid said rather woefully.
"Relax it happens to everyone" Diego said sympathetically, more for Sid's poor mother than Sid, but the sympathetic tone was there none the less "The break is good toughens you up I'm sure"
"But look how you turned out" Sid whined.
"Perfect"
"You hang out with us" Sid corrected
"Okay could be better" Diego agreed.
"And with my help" Sid said putting his whiney voice away and adopting a far more positive tone "These kids will be way better, I am going to be the perfect parent!" He announced. "So if you could just butt out as promised and let me do my thing now Diego I would appreciate some space"
"Whatever" Diego muttered "It would serve Sara right, she should be here raising them herself if she wants what's best for them. I'm going get those stupid possums, make those kids as wet as you like" Diego snapped, 'Maybe I should be looking for breakfast instead' he thought slyly as everyone now seemed occupied with their boring families.
"Shouldn't you wait for Manny?" Sid said "He might come back; look Ellie's telling him to stop fussing all ready"
"Na I hunt better alone" Diego said turning to go
"Hunt?"
"look!" Diego corrected himself "l look better alone" He smiled at the pun and looked back only to see that it had been wasted on Sid who wasn't paying any attention to him but listening in on Manny's lecturing about bad mammals instead "Manny looks like he might be a little tied up with family issues anyway"
"Well they do seem to be very deep in debate" Sid agreed "Wonder what they are all talking about." He pondered out loud.
"Possible ways to lose you as well as those possums?" Diego suggested with a smirk.
Again Sid ignored him, there was only room for one funny guy in this herd and Sid was sure he owned that title "No one misses you when you go hunting for hours you know" Sid said knocking Diego down a peg or two.
Diego glared hard at Sid; that would have been enough to make the sloth flinch once but Sid had grown used to being menaced at; so Diego added in a cold hard voice "Manny didn't hesitate for a second when he said he liked me better"
"Hey Manny!" Sid shouted despite Peaches urgently trying to talk to her father "Weren't you and Diego going to search everywhere for those possums? Don't you think the two of you had better get started already" Sid said with a smirk "There let's see if you still think that's a good thing after spending the whole day with the grumpy, anxiety ridden, big footed hulk. Happy hunting! Oh no you're going to be searching now aren't you, good luck it's going to be a real sweet trip I bet"
Diego snarled at Sid as Manny moodily stomped by "Let's get this over with already" the mammoth snapped frustrated that his herd always seemed to be in danger in every possible way.
"Mum" Peaches began as her dad stormed off to save her uncles, "Well, you know how Dad is always saving lives, everyone in our herd is here thanks to him."
"Yeah, I shouldn't be so hard on him for worrying like he does" Ellie sighed.
"Mum" Peaches continued with a slow meek voice, "What if I'm not that good, what if I'm not like Dad and I didn't save anyone but got scared and kind of pushed them down into a pit and left them there, kind of thing?"
"Peaches" Ellie said with some concern "You really don't have to live up to your father. Those are big shoes to fill and you are still very young. Maybe we should tell you more stories about when your dad messes up to even out your expectations in life"
"He messes up?" Peaches said not believing her ears.
"Oh yeah sure he does. In fact any situation which involves words and not brute strength he messes up, royally" Ellie explained.
"Really?"
"Yes really. Don't worry too much about it Peaches just try not to do it again; and be sure to apologise if you do. You'd be amazed at what Crash and Eddie have got away with thanks to a good sincere heartfelt apology; perhaps they could help you pretend you mean it too, they are very good at that"
"But I am not sorry because they were mean, I need Dad but he is always so busy"
"Peaches I'm sure no ones that mean"
"Yeah, Sabers are!"
"I thought you liked Sid's cubs" Ellie said jumping to a wrong conclusion, "Oh wait now that I think about it you and Steve were playing a bit rough the other day. Come on let's say sorry and work this out you'll feel much better once you do"
"No mum I don't care if I push him in a ditch he's a lion I meant some other sabers"
"You know Peaches, we all play a bit rough with each other in the herd and sometimes things can go a bit too far but we all know we're friends at the end of the day and friends forgive each other, come on let's go back kiss and make up then get back to having fun"
"That's gross Mum"
"Yeah but I bet saying sorry doesn't sound so bad now"
"Mum! I don't need to apologize to any of them"
"Well I don't see any other sabers for you to be pushing around"
Peaches paused; if this was her mum's best solution then maybe she needed to figure this out alone after all. If her Dad messed up sometimes as well then her first mistake didn't seem so bad, she would try again "Fine" she conceded hoping to drop the whole subject sooner rather than later and followed Ellie back to camp.
