Note: I do not own the characters of ice age. I do own Whitney Chelsea, Aaron, and Greg. Plus, since Whitney left, the story will switch from the herd and Whitney's point of view. Just a quick FYI

Chapter 13:

~*The Herd's Point Of View*~

'Hey Guys… I'm sorry I had to leave without a good-bye, but staying just hurt too much.

Chelsea I want you to know that I'll always love you, and you were always my best friend. Ellie, gosh there's no way to word how awesome you are, you're like my second sister. Manny, you kept this herd together, and I thank you for that. Diego, you were always fabulous, and I loved being with you. Sid, poor naïve Sid, thanks for being there for me. Buck, thanks for being my knight in shining armor when no one else wanted to play the part. Crash, you're an awesome brother and I want you to know that. Peaches and Aaron, you guys are awesome. Please don't think of me as the bad, run-away aunt. And Eddie, there's no words for how I feel about you. I'll miss you all in a unique way forever. I love you.

Whitney 3'

Chelsea scanned over the note for the millionth time, each sentence in her sister's scratchy handwriting sending a new tear tumbling down her cheek. Crash stood beside her, rubbing her back comfortingly. Aaron held her hand, looking at her with his soft, crisp green eyes. Chelsea wiped the tears away with her free hand before patting the top of his head and smiling. Ellie took the note from Chelsea's paws with her trunk, scanning over it hastily. The whole herd was devastated by the events of the morning. They all were standing around the tree she had slept on that night, all save Buck who was on a nearby tree limb, hands behind his head.

"It'll be alright Chelsea," Sid told her in his spitty voice. She knew it wouldn't be 'alright' but all she could do was nod solemnly.

"We have to find her," Chelsea said determinedly.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Diego asked.

"Well, you could sniff her out, and maybe Buck could help if he wanted." She said doubtfully.

Buck didn't move. Maybe if they thought he was asleep they'd leave him alone and find Whitney by themselves. He didn't want to bother Whitney, she'd come back when she was ready, just like she had said.

~*Flashback*~

Whitney walked sadly through the brush, making her way away from the herd. Buck watched her suspiciously. Only when he heard her muffled sniffles did he know what she was doing. So Eddie had done it then? And she was running away from her problems. He scurried down the tree to talk some sense into her.

"Aye, Lass, where are you going?" he asked. Whitney sighed deeply, her voice riveting from her hidden sobs.

"Oh Buck, Eddie broke up with me, and I just can't stay. I couldn't bear to be that close to him, at least not right now."

"But Lass, you can't leave. It's not the safest place for a mate like you or me out there." He told her sternly.

"You mean for me? You could live by yourself all your life and be alright, I probably won't last a week." She sighed again.

"Then why are you leaving?" Buck inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I- I just need some time to think. I'll come back, I promise, but I just need to be alone for a while." She explained.

"Well if you promise to come back to see ol Buck, I guess I can let you go." He agreed. Whitney smiled and stood on her tip-toes. She hugged him tightly.

"Thanks so much Buck." She whispered in his ear before scurrying away.

~*Flashback Ends*~

Buck rubbed his cheek gently at the thought of last night's events. He missed her like everyone else, but Whitney was a big girl and would be alright until she came back.

~*Whitney's Point Of View*~

Whitney pawed through the brush as she scouted for something to eat. Her belly was starting to make small talk with her as she grew more and more hungry. Finally she stumbled upon a papaya tree. She licked her lips hungrily and made her way over to the tree. She stood on her tip-toes to reach a papaya on a low branch. She finally managed to snap it off of the branch. She smiled hungrily before beginning to bite into it.

"Hey! Stop right there!" she heard in a male's voice. She stopped mid-bite and looked up with her eyes. There was a male possum hanging by his tail, inches from her.

"What?" she asked, placing the papaya on the ground in front of her.

"This is my tree, and if you want food from my tree you have to pay me." He told her, dropping from the tree and landing in front of her.

"And how exactly do you expect me to pay you?" Whitney challenged, a paw on her hip.

"Well depends, what do you have to offer?" he asked. Whitney rolled her eyes.

