Hey guys, sorry for the kind of late update, but I've been a bit busy, getting ready for school and all that (I am really not looking forward to starting high school). Anyway, this one's mostly about Flynn and Shira, so enjoy. I don't own Ice Age. And whoo-hoo! Longest chapter yet for this story!
Flynn stirred and opened his eyes. What was that sound? Something had woken him up, a sound of some sort, but what? He looked around, his teammates were spread around him in various positions, all fast asleep. Most were snoring softly, but it was something he was used to. In fact, he found it kind of soothing, knowing they were all there and- there it was again.
He looked around again, until his eyes landed on the small ball of white fur that was sleeping underneath the high-rise platform, curled up next to her mother. They'd been having a bunch of violent storms lately, so Gutt ordered Raz to keep as any weapons as she could in her pouch so they wouldn't lose any. The mother, always protective, had insisted that Shira not sleep in there but instead right next to her. She didn't want her impaling herself.
The little cub was the source of the whimpers, the sound that had woken him up. She was crying in her sleep, although her eyes were still closed, expression one of terror.
He approached slowly, a bit unsure. The little one obviously needed someone to comfort her, but she was right next to her mother. Would she wake up? Almost instantly, the English elephant seal knew the answer was no. Raz was one of the heaviest sleepers he'd ever seen and was almost impossible to wake up… eh, sometimes, depending on how you tried to rouse her. If you tried sound, nothing worked. She was completely oblivious to any amount of audio when she slept. But she was ultra-sensitive to touch. One tap and she'd be wide awake, on her feet and ready to fight in a matter of five seconds (they'd actually tested that).
He wanted to help, but he feared if he removed the cub to comfort her, he would wake up the kangaroo next to her and end up skewered upon reflex, and that wouldn't do Shira much good. Aside from the fact that she wouldn't get a nice comforting hug from her English uncle, she'd probably be traumatized for all eternity if she saw something like that. Still…
Inching forward carefully, he gently grabbed the cub with his flippers, careful not to touch her parent. After successfully grabbing her, he slowly pulled away and headed for the front of the ship, farthest from where anyone was sleeping.
"Shira." He whispered, gently shaking her. "Shira, wake up!"
She slowly opened her tearful eyes, glancing around fearfully. "Wh-Where…" her voice was choked.
"Shh…" he soothed. "Ya gonna be alright. It was all a bad dream."
"It was horrible." She whimpered. "Mama and you and everyone else… you were all d…" she couldn't finish the thought and Flynn hugged her again.
"It's ok. You're fi-" the boat suddenly lurched, sending him off balance and waking everyone up in the process. It was another of those dreaded sudden storms! Within seconds, waves grew to monstrous proportions, rain pounding the deck mercilessly, winds howling aggressively.
The other pirates were on their feet in seconds, staring up that the bank of inky black storm clouds with a mix of amazement and terror. Raz, noticing the white saber cub wasn't next to her, glanced around in fear and panic. "I've got her!" Flynn called over the wind.
"Flynn, I'm scared." Shira whimpered in his flippers, burying her face in his shoulder. He held the little cub tight as he squinted through the rain, noting the struggling figures trying to make tiger way towards them.
He started forward too. They were maybe two feet from each other when the boat lurched suddenly, sending Flynn off balance and sliding towards the ocean, taking the little girl with him. "Mommy!"
"Shira!"
And they plunged into the thrashing waves. "No!" Raz exclaimed, fighting her way to the side and looking over board in an attempt to spot them, but it was fruitless. They were nowhere to be seen.
Thankfully though, Flynn, being a sea creature, was a strong swimmer and had enough sense to hold onto the child. They were soon carried away in the large waves, leaving both of them scared and the mother again heartbroken.
The next morning, Shira found herself laying on something slippery and smooth, a texture she didn't recognize. As her slightly blurry vision cleared, she realized she was on her Uncle Flynn's stomach, who was floating in a now calm blue sea.
She jumped in shock, waking up the seal in the process, who sat up quickly and dumped her in the biting cold ocean water. Quick to grab her again, he sat her on a nearby piece of ice, shivering. "F-Flynn." She looked around. "Where is everybody? Why aren't we on the ship?" her memories of the previous night were a blur, she wasn't sure what was part of that horrible nightmare and what was real.
"Uh…" he wasn't sure what to say. If he answered honestly, it would surely only worry her more. "Neva' mind that f'now." He glanced around, he recognized the water patterns, the chilliness of it. They were only a few miles away from a small island they often went ashore on.