0000 (The new line break)
Sid waited till Manny and Diego were gone "Right kids now let's find those possums"
"But weren't we..." Breezy began
"AH! No butts!" Sid said and they all giggled "Oh wait hush up kids Ellie's still here" Sid whispered as Ellie and Peaches walked back to camp. "Ellie, I thought you guys were supposed to be going to the safety of the mammoth herd?"
"Yes but Peaches has something she'd like to say first, come on Peaches you will feel better I promise"
"Fine" a moody peaches stomped up "Sorry" she said to no one in particular hoping that that would be enough to satisfy her mum.
"Sorry who?" Ellie sang eager to find out who Peaches felt so anxious about.
Peaches looked at her friends. They would surely ask questions later if she said sorry out of the blue like this; everyone except Steve that is. That stupid cub would just take pride that she had been made to apologize at all and not think any further on it, she hoped.
"Sorry Steve, for pushing you the other day" She mumbled.
"Good" Steve said unsure of what she was talking about but pleased of the humiliation all the same.
"Great now were all friends again" Ellie exclaimed, "So who's up for finding Crash and Eddie?" she said out of the blue.
"That was my plan!" Sid said
"So let's work together and show Manny and Diego that we are every bit just as competent as they are"
"Wait just one minute there misses, no one doubted my competence" Sid said
"Yeah they did, now let's show them what we're made of! We will find the boy's first, sort out their relationship, hopefully for the better proving Manny wrong on that too, and be the first to get back proving that we are the best"
"Also my plan!" Sid said astonished.
"Then let's go" Ellie said marching off, She and Peaches took the lead as it took Sid a minute to gather his wits. Ellie took the quiet opportunity to say to Peaches "There not so bad huh? And relax I know your little secret" She added with a knowing wink.
"You do?" Peaches said horrified of what she might do next.
"Hey it's not so bad; you know my first crush was on a guy one foot tall and nearly five tonnes lighter than me. At least you know you're a mammoth, you do know you're a mammoth?"
Peaches blushed red; her mum thought she had a crush? On him of all mammals! How gross? "You won't tell will you?" She said meekly hoping things didn't get any worse.
"Mum's the word" Ellie said smiling 'Ah my little girls growing up' She thought.
'I am never asking Mum for help ever, ever again' Peaches thought.
"Ellie slow down!" Sid shouted from way behind them "We are supposed to be tracking not marching around till we blunder into them! Who do you think you are Manny?" Sid shook his head in frustration, why was it always down to him to be the smart one in the herd? "Come on kids let's find that scent and show them how the pro's do things around here"
The cubs looked at each other "Scent?"
"Yeah you know the smell trail that will lead us straight to the possums"
Still the cubs looked blank.
"You know like when you go to find your prey you track and hunt it down. We are going to do that to find the possums" Sid explained.
"We've never really done that" Breezy confessed for the cubs "The only time we have ever hunted Diego took us through some tall grass and we couldn't see what was happening. We wasn't even much good at walking painfully slow so got left behind"
"So no one's ever taught you to hunt!" Sid said with heartfelt anger "And they call themselves tigers! So yet again it comes down to me to do everything!" Sid rummaged through his fur and found a dry pea the possums had shot him with weeks ago; his bath hadn't been that good after all. He held it up for the cubs to see.
"Is that a scent?" Breezy asked as all the other cubs hated to look stupid so wouldn't admit to not knowing.
"No" Sid said "This is a pea, but on it is some possum hairs from which you can get a scent"
"Do we eat it?" Breezy asked
"No you sniff it like this" Sid demonstrated dramatically tasting the scent like a fine wine but through his nose. "Now shut your eyes and concentrate on the mix of aromas that emanate from this tiny pea. Learn to separate and label them. Then focus on only the one that we need, it's the one that's most like soggy rat and dandelion wee mixed together"
Peaches and Ellie wandered over to see what Sid was up to, they shrugged at each other and took a sniff too. "Wow it does smell faintly like Crash" Ellie exclaimed.
"But a lot more like pea" Peaches added
"And a lot, lot more like Sid" Ellie giggled.
