Hey guys, I'm back! I don't own Ice Age!

"I am sooo bored." Shira groaned, rolling over to look at her uncle.

"Yer not the only one Squirt." They'd tried everything, but alas, they could find nothing to entertain themselves with. Gupta and Flynn were both laid up in bed, ill. Gupta had a mild case of pneumonia from swallowing too much water in the hurricane they'd been caught in a few days ago, and Flynn was suffering from what they hoped was just temporary paralyzation from some kind of severe allergy to some new fruit they'd found.

Her mom was in a bad mood, extremely cranky and irritable, due to something the boys called PMSing, whatever that meant. Silas, exhausted from the huge scout he'd had to take to survey the land they were docked near was taking a nap, and Boris was in a bad mood because of lack of sleep and a turned ankle. And the captain, well… he was on top of the mast, also unhappy, mainly because his crew was so… the way he put, temporarily useless. Squint was even tired of using his knife after four hours of practice.

He suddenly sat up. "Hey Shira… how'd you like t'go for a little fun on land?"

She turned over on her stomach and sat up. "What?"

"Let's go for a little exploring."

"Well…" she was a bit hesitant. Ever since her last encounter, she was rather reluctant to leave the ship without her mom. "I don't know…"

"Oh don't tell me you're scared." He taunted. "Besides, you love land. You can get anothera' those flowers you like so much." Her eyes lit up; that sealed the deal.

"Ok!" they snuck down the gang plank; they had been scheduled to raid today, but due to the… difficulties, their plans had been set on hold. Squint frowned curiously at the trees, they looked strangely familiar. Could they… no. he'd know if this was the place.

Shira was happy to be exploring again, and this place had so many flowers, she couldn't choose just ones. She eventually got squint to braid a bunch into a wreath for her, considering she didn't have thumbs. "Oh thank you Squint!" she said, bouncing happily. "It's so pretty!"

"Yeah, yeah, real nice." He muttered absent mindedly. She was confused by this; he always seemed so focused, but she didn't press.

They continued along the beach. Shira darted along the shoreline, gazing into the many tide pools with awe. "Oh look!" she squealed. "There's a star in the water!" she picked it up. It writhed about unhappily in her hand. She giggled. "It's all squishy." She put it back down before her eyes landed on something else.

Two beautiful small sea shells, barely and inch around, gleamed there on a small tower of coral, the blue overlapping the green slightly. "Oh wow…" she breathed in amazement, reaching in and gently grabbing the delicate little shells. "Squint! Squint, come look what I found!" he sighed and came over, trying to shake off the nervous feeling he had. It was more than the usually uneasiness he usually got when he came on land, the stillness of it felt strange under his feet compared to the usual tossing and turning of the waves he was used to.

He didn't think much of them, but his niece was obviously mesmerized, so he tried to act excited. "Can I keep them?" she asked pleadingly.

"Well sure, but…"

"But what?"

"How'll you keep track of 'em? It's not like you can just stick 'em to yer head and expect em to stay." He laughed slightly before an idea intruded his thoughts. "Hey, I know!" he held out his paw. "Gimme 'em."

She did as he wanted. She gasped in horror when he pulled out his knife. Was he going to hurt her precious new found treasures? He carefully cut two slits in each, then motioned for her to come closer, holding up the green one first. "Ok, now yer gonna feel a slight pinch." He warned, prying apart the small slit so it made a vertical crevice. He held it up to her ear… then let it snap shut.

"Ow!" she howled with pain. "What was that for?"

"Chill, just one more."

"No!"

"Do you wanna keep the shells or not?" he deadpanned, giving her a serious look.

She sighed dejectedly in defeat. "Yes."

"Ok then. Now hold still. It'll only hurt for a minute." He clamped the other on as well.

"Ouch!" she cringed in pain, applying pressure to her sore right ear. She'd admit, the pain was dulling, but very, very slowly. "H-How long is it gonna hurt?"

