My apologies for the late update, but here is quite the meaty chapter to make up for it! Credit goes to thelonemongrel, whose rp with me many years ago formed the gist of the trial in this chapter, and to my beta, for helping me tighten this chapter down to 10k! Because, yes, it IS an 10k chapter, actually, though, unfortunately ffn's html has upped it to 11k but it's really just 10k! Enjoy! Comments/reviews/reactions are very appreciated! đź’—


The sun beat down overhead as it climbed to its zenith in the sky, spreading rays of light upon the frigid meadow. In the dale below, a mammoth and a tiger - both covered in white spiderweb gauze, bandaging their now scarring-wounds - traipsed along a path that had been cut through the grasses by many feet trodding over it in countless migrations.

The tiger limped, occasionally stumbling, because his wounds still gave him trouble. When he did, Manny reached out his trunk to support him as they made their way to the clearing's entrance.

All the mammoth species - Woolly, Steppe, Southern, Imperial, and Columbian - had gathered at the meeting place. The Chancellor of the mammoths' Council had summoned them to attend for a special, significant purpose:

Putting both me and Diego on trial because of our friendship to determine whether Diego will be allowed to remain in the Bredelands with our herd.

Manny mused. He strode beside his friend quietly. Manny's eyebrows knitted in solemn thought as he glanced down at the tawny sabre who padded next to him with apprehension in his green eyes. Manny hoped his own anxieties weren't rubbing off on the tiger. Appearing before the mammoth council was the only good option the Chancellor could offer.

Manny sighed inwardly. He hated being here with every bone in his massive form. He hated the attention, the eyes on him and his good friend, hated the whispers and scowls and the looks. The image of a black furred Imperial mammoth entered his stream of thought and Manny's eyes narrowed in anger. He was the reason they were here. He wanted to exile Diego from his own herd, exile him from the Bredelands out into the wastes, which would mean certain death for the tiger.

Regent Elder Titan - Samarkand - had forced his hoof, in more ways than one.

I'm not gonna let Titan get his way about Diego, Manny vowed, setting his jaw. I won't let him take Diego away from us. From me.


Diego emerged into the clearing, his pace in sync with the mammoth bull's. On either side of them stood rows of various species of mammoth cows and bulls. These were the Elders representing the different mammoth tribes at the council.

Manny moved a few steps ahead of Diego. He inclined his head respectfully at the mammoths gathered in a semicircle, perched on large, clay-moulded tussocks. The bulls and cows responded by nodding in recognition of him. Amongst them, Diego found Elder William, who sent him an encouraging smile as a few of the mammoths murmured to each other, with various exclamations,

"It is Manfred – Manfred, son of Clovis!"

"Bless Brede, he has returned!"

"What a blessing from Brede, we all thought he was dead years ago!"

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The tiger swept his gaze around the clearing. He noted the suspicion mingled with fright in the eyes of some of the Elders as they peered curiously at him and Manny.

Diego's cursory glance halted as he met the gaze of an enormous bull, sixteen feet tall, with a black coat. The bull matched his stare with one of his own, his dark brown eyes furious. With each ponderous step, the bull drew closer to greet Manfred. Manny sent the Imperial mammoth Elder a fierce scowl.

"Good day, Regent Elder Titan." Manny's facial expression was coolly affable, yet the stiffness in his tone betrayed his latent frustration.

"And good day to you, Manfred, son of Clovis," Titan said, not sparing Manny a glance. Titan swivelled his head to dart another look at Diego, fury glistening in his eyes. Diego faltered at the intensity in them but drew his head back firmly, standing his ground.

A sabre doesn't show fear.

He gave a polite bow to the Regent Elder,

"Good day, Regent Elder Titan," he said, imitating Manny. Maybe if he acted as mammoth-like as possible, that'd dispel the awkwardness in the air. Diego glanced up from his bow, finding Manny no longer beside him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the bull had strode forward - away from him - into the centre of the mammoths' stomping ground to greet the rest of the convened Elders.

Diego's eyes shifted nervously in Manny's direction. His mouth hung agape as he took in the immense breadth and size of the monstrous Imperial bull before him, regarding him with stark distrust.

Titan had brushed off his greeting, and the silence between the two stretched as far as the sea as the Regent Elder arrogantly ignored him. Diego was left unsure of what to do and what action to take. His one overriding thought was that he wanted Manny beside him again. His paw scraped against the earth's soil hesitantly.

Within seconds, Diego made up his mind. He began to lope forward, to navigate his way back to Manny, when the Regent Elder blocked his way with a glare, filling Diego with an uneasy sense of deja vu.

Manny! Diego glanced around for the Woolly bull hastily through the gaps in the RE's legs, seeing at the last minute the large, heavy, curved tusk dangling over his body - Titan aiming at his swathed injuries - ready to strike.

The sabre closed his eyes, bracing himself for the blow. It never came.

Clack! Tusks clashing sounded above him, breaking the solemn atmosphere pervading the mammoth council circle. Gasps and murmurs emerged from the onlookers.

Diego opened his eyes. Manny stood in front of him, blocking Titan's tusks with his own. Manny's chocolate brown eyes burned with anger.

"Leave. My. Friend. Alone." Manny growled at Titan, his normally gentle face a storm cloud of indignation. With one last heave of his tusks, he thrust the Regent Elder's tusks away from Diego. The Regent Elder stepped back, quivering with outrage, but made no further assault on either.

Glad Manny has my back. Diego skirted around the Regent Elder - not missing how Titan continued to glare at him - to stand alongside Manny again, leaning his head against Manny's foreleg in a brief nuzzle, his purr mingled with a relieved sigh. They were a team. They could get through this, just like all the other times, together.

"Thanks, buddy."


What an unprecedented occasion. The Chancellor was lost in his ruminations. Never before in mammothian history has a tiger stood before one of our councils in a trial to determine his merits and whether he stays or goes… all this, simply because he is Manfred's friend.