"Does it look like I have anything to trade?" she asked him rudely.

"Well, for pretty possums like yourself with no way of paying, I allow… other methods of payment." He said suggestively.

"Excuse me?! I don't plan on paying like that!" she said, taken aback. He shrugged.

"Well, tell ya what. For one papaya, I'll charge a hug, for two, a kiss, and for three or more, we move along the bases." He said. Whitney stood there with her mouth wide open. She resisted the urge to slap him straight across the face. Instead she closed her mouth and looked at him.

"I think I'll just go hungry a bit longer." She said smugly.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, inching closer to Whitney.

"Uh yea." She said, taking a step back. "And besides, I don't even know your name." she told him.

"Oh excuse my poor manners. My name's Greg. And what's yours?" he said smiling stupidly.

"Whitney." She answered. "And if you'll excuse me Greg, I have to find another tree, maybe one with a less…suggestive owner." She said before turning on her heels and walking away. She could hear him as he followed her. She closed her eyes and stopped, sighing. "What Greg?" she asked coldly.

"I'm sorry I was being rude. I just don't see many other possums around here, and well, I get kind of lonely." He explained. Whitney felt a pang of sadness for him before returning to her cold gaze.

"I guess it's alright. But what do you want?" she asked when he continued to follow her.

"I- I um, don't own the tree and was wondering if I could travel with you." He told her.

"You were gonna make me pay for a tree you didn't even own?! I'm going back and getting me a papaya before I consider letting you travel with me." She said, turning around and heading back to the tree. She picked up her food and bit into it hungrily before looking at Greg. She studied him carefully. He had black fur, odd for a possum. He had brown eyes like her, and he had the fur on his head smoothed into short spikes.

"So why are you traveling by yourself?" Greg inquired as she finished her meal.

"I had a problem with my herd, and had to have some time alone." She said shortly. He nodded carefully.

"Boy trouble?" he asked, causing her to look at him suddenly.

"Yea, why?" she challenged. He shrugged, something she noticed he did a lot.

"I was wondering why you wouldn't hug me. Most girl possums would during breeding season." He replied.

"Well, I already have a mate." She lied easily.

"Uh-huh. And I thought you were having boy troubles." He remarked.

"Who's to say it was with my mate?" she asked. He shrugged again.

"I don't know, but there's no need in lying. I'm sure he hurt you pretty bad." He said, not looking at her. She looked at him hard. He saw right through her! Ugh she hated when a guy could do that. See straight through everything about her, and know all of her secrets without even knowing her.

"I'm not lying. I have a whole line of boys waiting for me back home." She said smugly. Now that wasn't a lie. She used to have Eddie, and then there was Buck.

"Well, I guess I'll get in the back of the line then," he said, a smile on his lips. Ugh.

"Come on, we have to get going. I want to walk to the Ice Mountain and back before rejoining my herd. Maybe I can find someone else without a line that you can stick with." She said, standing up and beginning to walk off. He scurried off after her.

~*Herd's Point Of View*~

"Come on, Buck! Aren't you going to help us look for her?" Crash called. Buck shook his head.

"She said she'd come back when she was ready" he told them for the sixth time. Chelsea put her paws on her hips.

"And I thought you liked her." Chelsea said coldly.

"I do, but she said she'd be back when she was done thinking things out." He said, instantly regretting telling them about their conversation last night.

"And what things does she need to think about?" Chelsea challenged.

"Um, well she was having, er, boy troubles." He admitted. Chelsea made a confused face. Then her eyes shot open and she turned around to Eddie.

"Did you do what I think you did?" she asked. He smiled weakly. "Why you stupid, dumb, uncaring- ugh." She said, turning back around and pacing. "And I thought you loved her?" she asked, turning to where he had been standing. But Eddie wasn't there. She looked around before spotting him walking into the forest. "Hey, where are you going?" she asked.

"To find her. Just because I dumped her doesn't mean I don't love her." Eddie called out, already hidden by the brush.

So whatcha think? Nothing happens between Greg and Whitney, just a needed spoiler. Now if you want me to make something happen, I might, but I have something else in mind for Greg. R&R!!