"Hay we are being serious!" Sid corrected the mammoths "Now concentrate! Think of the possum smell, concentrate on the possum smell and find the source of that possum smell like your life depended on it!" Sid suddenly buried his nose into the snow to find the ground below and started rooting around for a hint of possum.
Everyone watched his upraised bottom circling around dramatically and suppressed a giggle.
Sid became aware that he couldn't hear anyone else looking and pulled his head up out of the snow. Some of the snow clung to his fur looking like a hat and beard. "Ahem?" He growled trying to look angry, but failing "Are we going to win this or not?"
Everyone put their head down and got sniffing, including Ellie and Peaches.
Sid kept an eye on everyone to make sure they were really doing it this time. "Now shut your eyes and see with your nose!" He instructed "Imagine a 3D picture building up around you from the highway of information flooding in with each and every sniff. The layers of detail provide a time line of who has gone by and when! Why your nose holds the knowledge of the shape and colour of every living thing that has passed this way over weeks of time; all you have to do is concentrate and learn to use this wonderfully valuable, sensitive tool. Oh nuts just hurry up and find the possums already" He cried impatiently.
"I found something!" Breezy cried.
Everyone looked up because surprised as all they were getting was one nostril full of snow after another.
"It smells just like that pea" Breezy said excited.
"Follow the trail!" Sid cried needlessly as she was already blazing path through the snow.
"This way!" Breezy said leading them along. The smell was so strong and so clear she couldn't believe no one else had spotted it. Everyone followed her around rocks over a hill and finally into a tree. Breezy hit her head hard as she came to an abrupt stop.
"You should have smelt that coming" Sid said "Where do we go now?"
"It seems to stop here" Breezy said rubbing her head
"Crash? Eddie?" Ellie called up into the branches, but no one was there. "Maybe they're asleep?" She said shacking the tree in case a sleeping possum was concealed somewhere out of sight. The tree fell apart in her gentle grip, splintering into many fine dry little fragments and revealed a huge stash of dried peas, nuts and berry bombs inside.
"We were meant to be tracking possums not the pea" Sid said disappointed
"Yeah" Steve laughed "What's the point of hunting peas?"
"Still more than you ever hunted" Breezy shot back at him.
"Still stupid" Steve laughed at her.
"It's not stupid!" Peaches said "It might even be a clue"
"This is Crash and Eddie's weapon store" Ellie said eating some of the nuts "This is a good start"
Sid took a mouthful of nuts and crunched thoughtfully "They must have been by here often to build up such a stash; we will refuel and search the area more thoroughly, good work team!"
0000
Diego jogged to keep up, Manny was on a mission alright and Diego could feel that there was more on his friends mind than just finding those possums. "So what's the real plan?" Diego asked as knowledge was key to being a good beta in any pack, or herd, and as far as he was concerned he was beta.
Manny said nothing, he was clearly upset. Scenes of Ellie and Peaches falling victim to humans and sabers or both filled his imagination. "I think that we're all a lot tougher than you give us credit for" Ellie's words drifted around his head as various scenarios of her walking willingly into the humans open BBQ pit or gigantic toothy saber mouths played out. 'She isn't that stupid!" Manny told himself but his imagination wouldn't believe it.
Diego instinctively knew that this could be a very bad day for him unless he either changed Manny's outlook significantly or got rid of the moody hair ball completely. He needed to break Manny out of his current train of all consuming thought. He couldn't be too obvious, Manny was prone to over sensitivity, but he didn't want to beat about the bush either. "You know" Diego said thoughtfully after some time "Sid's doing a class on feelings and touchy stuff like that today with the kids, if you want I can look for the possums and you can go back and keep everyone safe at camp" 'There' he thought 'the options should be clear enough from that either go away, do a self improvement lesson or both' Diego mentally patted himself on the back 'I'm a genius' he thought.
Still Manny said nothing, his eye brows were firmly knitted and his gaze was way distant. 'Why should I worry about the human tribe being pinkies people? If they pose a threat to my family then it's not a crime if I and an angry mob of mammoths pose one to theirs. But what if it is the sabers, would Diego's friends be my families' friends and only hunt other mammoths? Do predators have morals like that? Is it insensitive to ask?'