Although they hadn't visited since Shira's arrival, he knew the area there well. The crew would most likely figure that, because they'd been close, he might swim to there. Ha patted the still shivering cubs paw comfortingly, noting with dismay that her skin underneath was freezing. "We need ta' get you warmed up before you catch something." He feared she'd get sick with something bad, like hypothermia, or maybe something even worse, although he wasn't sure if that was possible. But still, he wasn't taking chances. Raz would never forgive him if her daughter fell ill while she was under his care… that is, if they ever saw them again.
He started pushing in the direction of the island while the white saber tooth curled up in an attempt to warm herself. Aside from the fact that the island would be safer than a wild ocean without a proper ship, it had a tropical climate that would surely help her cold condition.
After a couple hours they eventually washed up, Flynn gladly crawling out onto the warm sand with Shira by his side. Once he regained a fair amount of energy, he told her to stay put while he went to find some food. "Now don't move." He said, patting her head. "I'll be right back."
"O-Ok." She was still scared out of her mind, she was in a new, mysterious place and about to be momentarily left by the only person she had with her, but he knew best at the moment, considering no one else was around.
Once he was gone, she rolled over on her back to look up at the clouds. She felt tears sting her eyes as one shifted to almost resemble a sword, one with a spiraling tip, just like her mother's favorite. She sighed sadly as she blinked the water away. "I miss you mom." She paused for a moment. "And everyone else."
She flipped over again and shoved her paws in the sand, relishing the feeling of it, although she couldn't fully enjoy it. Not with the feelings of fear gnawing at her core, but she did her best to ignore it. Flynn was there with her, and she was hardly allowed on land because they rarely went for supplies, so she figured she might as well try to make the best of it.
Soon enough, her uncle returned with some fruit for them to share, a large melon and a couple bananas. It wasn't exactly a lot, but he didn't want to leave his niece unattended for long. "Feeling warmer?" he asked her.
She nodded and used a claw to slice open a banana peel. "Much. But… when are we going home?" she looked up at him with innocent, sad eyes.
"Don't worry little one." He chirped merrily. "They'll come for us before ya know it." He kept his happy, goofy exterior for her gain. He may not have been the brightest, but he knew it was best to keep a child happy and in a good mood in times of crisis. It just worked out better for everyone.
"H-How can you be sure?" she didn't want to seem so negative, but it was hard. Thinking she might never see her mother again. Although she knew she'd never stop searching for her, the world was huge. She couldn't look everywhere, not over every square inch, but she'd sure try.
"They're stubborn. They will." It was true. Their family was like the living definition of stubborn.
"But still." She shivered as a cool ocean breeze blew past. She scooted closer to him and curled up by his side. He put his flipper over her for warmth.
After assuring her that they would come, they watched the clouds to pass the time, getting a generous dose of laughing from all the funny things they saw. "That one looks kinda like…" she tilted her head, trying to decided "Hmm, dolphin body, a duck head, and... A beaver tail." They both laughed and he pointed at another.
"That one looks like smiling mango!" though she didn't understand how a mango could be smiling, it appeared to be, and she giggled.
"That one looks like one of those flowers I found on land."
"Hey! That one looks just like Silas!"
She looked. "Yeah it- wait! That is Silas!" she jumped to her feet as he started to fly away. "Silas! Wait! Down here!"
But he didn't seem to hear her. "Wait…" she whispered, bowing her head in sorrow as tears filled her eyes once more, this time spilling.
"Oh, d-don't cry Shira." Flynn tried to comfort her. "I'm sure-"
"Hey!" a far off voice yelled.
They both turned to the ocean, eyes widening. "Is that…" it seemed too good to be true.
"Shira!" she could hear her only parent's voice call.
"Mom!"
The ship was approaching the beach fast, and she could hear the splash as the anchor hit the water. Another splash, smaller this time, followed, and she heard footsteps in the water. "Shira!" Raz came into view.
"Mom!" she ran up and hugged her, her mother picking her up and holding her tight.
"Oh, my little joey…" she murmured gratefully, sounding dazed in her happiness. "Thank everything good and violent you're alright." She paused for a moment. "You are alright, right?" she looked her over. "Nothin's broken…" she said to herself. "And I don't see any blood…"
"Mom, I'm fine!" she snuggled into her chest again. "Now that I'm back with you."
So, what'd you think? Like the bonding moment(s) between Flynn and Shira? Anyway, more requests? People I should include, adventures on land? Tell me anything you got. Oh, and, uh, question. Should I keep all these one shots with her as a little kid? Or should I slowly move up, showing how she's growing up and stuff? I personally think it would be kinda funny to have them dealing with a moody teenager, if you think about it, but it's your choice. I'm just doing what the people want (that didn't make me sound full of myself, did it?).