The Chancellor's eyes clouded with grief. The name "Manfred" conjured memories of his close friend, Clovis, a bull who had been his Second during his tenure as Regent Elder before he had relinquished his power to his compassionate deputy, a decision he now regretted. Clovis had become Regent Elder, an ambition the bull had long striven for, only to die not long after at the claws of the spiteful tiger alpha, Cortez. If I hadn't made him Regent Elder, he might still be alive today and be an antidote against my son's hatred of predators, thought the before, Titan had had all tigers, wolves, and other carnivores routed from the Bredelands with his special police forces. Now, he wanted to consign Manfred's friend to the same fate - exile.

Titan didn't understand that life needed the balance of both life and death, prey and predator, herbivore and carnivore. That all were connected in Brede's vast circle of life.

The ancient Imperial bull shook his head and sat back on his haunches on the tussock that was moulded out of the clay and black soil a little higher than the rest, so it resembled a dais. The Chancellor, having taken his place of honour, prepared himself. He held the role of guide and judge for his council, and they were about to have an important and emotionally charged debate.

He glanced over the gathering elders, all lowering themselves upon their tussocks as they took their designated seats at the convention. He smiled when Clovis' son came into his line of sight at the far fringes of the clearing. The bulls and cows greeted and cooed over the young bull, a prodigal son's return. The Chancellor hoped that, someday, Manfred would be nominated for Regent Elder, like his father before him, and lead the Bredelands with the same dignity and grace.

A small bird alighted on his tusk, giving him a courteous bow with one wing.

"Ah, Noa," the Chancellor said, beaming. "My old friend! What news do you bring?"

The bird nodded agreeably and gestured with her wing towards Manny standing in the centre of the interested participants just outside the entrance to the larger council meeting place.

"Manfred, son of Clovis, has approached the council. He seeks a petition for his friend, the tiger," Noa said. "And the Regent Elder went out to meet them."

The Chancellor sat up in surprise; the Regent Elder hadn't even wanted this discussion - something that had caused strife between father and son because the Chancellor had wanted to give Manfred's friend a chance whilst his son merely wanted him gone - and now he was greeting them?

Something's wrong. The Chancellor rose to his feet without delay, nearly causing Noa to lose her grip on his tusk. He exchanged a quick glance of concern with Noa as both realised Manfred no longer stood in the middle of the alcove.

"Take me to them. Now!" he demanded. Noa gave him a brisk nod. She fluttered ahead of the Chancellor and the other curious Elders, who followed their Chancellor after they saw him rise from his dais.

Stepping outside of the main council clearing, the Chancellor - and the Elders trailing after him - stopped short, witnessing, to their utter amazement and disbelief, their Regent Elder attempt to strike out at a supplicant before the mammothian council, only to be halted by Manfred, son of Clovis. This also went against protocol - since any aggressive action towards a Regent Elder was punishable by mammoth law - but for the moment, the Chancellor decided to ignore it. After all, Titan had struck first, and against the unusual, still-recovering, supplicant in their midst. Manfred's actions to protect his friend were not at fault. If anything, RE Titan was more so at fault. The Chancellor decided he would discuss the matter with Titan later, in private.

The Chancellor's jaw hung slack, watching the unfolding scene play out, scarcely believing his eyes. Something about the tiger Manfred was defending struck him as oddly familiar, causing potent emotions to ripple through his massive form. Indignation, even rage, built up within him, and threatened to escalate into an action he might regret.

His eyes bore into the back of Titan's head as whispers sounded from those standing near him.

"REGENT ELDER TITAN!" he bellowed, silencing any discussions around him. "You of all mammoths should know better than to commit such a gross violation of our customs! These have come to this Council with a petition, and thus they are guaranteed their safety of travel to and from this noble body." He gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowed to slits. "Do I make myself clear, Regent Elder?"

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Titan found himself the centre of attention, at once because of Manfred's defence of his friend - that tiger - and the Chancellor's further interruption.

All eyes were on him, waiting to hear his response to the Chancellor. Titan found himself both thrilled and furious. He loved his position of Regent Elder more than anything and now Manfred and his disreputable friend had publicly humiliated him when it should've been the opposite. They had no right to be here, no matter what his father wanted.

He shot a hateful glare at Manfred and the tiger. Manfred's trunk was atop the tiger's shoulders in a trunk hug, and, when he met Titan's gaze, his expression was a fierce scowl.

How dare Manfred be friends with that… thing! In all the oral histories, such friendship doesn't happen - shouldn't happen. It's wrong.

Titan sent another glare, this time directed at the Chancellor, his massive form stiffening with ire. The Chancellor fixated him with a piercing look as silence blanketed the area, awaiting his response.

"Do I make myself clear, Titan?" The Chancellor repeated, making Titan bristle, his mouth tightening into a thin line.

"Yes, you do," Titan grumbled, refusing to meet the Chancellor or anyone else's gaze. The Council began to retreat into the thicket of trees serving as their customary meeting chamber, glad the momentary excitement was over. They talked quietly amongst themselves as they returned to their places, RE Titan among them.

The Chancellor trailed after them to ensure RE Titan would cause no further grief to their petitioners. He offered Manfred and Diego a gracious smile before drawing aside the branches to allow the Woolly bull and the tiger access into the hallowed meeting chamber of the mammoth Elders.


As Diego stepped into the airy thicket with Manny at his side, he glanced back at a large oak tree nearby. Several familiar faces - Ellie, Sid, and the possums - peered around it anxiously, intent on eavesdropping on the proceedings.

Ellie held tiny Peaches in her trunk. She gave Diego an encouraging wink.

Diego faintly caught Sid's words to Ellie as he crept into the thicket of the Elders–

"We already saw Elder Titan try to hurt him. Ith he gonna be okay, Ellie? Tell me he'th gonna be okay!" -and the she-mammoth's reply to him– "I don't know, Sweetie. We'll have to hope for the best."