"The general idea behind opening up and talking through your problems isn't such a bad one you know" Diego said more to himself than anything as Manny was being extra melancholy today, and it was still early yet. "Good communication is a skill, a string to your bow. If you can come to terms with your own anxieties they longer exist as your weakness but become your reason to strive, to conquer" Still Manny said nothing so Diego rambled on aware of how this was Sid's job to fill space with chatter but at least it kept his mind from breakfast "You know that by talking through your problem you give others access to offer input and assistance to what at first might seem imposable. Allowing your team in and utilising their ideas to solve your conundrum; two heads are better than one, strength in numbers? Good leadership, connect with those around you..." Diego grasped at stuff Sid might say but had to admit it was all nonsense to him, he needed Sid to break this Mammoth with an annoying song or joke. He gave up and plodded along silently.
Finally Manny spoke something Diego said struck a chord with Ellie's words earlier "Have you been talking to Ellie?"
"No" Diego said confused, "should I?"
Manny sighed in apology to his somewhat moody silence "I'm just tired about worrying about the same old stuff okay, no big deal"
"We have gotten past the old stuff this has to be something new. Why not listen in on Sid talking about talking, it might help"
"Even if it did" Manny sighed, "I wouldn't give that sloth the satisfaction. I can figure this out, it's just where to begin?"
"Going back and venting on Sid is as good a place to start as any" Diego suggested hoping Manny might get the message.
"Yeah but not an end, I'm tired of constantly worrying. There's always danger and I can't lose my family again"
"Ellie's way tougher than you" Diego stated very matter of fact "and Peaches really does know how to use her head" Diego thought it was better to not remind Manny of that incident with the wild boars where she really showed how brave she was, so just added "she's a real survivor that kid, you should be proud"
Manny chuckled a little at that; remembering how evil those innocent looking kids could actually be. Both he and Ellie sure got out smarted last time they tried babysitting. He felt his mood lighten, Ellie was right they were tougher than he gave them credit for and smarter. The herd survived because they were a team not because he carried them. He decided to lose his moody disposition and face his problems with a more positive outlook.
"Right" Manny started, "Well first there was all these mammals going missing, Mick, the leader of that herd we met with, said it was all down to sabers; but then you told me that the kids parents were away so that wasn't right"
"There are other sabers besides them you know" Diego said a bit insulted.
"No you see it wasn't sabers at all Peaches discovered the humans were catching the animals in pits; and just in time because the mammoths were going to stomp the sabers out of the valley"
"A fight?" Diego's ears perked "That would have been fun"
"Not now it won't, I have stopped the mammoths revenging the lives of those fallen on the sabers however now they want to chase out the humans; a dangerous plan. And I didn't care much but then Sid suggested well what if it's our pinkies humans?"
"What if it is?" Diego said confused.
"Well to show I'm not soft for living with a predator"
"Oh so I do still count as dangerous predator then"
"Don't worry I explained to them that you're far from dangerous"
"Great thanks, there goes my self respect"
"Seriously Diego you're not anything like a real tiger, which is a good thing, but anyway back to my problem, the mammoths want me to prove my sanity by protecting my herd and theirs by helping to stomp out the human threat"
"Oh and you have to save your humans, family, face and everyone else in the valley if not continent in one great big heroic gesture. Ever think you're addicted to lost causes?"
"It's not what I want to do, If I could just get those possums and leave I would but now the sabers are back meaning Ellie or anyone could get killed while I'm defending us all from humans. I just can't do it all; leaving is the best solution I can think of. But of course we can't do that till we are all together"
"Stall the mammoths" Diego said decisively, "I will check out the humans see if its pinkies tribe and warn them if it is. By tonight the possums will probably have come back I will get rid of those kids and we can leave the rest to fate" Diego said. Then added with a grin "Unless there is a fight then I'm not missing out on the fun"
"No we won't let it come to that not if we work quickly, but how will you warn the humans if it is our Pinkies tribe?" Manny asked as he worried over details
"I'll think of something, don't worry"
"Wow, that's a real weight off my mind are you sure you'll be okay those humans have spears"
"Yeah those are easy to dodge don't worry"
"I'll try just be careful wont you, and don't do anything stupid"
"Manny!" Diego started
"I know, I know I'm being insulting by doubting your competence, I've been told I do that already today, Sorry! I'm sure you'll do a good job whatever your plan, I'll just butt out now"
"Good" Diego said with real meaning, then added sympathetically "Good luck stalling those mammoths, I hear they can be quite hard headed" Diego said with a smirk.