She shrugged. "Eh, thirty minutes at the most."

She swallowed. This was going to be a long half hour, or so she thought.

Five minutes later, and after having Squint carefully cut two round holes in the shells so they dangled nicely, she admired her new accessories in some crystal clear water near a waterfall, with rainbows arching above them in multi colored mist. "O-Ok Shira. You've been looking at yerself fer five minute snow. Let's go back."

He recognized this place alright, and needless to say, he did not want to be there. If anyone, even the innocent saber cub, found out the secrets of his past, he'd never live it down. He'd hear the taunts and teases of it for the rest of his life, right up until he day he died.

So of course something had to happen.

After ten more minutes of her uncle's insistent pleas, she caved. "Alright, alright. Let's go." She grumbled unhappily.

As they turned to walk away, there was a gasp at the far end of the clearing, followed by a high pitched squeal. Squint winced as they both turned around. 'Oh please, no.'

His intense brown eyes widened. "Oh no, no, no, no! Guys, don't-" he was slammed into the ground by sixteen or seventeen slightly smaller forms.

The biggest, a pitch black form with bright ocean blue eyes, spoke. "Oh my gosh! Squint! You're back!"

"Hi Jezzamine…" he choked out, voice a strained whisper.

She cocked her head to the side. "Huh? What'd you say?"

"You're standing… on my throat…" he managed.

"Oh, sorry!" she jumped off and joined the others in hugging him.

"Kids!" a new voice called across the clearing. Shira turned to see another rabbit, with snow white fur and crystalline amethyst eyes, wearing a leaf apron around her waist, standing there, arms crossed and tapping her foot impatiently. "How many times have I told you? Do not tackle strangers! It's rude!"

Squint's eyes widened at the voice. Oh no…

The woman shooed the others off of him and helped him up. "I'm sorry about them. They just get so excited and-" she stopped short, gasping when she saw his face.

'This is it.' He thought, wincing inwardly. 'I'm dead.'

"S-Squint?" she asked, gem like eyes wide. She reached out slowly, drawing back slightly as if afraid, before she laid a palm on his cheek. Shira was confused by this. Had anyone else ever tried that, he would've torn them to shreds and used their bones to sharpen his knife. So why was this mysterious lady and exception?

He forced a smile. "Hey Aunt Aleese."

Shira nearly choked on air. "Aunt?! What do you mean, aunt?!"

The other rabbits all shrieked and jumped when they saw the saber, cowering behind her uncle. "Please don't eat us!" one of the smallest, a little boy with white fur, peppered with black spots and rick golden brown eyes pleaded.

"Me? Eat you? Yuck!" she scrunched up her face in disgust. Her? Eat a rabbit? Gross! Wouldn't that be kind of like cannibalism, eating another mammal? she wondered.

"Um, guys, I'd like you to meet-"

"Shira!" a faint voice called her name. "Squint!" they both got wide eyes, that was her mother. And she did not sound happy. Oh boy…

They both took off in her direction, hoping to get to the ship before she caught them and hope the captain could keep her from killing, or at least severely punishing. "Wait! Squint!" Aleese yelled. It pained him to hear her pleading cries, but he didn't turn back. "Please!"

He squeezed his eye shut for a moment. They could see the ship! They were almost to the gang plank, when- they were both snatched off the ground but their ankles, dangling upside down as Raz held them up to glare at them. "Ya' two're in so much trub'l."

Shira, despite being afraid of her mothers wrath, couldn't help but want to show her her her knew decorations. "Hey mom, look at my earrings! Aren't they pretty?"

"SQUINT!"

So, what'd you think? I know, not as… action-filled as some of my others, but I needed to get something done, and I figured her getting her earrings would be a good one. Hey, anybody got any ideas. Please tell me, anything at all. I need to do more.

Oh, and on a side note, check KaylaDestroyer's new story, Inocent Tena, especially if you're a fan of Raz. It. Is. Epic!