As she was giving encouragement to their little brother sloth, Ellie bounced Peaches in her trunk.

The ginger-coloured calf gurgled, "Uncle Dieeago!"

Peaches waved her trunk, making Diego pause, letting Manny go ahead of him into the council thicket, so he could offer her a smile. He covered his eyes with one paw, and she reciprocated by placing her trunk over her eyes with a happy squeal. She removed her trunk to complete the game with him, returning his smile as she waved to him. He lingered in the radiant light of her grin, taking courage and comfort from it.

Encouraged by his herd family's support, Diego took a deep breath and stepped into the leafy hollow. Trees overhead lent it shade and security, letting nothing through but shafts of sunlight. The place felt disquietingly comforting.

Dozens of mammoth faces peered down at him from their tussocks. Curiosity mingled with fright were visible on most of their visages, though there were a few friendly ones here and there. Elder William gave him a nod.

A berry-sweet scent wafted into Diego's nose. His heart jumped. Was she here?

The thought barely had time to formulate when Regent Elder Titan rumbled from his large tussock dais directly next to the Chancellor. Diego forced himself to meet RE Titan's gaze, finding it a menacing glower, and shrank back momentarily before steadying himself. He mustn't show fear in front of these mammoths… let alone Titan. If he did, they'd be out for his blood. Prey, like predator, was equally adept at sensing weakness - it was how both survived.

He drew back his head, eyeing Titan, though his green eyes betrayed the anxieties he was trying to conceal.

Manny stood in the centre again - the open area where the council listened to supplicants - and nodded at Diego to join him, which the tiger did cautiously. He padded gently up beside his friend until their shoulders were parallel and they were both looking at the mammoth Elders surrounding them.

Manny's trunk briefly brushed against his shoulders, avoiding the bandages around his body. Diego pulled away from Manny's touch, making his way to the Chancellor's dais - the tussock of dignity, situated at the furthermost centre of the thicket - his steps marred by his slight limp. Manny had advised him to bow to the Chancellor on their way over, saying it was sure to win him favour with the Chancellor himself and the Elders if he did so.

Putting out one front foot, Diego lowered his head in a deferential bow to the Chancellor. Waves of relief coursed through Diego as the ancient bull's eyes twinkled at him in response, signifying he'd done well.


The Chancellor sighed, glancing from the tiger to Regent Elder Titan, his emotions all in a muddle as sympathy for the tiger mingled with paternal frustration over what had transpired. He hoped to Brede that Titan would behave himself when the council officially started its examinations of Manfred and the tiger, and he also hoped things would go well for Manfred and that the tiger wouldn't face exile. For some reason, the idea didn't sit well with him, forcibly separating Manfred and his herd from their tiger friend, as well as potentially dooming the tiger to an ignominious death out in the wastes.

The Chancellor had heard bits and pieces of the story quickly becoming a 'legend' about Manfred and his friends - including the tiger - which suggested the tiger was, actually, a hero. He refused to sit by and condemn the tiger to a death unworthy of a hero. Manfred's tiger, whoever he was, deserved better than that.

There was a certain light in the tiger's green eyes that felt familiar to him, as though, in the recesses of his memory, he'd known, or at least met, this tiger long ago. This puzzled the Chancellor, as he hadn't even gotten the name of Manfred's tiger yet, at least in the context of this council setting, though he recalled Manfred had mentioned it recently when he'd pleaded for himself and his tiger friend to make a petition before his council.

I've seen him before, the Chancellor mused. I feel as if I know him already. What did Manfred say his name was? It's on the tip of my tongue…

Whispers babbled like a brook around the Chancellor as the tiger, favouring his leg, returned to his place at Manfred's side in the centre of the area. Sensing the tiger's latent anxiety, the Chancellor acknowledged him with a slight nod.

The Chancellor raised his head, looking sternly over the massed body in front of him, appreciating how boldly Manfred, son of Clovis, and the tiger stood together, as dozens of suspicious and wary eyes landed on them. Several Elders turned to their neighbours, continuing their covert evaluations of the two.

"Order!" the Chancellor said firmly. "The Council is now in session!"

The Elders heeded his declamation, obediently taking their respective places in the tussocks arranged in a circle in the thicket. Regent Elder Titan sat at the centre of the mammoths to the left of the Chancellor and Elder William, of the Three Fjords herd - Clovis' diocese, the Chancellor recalled with a pang - was on his right. Elder William was the council's designated opposition leader for this specific council - the trial of the tiger in their midst whom Manfred loyally defended.

Even now, Manfred stood beside his unusual friend in the middle of the clearing, his trunk dangling, shield-like, in front of the tiger. His brown eyes shone with a light of steady vigilance as he swept his gaze around the ring of Elders present.

The Chancellor, impressed by Manfred's character and tempered by the knowledge the Woolly bull wouldn't think twice about physically protecting his friend, turned his eyes coolly to Manfred and the tiger beside him. Time to break the ice and formally start this trial. Let's not beat around the bush any longer.

"The Council welcomes you, Manfred son of Clovis. It has been many years since we last laid eyes on you, and we are gladdened to see you again, and in good health," he said. "Word of your exploits, such as the rescue and return of the human child, have spread." His tone was formal to the point of coldness as he glanced towards the tiger. "Word has it that … this tiger … accompanied you on your journeys. Some of us find the presence of your … colleague … surprising and a bit unnerving, so let us put him to task and judge him, now, to see whether he remains with your herd … or faces exile."


Being in the presence of the Chancellor and his Council was an overwhelming experience. To Diego's astonishment, the Chancellor hadn't spoken of him as badly as he feared the old bull might, though he couldn't pinpoint the reason why.

Deep down, something about the Chancellor's eyes seemed familiar to him, too, but he couldn't place where he'd seen those eyes, or when. The familiarity was lost in the recesses of his memory.