"Finding those possums would probably be easier" Manny sighed looking at the vastness of space before him which he stupidly said he'd search.
"Well I took Eddie that way to find Crash" Diego said pointing "It's the long way back to the mammoth herd but finding the possums should be easy, just listen for the inevitable mayhem"
"Right, let's do this!" Manny set off with steely determination marching as fast as he could.
Diego cast a look back every now and then to make sure Manny was really gone, finally he could start hunting down some breakfast and maybe find those humans.
0000
Manny had gotten some way across the valley before he started worrying about Ellie again. He tried not to as it was very distracting and he needed to concentrate; suddenly his eye caught something. Manny watched as a storm of lethally hard snow flew up and down over the crest of a hill followed by loud curses. Manny headed straight for the eye of the storm after all localized mayhem like that could only be one/two things Crash and Eddie. He had found his possums.
0000
Earlier that day
After a few more diversions the possums were again slowly walking back to camp. Their feet were sore and blistered, they were all mentally and physically exhausted to extreme. They had run out of clever quips and gags and their tolerance of each other was at an all time low.
Crash led, he was struggling to crawl he was so tired but the image of his herd and little Peaches waiting for him kept him going. "It can't be much further now" He wheezed "We have been walking for two whole hours now, we must be able to see Manny's gargantuan butt by now" He looked ahead but could only see an empty snowy wasteland stretching out before him.
Eddie was holding on to Crash's tail and dragging his feet along. "Just how big can this stupid world be?" He whined "We must have near done a total lap of the planet, where are they?"
Emma held Eddie's hand and was also getting pulled along "If we just set up a proper home in a tree and lived like proper possums like I suggested days ago we would be home by now"
"And leave the herd?" Crash turned in horror to face his brother "You are going to leave the herd, your family and what that good for nothing floozy"
"I wasn't I wouldn't!" Eddie said defensively "We are going to live with the herd, maybe get a mobile house which Ellie could move from camp to camp"
"I am not living in a trailer" Emma started.
"Good you can stay put because travelling with our herd would be too good for the likes of you"
"Crash!"
"Well look at her in that stupid stripy jump suit she looks like a convict. Eddie she's no good!" Crash said very upset.
"She looks just like us, stop being a cry baby Crash"
Crash looked at Eddie and Emma, they did both look like possums, but seeing them together just upset him more "Find your own family and ruin that" Crash shouted at Emma.
"She can't wolves ate her family" Eddie explained
"And eagles ate half of ours but you don't see me destroying families with my evilness!" Crash said bitterly
"But you did lose my sister! It's only right that I get your brother" Emma snapped
"Over my dead body!" Crash growled.
"That's fine by me!" Emma growled back
"Guy's don't fight, it's up to me what I want to do" Eddie shouted but it was useless the snowballs had already started to fly and the heavy thuds of them landing drowned out his voice. He tried to stop the fight by standing between the two but each possums arms were working like wind mills catching up snow rolling it tight and launching it at the other, he just got pelted by snow from every angle.
"Don't worry Eddie I will never let her take you" Crash shouted.
"I'm not going anywhere, we were headed back to live with the herd" Eddie said from under a pile of snow.
"Eddie I am going to free you from this over bearing brother, for too long he has been a weight around your neck holding you back" Emma cried.
"No, He's not heavy he's just my brother!" Eddie's voice came from under a now possum shaped snowman.
Crash and Emma circled around as they cleared patches clean of snow, their new found energy to out snowball each other to death seemingly endless. Eddie caught most of the blows from both sides and his tolerance for either possum was tiring fast as he became wetter and colder with snow. "Hey!" He shouted suddenly enraged "This isn't about what I want at all but what you want!" He shouted as snow steamed off him with the heat of his anger.
"I only want what's best for you, and I know you best" Crash shouted
"Maybe when he was a kid like you" Emma Shouted back "But now he's grown up I'm what's best!"
Eddie was about to say something he knew he would regret for ever, that he didn't need either of them, when he saw over the crest of the horizon Manny's gargantuan head. He raced over to greet the mammoth jumping up and hugging his trunk enthusiastically "Manny you're a sight for sore eyes I'm so, so, so, so, so happy you found us!"
"Manny!" Crash shouted running over and up the mammoth's trunk, he collapsed into the soft fur on Manny's back "Salvation" he sighed happily "Carry me home!"
