Please review! Title is based on the soundtrack song from ICE AGE 1.
Chapter 19: Giving Back Baby.
Peaches slowly lowered Shorty to the ground, the baby cooing happily as his feet touched the earth. She used her trunk to support him as he wobbled, before allowing him to stand on his own. The group of men stared in wonder as Pinky bent down, holding his arms out for Shorty to come nearer.
Gurgling, arms spread wide, Shorty toddled towards him and into hims arms. Pinky lifted him up, holding him gently as he turned to face his men, who gathered around, still gazing in complete wonder and relief.
Both of them were back safe after all. Against all odds, against all of those cave-ins and lost hopes, they were both back, alive and well.
Sid wandered up beside Manny quietly, looking up at his friend with a heartwarming smile. Manny's face was still, but the look in his eyes matched his own.
The men began turning, some helping Pinky by placing his arm around his shoulders to help him with his leg. Shorty was still held in his arm, and as they turned away, he began whimpering, reaching out for Louis and Peaches.
Pinky turned back again, lifting a hand up to his men to get them to wait. Then, he carefully placed Shorty back on the ground.
He warbled happily, waddling back towards the molehog and mammoth. Louis reached out, lifting him up and rocking him gently.
"Bye, Shorty. Remember us, okay?" He said, voice cracking. Shorty patted his cheek kindly as Peaches reached over, taking him into her trunk so he was facing her.
"We'll always remember you, little guy." She then hugged him close, Shorty snuggling against her head happily, still gurgling. Peaches couldn't stop the tears falling, but slowly lifted Shorty away and handed him back to Pinky.
Pinky, as his men retreated back a little, reached out a hand towards her. Peaches tapped his hand gently with her trunk; Their best sign of gratitude and thanks.
Then, Pinky turned back to Manny and Sid.
"You didn't forget 'bout us." He mumbled. Manny reached out, and like he had done with Peaches, Pinky reached out and placed his hand against his trunk, smiling gently.
"And we didn't forget about you."
Pinky's smile widened, and Manny thought for a moment that even though he couldn't understand their words, he knew what their looks meant.
Pinky nodded once, slowly, before he turned around, slowly moving away back towards his camp over the hill. Shorty looked over his shoulder, playing 'where's the baby' with Peaches and Louis one last time.
Louis covered his eyes and lifted them away again, smiling happily as Sid murmured happily.
"That's right...we'res the baby..."
Peaches waved her trunk gently, sniffing a little. Shorty smiled, waving his hands. Then, the baby spotted something behind them and began babbling loudly.
Pinky stopped and turned, looking back at them before noticing what had caught his son's attention. Diego had slowly wandered over behind Sid and Manny, holding back away from the other men (who were now traveling back towards the camp ahead of Pinky) and was now staring at him a he left.
Pinky grinned, lifting one hand up to his eyes, and uncovering them again for the last time. Diego smiled and lifted his paw, doing the same before waving his claws gently in a silent good-bye.
Then, Pinky was moving away again, glancing over his shoulder at them once more before he and his son were gone, over the hill.
Roshan's father, running a hand through his graying hair, stared in wonder and amazement as his son appeared over the hill, carrying his grandson in his arms. The men sent to find him again were cheering about his return, alerting the camp of a familiar incident involving a mammoth and a sloth.
Nida came sprinting out of her tent, hair flying as she ran towards his husband and child, flinging her arms around the, bursting into tears.
She hugged her son close, having taken him from Roshan's arms after their hug broke apart. Then, Roshan placed his arms around both of them as they sank to their knees in exhausted relief and happiness.
He was not a young man, but Runar was nowhere near too old to run over and see them. The young father kneeling beneath him stood, smiling gently as he held his arms out.
Runar couldn't believe this had happened again and he gave his boy a good hug, before pulling away and holding his shoulders. He gave him a nod, which Roshan returned.
"It was them, Father." He said softly, glancing over the hill. Runar nodded again, quietly.
"So it would seem your guardian spirits returned for you. Fate is odd, is it not?"
Roshan still stared at the hill, lost in a absent thought. "Yes...it is."
As Roshan wandered away with his wife and child, Runar left the camp unnoticed by the cheerful, celebrating men and women.
He walked over the hill, making sure to take his staff with him. He reached the two familiar animals by the cave entrance, and it appeared they had more members this time.
The mammoth froze upon seeing him, before turning towards him slowly. There appeared to be a pair of sabers hanging back, something he noted with caution.
He smiled kindly up at the mammoth, noticing how a female and youngster of the same species were standing nearby. A family of his own... a good-hearted creature.
That is why he was going to help them return to their home, for they did not belong nearby their settlement.
Runar slowly waved an arm, gesturing them to follow. The mammoth seemed to hesitate before following.
Runar had navigated the caves himself some time ago, and had found one of them led to the other side of the mountain; the other side of the long ridge separating the land. He'd also discovered that the mountain path, though very long, went the same way as it did.
They'd sent some men down it to see if Roshan had exited the other side, only to find it had collapsed from inside, too. They'd returned soon after.
It was this trail that Runar showed the mammoth after a small while of walking, the rest of the strange herd following behind, looking wary of him.
When the mammoth looked up the long path that went up the ridge-like mountain, his eyes widened. Then, he looked down at him. Runar would've sworn he'd seen understanding flash in those eyes again.
Giving them a smile of thanks, Runar turned and began traveling back the way he came.
Once he was quite far away, he turned and raised an arm, signally his goodbye. All three mammoths lifted theri trunks into the air. Runar smiled at this and continued on back towards the camp, vanishing from their sight for good.
Manny glanced up the trail. "Well, looks like this is our way home. Sid, you'll have to carry your Granny."
Sid grimaced as Granny hopped onto his shoulders, still calling wildly for her whale pet.
Peaches was still looking back the way the older human had gone. Louis noticed this as the rest of the herd began up the trail.
"You okay?" He asked. Peaches sighed and nodded quickly.
"Yeah. I'll miss the little guy...but at least he'd home now."
Peaches smiled at that comforting thought, turning around to begin up the trail when she stood on something soft and squishy.
Something grey that made a squeaky 'do-ee' sound as she lifted her foot. There, flattened on the floor in the mammoth's foot-print was that saber squirrel they'd asked directions from before. She rose a brow as her Dad came into view, scowling down at him.
"You're an embarrassment to nature. Did ya know that?"
Last chapter coming up next, people. Please review!