The Chancellor's opening statements hadn't set Manny at ease, and Diego felt the bull wince beside him. Manny hadn't missed the somewhat derogatory slant in the Chancellor's remarks despite them being overall favourable towards Diego instead of outright condemning. A twinge of guilt rushed through Diego's heart as he looked into the curious, or generally, suspicious faces of the Elders before him.

Maybe we shouldn't have done this… the sabre reflected. The only reason we're here is because of me in the first place and now Manny's been put in such a tight spot… to defend me against his own kind… maybe it would've been best if I had never been a part of the herd…

Diego's depressed contemplations trailed off as he glanced at his massive friend, wondering what he might say before the Council - and Regent Elder Titan.

Manny shot a ferocious glare in the large Imperial Elder's direction, then nodded his head respectfully at the Chancellor.

"He is not my colleague," Manny said, staring boldly into the inquisitive eyes of the Council Elders. "He is my friend, and one who has saved my life and the lives of my family several times."

Manny glanced at Diego with a slight smile and their gazes caught and held. Manny pulled Diego into a hug, wrapping his trunk around the tiger's shoulders gently. Diego leaned into Manny's embrace, closing his eyes as he buried himself in it, forgetting the presence of bulls and cows of the mammoth council.

Releasing Diego from his grip, Manny gave Diego a brotherly noogie on the head as Diego opened his eyes and smiled. Neither Manny nor Diego were openly affectionate individuals because of their naturally introverted personalities, but both understood the Council needed to see the love that bound them together as brothers and as true friends.

Diego would be loath to admit it, but he secretly enjoyed the hugs with Manny, unlike the ones with Sid. Sid was a hugger and constantly invaded Diego's personal space and, being a cat, Diego hated that. He knew Manny hated Sid's overtures of affection, too, but for different reasons. It was different with Manny because, like Diego, he was similarly hesitant about showing affection publicly.

The Council watched the affection between mammoth and sabre, their jaws slackened in utter astonishment.

Diego noted that amongst all the Elders present, two alone didn't share the same surprised amazement as the others. One of them was Elder William. The other was Regent Elder Titan, whose brows were knit into a furious scowl.


Upon seeing the hug, the Chancellor raised his eyebrows in surprise; in all his years, he had never seen anything quite like what he had just viewed. He cleared his throat, swiftly regaining his appearance of cold calmness. "Very well," he said, seeking to move on before more mammoths began to whisper. "Manfred, son of Clovis, you have come to the Council with a petition. Therefore, the Council recognises you to speak."

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Heartened by Manny's embrace, Diego was now satisfied that he was in no danger here from these mammoths about to hear his case. His case… Diego grew thoughtful, recalling how, ever since the herd had returned to the mammothian-governed Bredelands provinces, he hadn't seen any tigers–or any other carnivore or predator, for that matter–in the surrounding areas.

During his recovery after the hunters' attack, Noa had explained why: Regent Elder Titan had led a contingent of his soldiers and routed every carnivorous predator - tiger, bear, dire wolf, all of them except for humans - from the Bredelands proper. This also explained why Diego, Manny, and Sid never encountered other carnivores, of Diego's type and build, before the flood. Titan's dirty work had penetrated even into the bowl valley where the herd lived, along with the lie (spread by the smaller megafauna) that mammoths were going extinct.

Said lie had puzzled Diego in the time before the Meltdown. The idea of mammoths going extinct was a ridiculous one, since he and his new herd with Manny and Sid hadn't encountered any predators - sabres like himself - or, more notably, humans, when that lie was being spread around. Diego knew the only way mammoths could possibly go extinct was because of hunting by humans, a fact Manny and Diego both knew from experience.

Almost as if Titan was trying to get rid of Manny. He remembered how incensed Manny had become once Noa had told him the truth. It had made the Woolly bull more dead set against Titan than ever before, especially once both Diego and Manny learnt about Titan's 'inspection' of the herd - trying to root out their tiger - amidst the duo's recovery.

Diego had managed to escape RE Titan's decree because the herd had hidden him safely away in the aftermath of the hunters' attack. Noa had also told him she'd heard whispers amongst the mammoth Elders that the trial might decide Diego could remain with his herd and in the Bredelands if he would accept the role of 'guardian' - a role that meant further betrayal of his own kind since it required guarding the borders of the mammoths' domain from predators… from his own species. This was another facet to his case, as the mammoth Elders planned to judge him and see if he was guardian material and to determine if he was a threat to the regular mammoth herds residing in the Bredelands.

Diego glanced around once more at the dozens of mammoth faces around him and caught glints of suspicion and fear mingled together in some of their eyes, which unsettled him. Diego stepped closer to Manny, desiring his friend's protection.

Manny looked down at him, his brown eyes kind even as determination glinted in them, before he turned back to address the mammoth council.

"I have come here, with my good friend, Diego," he began. Manny's mention of his name caused a stir of uneasy murmured discussions to rise from their audience and the Chancellor's reaction - an eyebrow quirk, accompanied by a slow, knowing, smile - astounded Diego. He hadn't been expecting a positive reaction from the Chancellor, of all mammoths. Manny continued, "to find if there is any means for him to remain in our valley, as all others of his species have been banished from our valley in the Bredelands by the most honourable…" Manny almost choked on the words, "Regent Elder Titan." Rallying, Manny fixed RE Titan with a bold stare, "Your Regent Elder came by my herd to 'inspect' it when Diego and I were still recovering from an attack on us by hunters."

All eyes swivelled towards RE Titan and Diego found much satisfaction from watching him squirm. Even the Chancellor looked unimpressed, casting a dour side-eye in Titan's direction.

Manny paused, letting his accusation sink in, and then went on: "I have come to propose an agreement be reached so my friend can stay in my herd with me and my family. He does not deserve this banishment, and I know - because he almost lost his life protecting me in the past on our first journey together with the baby - he would die for my family's sake."