Manny peeled Eddie off of his face and held him by the tail "Where have you been all this time Ellie was worried sick"
Eddie pointed to a copse of trees about a half a mile back
"It has taken you days just to walk to here?" Manny said dismayed
"If only it were that simple!" Eddie sighed "Please just take us home"
Manny growled in irritation, if these guys hadn't been so unfit then he could have had the herd moving south to safer horizons by now. He looked at Eddie who had already fallen asleep hanging in front of him for questioning. He lifted over and placed him beside Crash who was snoring loudly already on his broad back 'Well I guess it's Ellie's/our fault for carrying you everywhere' he thought as he couldn't lecture them now anyway. Suddenly he noticed the stripy coat of another possum stood in the snow. 'Oh the girl friend' he thought 'better be polite' "So would you like a lift?" He offered.
"That would be nice thank you" Emma replied very sweetly. She daintily jumped onto Manny's offered foot and sat on his shoulder. "Do you always escort the boy's home?" She enquired
"There's always someone needing saving in this herd" Manny said "At least these two just need a lift back and not saving from anything too dangerous this time"
"You've done a lot for your herd then" Emma asked as she established that this was indeed the leader and by understanding him she would gain power over the entire herd.
"Believe me I've done a lot to keep my herd out of trouble. I stop them falling in lava, drowning in underwater caves, snatched them from the jaws of dinosaurs and got them home safe every time"
"Gosh that's so dedicated I hope that they are thankful to you each and every day"
"I got told this morning that I worry too much" Manny grumbled.
"Why that's terrible, I would love to have a friend like you, actually I would just like to have any friend right now I just lost my only family in the world my sister" She sobbed.
"We didn't just leave her behind did we?" Manny said stopping to go back "I only just saw your stripes in the snow I didn't know there was another possum"
"Oh no my sisters a wolf not a possum and I lost her yesterday when Crash rudely scared her away"
"Well I'm sure we'll find her" Manny said without really thinking.
"You would help me look for her! Why I would be so grateful!"
'Ah nuts why'd I say that for?' Manny mentally scolded himself. "It's what you do in a herd" He said the words just rolling off his tongue without him really thinking about them anymore "We look out for each other, and if you're our friend then that applies to you too I guess"
"Well that is so sweet, I hope that that applies to you too why don't you know it's dangerous to be out here alone? Why there's wolves, bears, sabers, cave lions and even humans out here, why I would hate to think that someone so dedicated to saving everyone he loves is allowed to wander about unaided in this dangerous wilderness"
"Get some sleep I'm sure your tired we'll find your sister soon enough" Manny said not wanting to think about it that way but yes she was right it would be nice for a little concern to becoming his way he was a hero after all. He marched on in a whole new moody silence.
Emma settled down for a well deserved nap, manipulating this naive herd was going to be Childs play she giggled.
0000
Diego prowled further and further in his search for prey, but all the animals he encountered were fit and healthy and staying a vast distance from him. He tried his luck with a few rabbits but soon gave up and kept wandering hoping something sick, injured or dying would turn up. It wasn't long however before he came across a truly marvellous scent. He prowled over to the source of the heavenly smell; it was close whatever it was as he could practically taste it. He crept and peeked over the rise of a small hill and saw laid out before him the human's camp. He was about to back away to a safer distance when he saw the source of the smell which had attracted him here, a large joint of meat cooking on a spit over a fire right in the heart of the camp.
Diego crouched tight to the ground and studied the camp.
His very hungry stomach growled.
He shuffled to quieten it, but it grumbled again 'you have to have that meat!' it urged.
Diego was really hungry but the meat was heavily guarded stealing it would be a risky task, far safer to try his luck at hunting again he decided.
'But stealing it would send the perfect message to the humans' his stomach reasoned 'no one hunts if there's no food to be gained from it and so long as you steel everything theses humans hunt in this valley than surely they will eventually go away. No one gets hurt just the way Manny likes it and you get back to being the deviously cunning feline that you used to be.'
Diego agreed these were good reasons but it wouldn't be easy. The meat was surrounded by eight huge mammoth fur tents, humans casually wandered this way and that and dogs on long leads lay sleeping around the parameter. It didn't stop there, as a final warning between Diego and the food wracks of animal pelts were stretched out to tan in the weak sun.
This was indeed a big camp with a lot of movement. Diego's stomach rumbled again 'you have to have that food! Back in the day you wouldn't have hesitated.'