The Chancellor nodded, he had suspected such a petition would be made - after all, the only reason this council was in session was through Manfred's own efforts, and, in his own private council, this hadn't been the first time the matter with the tiger of Manfred's herd had been discussed. He smiled slightly, approving of how Manfred had remembered the proper protocol, even after many years. He decided he would make sure to speak with him after the trial to remind him, again, about his eligibility to become Elder of his father's herd, the Three Fjords, or even Regent Elder, and put his name into the nominations when they came 'round again.

Inwardly he sighed; if only their current Regent Elder – Samarkand, the Chancellor's son, no less – had likewise memorised the ancient and noble ways of the mammoths. Snapping himself out of such wistful thoughts, he scanned the assembly.

"Thank you, Manfred," he replied. "The petition has been made, and in accordance with our laws and traditions, we shall now debate the motion wherein," his eyes locked onto Titan. "Regent Elder, as leader of this council, you are permitted to speak first, if you so choose to."

Titan rolled his eyes in response, a petty, childish gesture that nettled the Chancellor even more. He didn't miss the vicious glance RE Titan cast in Diego's direction. With a jolt, it hit him - Diego, the tiger standing before him, was the same sabretooth cub he and his co-RE, and later Regent Elder, Clovis, had befriended. In a twist of fate, Diego, now grown - and in an amazing story quickly becoming passed around as a legend - had been befriended by Clovis's own son, Manfred. According to Elder William, was Manfred's best friend.

The Chancellor recalled a prophecy from long ago about a human baby uniting a mammoth and a tiger in friendship and bringing peace between their hostile tribes. He wondered if he was seeing the fruition of Brede's words as he looked at Manfred and Diego before him. His awed musings were cut off by RE Titan's reply,

"I vote Nay on this petition. My mammoths, we must not allow the boundaries," he said, punctuating his remarks with a disdainful glance at Manfred and Diego, "to be blurred with such an untraditional… friendship." Titan paused, for effect, as he levelled a dark stare at the two standing in the centre, before dropping his salvo, "Manfred here even hunts with the tiger! This is sacrilege!"

The Chancellor's mouth dropped open at RE Titan's announcement as an uproar of loud whispers and uneasy discussion sounded from the council around him. One of his councillors, a Columbian mammoth called Malcolm, grumbled,

"Not the done thing, not the done thing!" His statement was echoed by several cows and bulls nearby as covert squabbles erupted over whether this action of Manfred's in support of his friend put their own mammoth herds at risk and whether Manfred and the tiger would one day attack them…

"It's not like we would hunt you," Manfred broke in, rolling his eyes. His irritation and discomfort were palpable. "Diego doesn't hunt or eat mammoth."

"But wasn't he at the ambush at Brede Pass, now Glacier?" Malcolm pointed out, making Diego wince.

Manny's gaze hardened,

"Yes… he was. He didn't want to be there, and…"

"I never ate any mammoths!" Diego burst in. "Like Manny said already, I don't hunt or eat mammoth, and I was there unwillingly."

"Just the fact you hunt with him - and is it for him, too? That is questionable enough," one of the cow Elders said, "How can we know to trust either of you? Do you eat meat, too, now, Manfred?"

Manfred shifted back and forth on his feet but didn't waver,

"Yeah, I do," he said, answering the cow's questions with one response. "Sometimes, Diego and I go down to the rivers or a lake and go fishing. He doesn't eat fish to live - because it wouldn't be enough for him - but we do it for fun and to give Diego some variety. I've tried fish and it isn't too bad. Tastes rather nice."

Diego punched Manfred's foreleg gently with his paw, making most of the mammoth council gasp.

"Yeah, my buddy Manny here likes fish. Don't worry, I was surprised too when I saw how much he enjoyed it!"

"You all should try it too, sometime," Manfred added. "Got lots of nutrients for you. It would be a good change from all the forage and the occasional salt."

The Chancellor chuckled under his breath, impressed by how well Manfred took control of the situation. The hunting with the tiger - and potentially for him - was odd, along with Manfred's admission about eating meat on occasion, but he could overlook it because Manfred was Clovis's son.

He recalled Manfred's first petition to him about Diego's hunting and the tiger being allowed to hunt, candidly mentioning that sometimes he joined Diego on the hunt, since, according to Manfred, he was Diego's "alpha," indicating that the bonds between the two were quite close. Upon learning that, the Chancellor had granted his request for permission for the two to continue their hunts.

Regent Elder Titan rose from his tussock as murmurs from the listening Elders rose all around him.

"I still vote Nay on this petition," Titan said, raising his voice to make himself heard above the din. "And are we well agreed Manfred and this tiger's hunting together goes against what Brede Herself has established?"

Many of the Elders at the council nodded and grumbled their assent, except for the Chancellor, Elder William, and a much younger bull, the brother of Titan's mate, who discreetly shook their heads. Titan advanced upon the woolly bull and the tiger in the centre.

Manfred manoeuvred his foreleg to the side, keeping Diego behind it, and lowered his tusks in a protective bulwark for his friend as RE Titan pointed, with his trunk, to the figurine of a little ivory man nestled around Manfred's topknot.

"This… story being passed around about Manfred, and the tiger's rescue and return of a human baby, should also be weighed as we judge them," Titan said, his tones heavy with contempt. "Might I remind you that Manfred's 'friend' here was tasked to steal the baby from him so his alpha, Soto the Black Heart, his half-brother, could eat it alive? And this tiger set Manfred up for death in a selfish attempt to impress his leader and save his own skin? How can we trust this tiger, knowing his past? I rest my case."

"He's changed!" Manfred shouted, as clamours of talk arose from the council. "He's not the tiger I first met on that journey, I can tell you that." Beside him, Diego's eyes flickered with a mixture of hurt, guilt, and shame as he hid his face from sight, arousing the Chancellor's sympathies.