"But I can't just wander in and take it" Diego growled to himself; or could he? There was so much movement, even a few dogs were wandering freely about the camp and with all the different smell s from the pelts and food perhaps he could go unnoticed, so long as he was careful.
Looking as crafty as he did in the good old days, before he had ever heard of humans, Diego smiled a naughty smile and crept down to begin his mission.
Closest to him were the lines of horrible pelts, a pile of soft beaten furs lay piled beneath them and Diego half buried himself in them. This was a nasty place to hide in but masked his sent from the lazy dogs who, as hoped, didn't pay any attention to the smell of yet another animal so close. Suddenly a noisy group of human children ran out from between the tents up ahead; Diego noticed they were wearing saber fur coats. The kids ran around the dogs and disappeared back into camp oblivious to him.
It was just what Diego had hoped; so long as he stayed still he was practically invisible. Still he felt better with some sort of disguise and he pulled a random cave bear skin over himself before creeping out into the open and running through the sleeping dogs just as the kids had moments before.
Diego ran into camp and lay down by one of the mammoth fur tents just in time before the kids ran by again. They passed him by and carried on running out between the dogs, no one had even batted an eye at his passing.
'Is it really going to be this easy?'Diego wondered but just as he thought it two adult humans walked by. Diego lay real still and held his breath.
As they passed the humans made various noises at each other, Diego listened for any indication that they might notice him, they passed so close one tripped on him. Still Diego didn't move and to his surprise the humans just walked on.
He waited till the humans were out of sight and after making sure that no one was around Diego crept on skirting around one tent and darting to hide behind another. As he crept around the second tent he noticed that the door to the tent was open. Curious Diego looked in and saw some old females within; they were totally engrossed with piles of shiny colourful shells. He watched for a moment as they cut and arranged the shells onto thongs while humming tunes. Humans it seemed were very peaceful when not throwing spears around. The children came running by again shouting and laughing, kicking up snow and disappearing again between tents. This was much like the herds camp, except for the fact that the mammoths here were triangular and had doors of course.
Again his stomach rumbled 'Quit stalling and get the food already!'
Embarrassed by how load his rumbles were getting Diego ducked further under his bear skin making himself as small as possible. The women inside looked around for the cause of the strange noise but all they saw was what looked like a pile of cloaks by the door. One stood up and stepped over picking up the bear hide on top and wrapped herself in it. She looked at Diego as she contemplated wearing another layer but he looked more like a dirty rug than a cloak so she left him lying there. Diego wasn't sure if he had just been insulted or not but acted dead all the same, this was no place for pride and it looked like he had escaped detection again. Still he had to get a move on if he didn't want his stomach giving him away again so as soon as the human turned back to her friends he upped and ran behind another tent.
Diego felt very exposed without the bear skin to hide under but the smell of food kept him focussed. No more detours, he would get what he came for and get out fast. He crept on around a few more tents and then he saw it, a huge leg of mammoth meat hovering over a large fire. A few men stood watching over it giving it a poke now and then. Diego ducked under a bunch of spears and waited for his opportunity to steal the meat when suddenly he remembered he was meant to be sending a message to these humans to leave mammoths alone. Quickly he drew some mammoth foot prints in the snow everywhere he could. He backed away from the meat and its guards and drew mammoth foot prints in every bit of un-trodden snow he could find. The mammoth prints went in and out of tents, they stood behind the old woman counting beads, they went round the sleeping dogs and finally disappeared into thin air right in the middle of camp.
Diego looked pleased with himself 'they will think a ghost has come from the spirit world to haunt them and then they will just leave' he thought as he circled back round to find the meat unguarded. He dashed out, boldly jumped the flames and snatched the hefty meal. Then with all the prowess a cat can muster he dashed silently out of the camp with his mouth watering prize. To the adults he seemed like another kid running around but the dogs didn't miss the smell of the tribe's whole dinner leaving and woke up. They strained on their leads as they barked at the intruder creating a horrible din. The humans quickly caught on grabbing their spears and releasing the dogs.
By now Diego had already achieved a good head start which he needed as the meat was heavy in his jaws. Running through deep snow was harder than he had anticipated and he hadn't considered how impossible breathing with your mouth full actually is. This was really hard going and now Diego was dreading one of his asthma attacks coming on. (Asthma is my interpretation of what was wrong with him in film three, defiantly not fact) He knew he couldn't keep this pace up for long, he had to lose them. He glanced back, the dog's thin long legs were making light work of the snow and they were gaining on him already! He ran harder scanning ahead for an opportunity to lose them. Suddenly Diego saw a dog way up a head running at him, 'no way are they that fast!' he thought as he readied himself to fight.