"Be that as it may," RE Titan said, still looming threateningly over Manfred with his trunk pointed at the foreign necklace wrapped around Manfred's hair, "the tiger staying with Manfred's herd is unsafe for us mammoths as a whole," Titan turned to give the council a sweeping, stern look, "Have you considered if the humans - and we know that they are moving into our valleys and meadows more frequently than ever before - should come after this tiger, this… Diego," Titan spat out, "because the humans' chief remembers his past crimes - that of murdering his mate and stealing his son - and has a vendetta against him for it? He will put us all in peril because of his past with humans. He has no place here." Titan paused to let his words sink in, before adding, "neither does Manfred, who is as much a traitor as his friend Diego! Manfred is a traitor to his own species because he hunts with… this tiger!"

Cacophony again rose up as the council fell to gossip and discussion over RE Titan's declamation. Manfred sent Titan a black look, muttering darkly, "The humans wouldn't be the only ones with a vendetta, and you don't have any proof they'd come after Diego."

Chaos reigned as the Chancellor narrowed his eyes menacingly at Titan. Thinking it best to get everything under his control again, the Chancellor spoke:

"The Regent Elder is reminded the time for voting has not yet arrived," he said. A single look from the Chancellor sent RE Titan back to his seat as the Chancellor continued, "And we shall. Proceed. By. Protocol." His last statement emerged nearly as an angry trumpet.

Sensing the rising volume of whispering, he snapped his eyes around the council.

"ORDER!" he commanded. He waited for a few minutes for the din to quiet, and then turned once more to Titan. "Now, again, does the Regent Elder have any questions regarding this petition he would like to raise with this council?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Diego glanced up at Regent Elder Titan, and their gazes met. For a second, Diego was caught off guard by Soto's face superimposed over that of the black-furred Imperial Elder's. The spectre of his half-brother could still find ways to haunt him, and in the most unexpected places. Both Soto and RE Titan had the same vicious light in their eyes, and Diego, upon recognising it, found the resemblance unnerving.

Diego briefly sought Manny's gaze, and the gentle light he found in his best friend's eyes reassured him. He couldn't shake off the notion that this trial in his defence put Manny in danger as a pit of unease twisted his gut. RE Titan is Manny's Soto, they're two of a kind - does Manny understand that too?

Tearing himself away from such thoughts, Diego watched as Titan gave in, knowing full well that the Regent Elder had made his position precarious before the Chancellor for his breaching protocol.

"I have a question for Manfred, son of Clovis." Titan's eyes flickered over at Diego with menacing intent and the tiger sidled closer to Manny as unobtrusively as he could. "If the tiger must stay, what will he do – for us?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Chancellor's eyebrows rose; he hadn't expected such a … self-serving … answer to be given, least of all by their incumbent Regent Elder. However, a question was a question and – no matter how much the implications caused him and the older Elders to squirm, he dutifully turned to Manfred.

"Manfred is to speak."


Manny cleared his throat, drawing all attention to him as he inclined his head deferentially at the Chancellor and the Regent Elder. Diego glanced over at Manny, giving him the motion to speak with a hidden gesture.

"We had in mind that Diego could be our border control guardian. He has the build and means for it, because he's a tiger, after all, and… he's incredibly loyal." Manny paused, seeking out Diego's eyes as Diego nodded at him in agreement over the mutually beneficial resolution they had reached in the days leading up to the Chancellor's council.

xXx

Before the Chancellor called the council - the trial - Manny had returned to the herd's cave, informing Diego of the summons. Diego and Manny had resumed, post-recovery, their daily walks together, using the time to discuss what role Diego might play in an attempt to curry favour from RE Titan and the other mammoth herds.

Manny's proposition, on one of their walks, was that Diego become the mammoths' border control, protecting them from hostile sabres, dire wolves, and other carnivores… humans, too.

Diego, after thoughtful consideration, had agreed. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make - for Manny, for Peaches, for his herd. Manny had saved his life - more than once! - and if this was the price to pay to remain in Manny's herd, Diego wouldn't hesitate, even knowing that this decision would make him an even bigger enemy towards his own species.

xXx

The act of trust - as communicated through Diego and Manfred's nods to each other - caused the mammoths to murmur amongst themselves again. The Chancellor was impressed, despite himself, by the bond between Clovis's son and the tiger. It reminded him of his friendship with Clovis, and a wave of grief clouded his eyes before he regained control of himself as, to his right, a tan-coloured Woolly bull rose from his tussock.

"The council recognises Elder William of the Three Fjords diocese and designated leader, by his own choice, of the opposition to speak," the Chancellor announced.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Elder William bowed his head to the Chancellor as he replied,

"Thank you, Chancellor." Elder William sent Titan a fierce look, which Diego caught and appreciated, even as he scanned the crowd of mammoths. To his disappointment, the elderly Southern bull, Jonathon - the healer - was not among them. Jonathon was likely off serving the valley.

Jonathon was also, as far as Diego knew, not an Elder, and the Chancellor's council held only Elders and Elders-in-training or those under the Quintus evaluations. Diego missed Jonathon. Without the healer's intervention, he and Manny would have died, and Jonathon had gone against RE Titan's new decrees forbidding contact with predators, at great risk to himself, to help Diego regardless.

The reason Diego stood before the council today was Jonathon and he still hadn't properly thanked him yet. William gave Diego an encouraging smile as Diego grinned shyly back at him. William was not just Manny's old friend, but someone who had become, since the football game, a friend of his as well. William openly supported Diego's friendship with Manny, and, alongside Jonathon, William had been pivotal in Ellie's efforts to ensure that Manny and Diego had both gotten medical care in the aftermath of the human ambush during one of their walks. William radiated safety and kindness, and Diego knew he and Manny were in good paws with William defending them as the opposition party.

"The proposal of Manfred son of Clovis is a most interesting one!" William continued. "And, given it is a proposition proffered by a mammoth on behalf of a tiger suggests to me this tiger is not exactly like-minded nor approving of the methods of his kith and kin! Would the most honourable Regent Elder agree to this? Or, if not, would he care to give this council a compelling argument against such a notion?"

After his final words, a brief silence descended, sundered by intermittent cries of,

"Hear, hear!"

from a few bulls in the crowd who'd brought along their cows. Diego noted the mated Elder pairs seemed more inclined to support him and his case - defying the Regent Elder - compared to that of the bulls or cows who were single.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Chancellor acknowledged William with a slight uplift of his head, smiling inwardly, glad someone was at least following proper procedure.

"Regent Elder, do you have a response to this rebuttal?" he asked.


Diego glanced over at Titan, whose eyes narrowed at him as cynical disgust warped his mouth into a sneer, as if he didn't believe William's words. Everything about his expression suggested, as he struggled to put his thoughts into words, an implacability in his own beliefs, despite any resistance that might follow, and Diego's heart sank. Manny's intercession meant so much to Diego, but he knew, from his own history with the Imperial, that RE Titan wouldn't swerve from his long-held perspective that Diego himself, tigers as a whole, and other carnivores were evil.

"I do not think the… tiger should remain here in our Bredelands valley," Regent Elder Titan insisted. "We have no proof he will not harm us, despite his friend's defence of him, since we know, my mammoths, from experience, that he and his kind are evil." The massive Imperial bull shot Diego another glare. "And besides, what good could he do? He'd probably be killed by his own kind within minutes of being installed as guardian. His past alone, with his selfish attempts to save his own skin at the cost of Manfred's life, make me think him unworthy." RE Titan gave Manny a pointed look, "he already set you up to die once, how can you be sure, Manfred, that he won't do it again, should he come into contact with his own species and potentially be swayed by them?"

Diego turned to look up at the Woolly bull beside him. Manny's body was stiff with righteous anger and his eyes had flashed with indignation at Titan's last snide remark. Manny's front legs brushed against Diego's side as he stepped closer to him, sending the Regent Elder a potent glare.

Manny spoke, defiance in his tone,

"He wouldn't be swayed by others of his species. You speak out of turn, Regent Elder Titan," Manny said, a rumbly growl in his voice, "when it comes to my friend Diego. He's a strong tiger, and sure, our first journey together was a bit rocky, but he's my best friend now, and he's proven his loyalty to me over and over." Manny swept his gaze around the rest of the mammoth council as he continued, "About the topic at paw - the idea that Diego become our border control guard - he wouldn't let outsiders make any attempts on his life, he'd make them obey him. He was second-in-command, as you might've heard, because of the story being passed around about us bringing back the baby, of the pack he defected from on my behalf. Doing so almost cost him his life, and if not for Diego, I'd be dead! My mammoths," Manny emphasised, indicating, with his trunk, Diego's Soto-inflicted scars and the bandages swathing his still-healing new wounds, "he nearly died… to save me. And we're here, at this council, because he almost gave his life for me, again, when hunters attacked us…and Titan wants to exile him for that!"

You tell 'em, Manny, you tell 'em! Manny's accolades warmed Diego all over, though, outwardly, he maintained his cool and collected expression. RE Titan darted another suspicious look at him, brows creasing in a frown, as though he saw Diego's hidden smile and detested it.

Manny's bombshell ignited an immediate clamour as bulls and cows voiced their disapproval:

"Punishing the tiger for his good deed? For shame."

"Maybe we were wrong about Manfred's tiger friend."

"Ahem, hmph, that's also not the done thing."

As noise sounded around him, RE Titan looked unimpressed. Aware the tide of opinion had shifted in his disfavour, he hurled another line of questioning at Manny,

"How do you know that he's not still looking out only for himself?" Elder Titan said, with a scoff, "Didn't he leave you, Manfred, when your mate was heavily pregnant and due to give birth soon? Abandoning you and your mate, in your time of need! Wasn't he not being selfish then?"

Beside him, Manny visibly flinched. Diego knew Manny still blamed himself for what had transpired between them all those years ago despite their reconciliation after the adventure. Titan's jibe had cut to the quick.

They're casting everything up to me, aren't they? Diego felt a twinge of unease. Damn, they came prepared - Titan is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to me or my past.

With those thoughts weighing on his mind, Diego tried to lighten the mood:

"Everybody knows about the dinosaur adventure we had too? How?"

RE Titan shot Diego a contemptuous look. His reply dripped with smug tones,

"A little bird told me, and the rest of us, that certain story, as well as your infamous one with the human baby."

"The blame for Diego leaving is on me," Manny shot back, "for neglecting him and our friendship, and making him feel like he'd be better off on his own, away from our herd. I was the selfish one in that situation. It never should have happened the way I let it since Diego had gotten out of shape because of our hunts together; and he still ended up coming through for us," Manny went on. "He returned to us - my mate and myself - after our friend, Sid, was sloth-napped by a dino, and he protected my mate, Ellie, during the birth of my daughter, Peaches, and helped her with the delivery. Peaches saw Diego's face … before she saw mine, and she's close to him, seeing him as a second father to her, because of it."


The Chancellor's eyebrows were fixed at their highest, yet he was not annoyed at Manfred's response, testifying to the love he had for the unlikeliest of friends. The Chancellor saw something… worthy … in the mammoth standing before him. In his heart, the Chancellor knew that, although the bull broke protocol by his friendship with the tiger, he was definitely sticking to the spirit of the traditions of his forefathers. Again, Manfred reminded him of his father Clovis. Clovis would be so proud of Manny if he could see him today. The thought brought a sad smile to the Chancellor's face, one he quickly hid lest RE Titan intercept it. William once more rose from his tussock.

"Elder William is to speak again," the Chancellor stated. William gave him another deferential bow before he sent Diego a keen look - sharp and incisive, though tempered by kindness.

"I wish to ask my following two questions to the tiger, although I would prefer to do so politely," William said. He spoke loud enough for all the council to hear, with a meaningful glance in Titan's direction, which the Regent Elder pointedly ignored. "Master tiger," William addressed the tiger, "would you please give us your name again?"

xxxxxxxxxxx

Diego's eyes widened as he cast his gaze around the circle of bulls and cows before him once more. He noted, absently, the now-familiar glares of Elders, whom, he reckoned, supported Titan in his efforts to get rid of him. The others included a few cows rocking their young calves - around Peaches' size or smaller - in their trunks. These cows, with their calves, were participating non-Elders, with most of the she-mammoths regarding him with varying degrees of obvious curiosity or latent anxiety.