The new dog ran right up to Diego who jumped at it but was too slow to hit it. The dog whipped around dodging his claws and unexpectedly ran up beside him. Diego looked at the new comer tongue lolling out the side of her mouth and tail wagging hard, this stupid mutt looked very familiar.
"Hi, what are you doing?" She asked with eyes fixed firmly on the meat in Diego's mouth as if she were addressing it rather than him.
"Unn'in" Diego replied through his mouth full of succulent meat.
"Pardon?" she asked
Diego couldn't keep control of his breathing while running talking and carrying food any longer so he bit off the mouthful he was holding and swung the rest towards his new companion. He swallowed it down, luckily without choking, and repeated "Running, what does it look like I'm doing you idi..." just then he realised she now had his food "you... you're Crashes girl friend uh... Fleet right?"
Fleet caught the meat easily before it touched the ground without missing a step.
Diego licked his chops and took a wonderful deep breath "What are you doing here?"
"I" fleet said trying and struggling to form her words around the joint of succulent juicy meat now in her jaws "I erg arkin an"
"Pardon?" Diego asked
Fleet swung the joint back to him ripping off what was between her teeth as she did. Greedily she swallowed it down before she repeated "I heard the barking so I came to see what was going on usually where there's trouble I find my sister. Have you seen her or Crash?"
"O"
"Huh?"
Diego tossed the joint back at her tearing off some more to eat "No but Manny's looking for them"
"Ere?"
"What?" Diego said before catching the food.
"Where is he looking for them?" Fleet said quick as she was so excited to get the food back
"Everywhere" Diego answered trying to chew and talk around a very fatty bit of gristle; finally he could elaborate on his answer "He went way west of here not that long ago" He finished as he ran in close to take the food from his companion this time allowing him to aim for an easier bit to swallow.
"I looked there" Fleet sighed after swallowing another mouthful of food and catching the tossed meat again.
"Where?" Diego asked confused by her answer.
Fleet passed back the food to answer "Everywhere and I couldn't find them; their scent led all over the place so I was going to see if they were with your herd then I got hungry but hunting food is hard and then I heard the barking"
"An ou aik ugh ee?"
"I'm sorry?"
Diego swung the meat back at her "I said can you take the meat, running while holding that and is really hard"
"Oh, o hy er e unnin?"
"What?"
"So why are we running?" Fleet repeated after passing the food and swallowing another huge mouthful.
Diego passed the now very much smaller joint back at her "Because they are chasing us"
Fleet threw the meat back "But why are they chasing us?"
Diego passed back the meat "Because I have their food obviously"
"Why do you have their food?" Fleet asked after giving herself time to chew properly this time.
The dogs were almost close enough for her to ask them herself as Diego passed what was now barely more than a meat bone back to Fleet; his breathing was becoming ever more laboured where as these dogs could go for miles "I had to take it to teach the humans a lesson"
Fleet passed back the bone back to Diego who purposely dropped it, the dogs who were just inches away from his short tail fell on it greedily and were soon left behind. Diego sighed with relief and dropped his pace to catch his breath before he started wheezing.
"What lesson was that?" Fleet asked still confused
"Well not to hunt mammoths"
"Did they learn it?"
"They should do"
"That was fun" Fleet barked, "but I'm still hungry"
"Me too" Diego agreed as he was used to eating a whole animal not just a portion "let's hunt"
Fleet wagged her tail enthusiastically, the sound soon annoyed Diego "Stop it" he snapped
"What?" the wolf asked
"Flapping that stupid tail"
"But I'm happy"
"So? Just walk quietly like me and try not to alert any prey of our position by waving that stupid tail at them" Diego growled.
"Oh" Fleet said as she realised she should be learning from this hunt, she made a conscious effort to keep her tail low and still and followed Diego's lead. They walked quietly for some time like this away from the human camp and away from where anyone from the herd might be.
0000
Long enough for you Philip Holden? Your review made me laugh so hard as my absolute pet hate about this story is the length of the chaps, they're a real pain to re-read for mistakes. (Hope I got them all this time)