After all, Diego mused, it's not ordinary for a mammoth to come to the Council and plead on a friend's behalf. Especially when that friend is an "enemy" …

Diego pulled himself out of his thoughts as Elder William's question sunk in.

"Name's Diego, son of Cortez," he said, in the style the mammoths talked - and as he'd seen Clovis introduce himself years ago during their brief friendship - hoping it'd win him some favour with the Chancellor and the council. Murmurs arose from the seated mammoths at the name,

"Cortez!"

"He's the son of that tiger alpha who stole the life of our beloved RE Clovis away from us?"

"That means he is brothers with Soto the Black Heart!" another voice joined the fray. "We cannot allow him to remain within our borders, knowing his heritage, even if Manfred sent Soto to his death years ago with Diego's help - since he turned on his alpha and almost paid the price for doing so - like the story about them says."

"I agree," Regent Elder Titan raised his voice to be heard above the tumult as several bulls and cows exchanged nervous glances before shaking their heads solemnly as fear and dismay whistled through the crowd. "This tiger, this Diego, poses a threat to us by virtue of his father and brother and the infamy both still carry within our oral history. I object, again, to Diego being allowed to stay here with Manfred because of that alone."

The Chancellor ignored RE Titan's outburst, instead speaking to Diego directly,

"The crimes of the past, done by your father and half-brother, are not yours, and our laws shouldn't punish you for their misdeeds." Diego managed a grateful smile to him as RE Titan, unwilling to let the past go, went on,

"In my opinion, he is still guilty because of his initial intentions for Manfred and the human boy on that journey of theirs becoming a 'legend' nowadays-"

"He's more than redeemed himself," Manny interrupted, his eyes turning almost black in his fury. "How many times do I have to tell you, Titan, how he had a change of heart on our first journey and willingly almost sacrificed his life for me, and how he wouldn't think twice about doing it again?"

Manny pawed at the ground, tusks raised, when William silenced him with a look and a shake of his head. Manny relented though his eyes never left Titan's face.

William sighed audibly, and, with a roll of his eyes, said,

"Can I please ask my question to Diego now?"

William turned back to Diego with a genuine smile,

"Very well, Diego son of Cortez. The first question I ask of you is this: do you mean evil and destructive intent towards the citizens of the Bredelands?"

Diego allowed himself to grin over the inherent silliness of the question. He glanced up, looking past William, his gaze falling on a chestnut-furred Imperial cow standing next to Titan, cradling their dark-brown furred child in her trunk.

Her gentle hazel eyes probed Diego's as he stared back at her, time falling away. A wistful light glimmered in her eyes, heartbreak lurking in their depths. In the past, he'd broken her heart to save her - from him.

He looked away, embarrassment washing over him as he recalled her from his younger days as cub, playing together with a calf who didn't judge him for the species he was but instead as a friend.

Theo.

A blush made his fur hot: he had loved her.

Frustrated, Diego shoved the thought away as he glanced over again at the calf… Theo's little son. The calf stared back at him with unprejudiced eyes, reminding Diego of Peaches. His niece looked at him the same way.

Why should I have any evil or destructive intent towards the Bredelands' citizens? he thought, holding the gaze of the young calf, who waggled his trunk at the tiger shyly. My best friend is a mammoth, one I owe my life to, and his daughter regards me as a second father.

Diego raised his head, turning from his attention to the back to Elder William.

"No, I have no such intent against anyone here, but I do need to hunt now and then, and the Chancellor has allowed it. Manny's fine with my hunting and has assisted me on the hunt from time to time. His convictions are with animals - both herbivore and carnivore - who kill for pleasure, which I refuse to do, honoured sirs."

"Thank you, Diego, for your response," William said, with another smile. "The second question I wish to ask you is this: do you mean any evil or destructive intent towards this Council or the traditions it seeks to uphold?"

The Chancellor and the Regent Elder sat up in their tussocks, beginning to realise where this line of questioning was going.

xxx

Diego glanced over at Manny, who gave him an encouraging nod. Diego shook his head slowly, saying, "No, I have no such intent to dismantle this Council of the mammoths or the traditions you seek to uphold. I ask only to be allowed to stay in this valley to protect my friends," he paused, as if in thought, seeking Manny's gaze again, and, reassured by the steadfast light he found glimmering in his eyes, he turned back to the mammoths before him. A small half-smile curved his lips as he said, adding a humble bow, "I only ask for a place to stay."

The Council burst into whispers, both of support and of shock at the tiger's modest request. William, a proud grin on his face, turned to the Chancellor.

"Honoured members of this Council!" he exclaimed, elation radiating from his huge form, "Diego, son of Cortez, has answered both of our questions in the negative. For those who may have forgotten," he shot a pointed glance at Titan, a triumphant beam on his face. "I shall enlighten them of the implications of these answers; our noble and honourable traditions dictate that any member of any species may reside in the Bredelands and adjacent regions governed by our Elders if they mean no evil intent towards the populace (although the tiger will still be granted access to hunt as he needs to) or this Council's governance of the realm!"

The whispers grew into chatter and gasps as the full realisation of William's announcement sunk in amongst the Council's members.

William's jolly smile grew wider,

"Therefore, Chancellor and honourable members of this council, the traditions we have sworn to protect dictate that Diego, son of Cortez, may reside within the Bredelands."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The council exploded into discussion. Watching the mammoths next to him converse with their neighbours over the matter, the Chancellor couldn't help but smile, Elder William had just done a masterful job. Yet his duty was still required of him.

"ORDER!" he bellowed, instantly causing the babble of talk to dwindle away into nothingness as Titan, shaking with what appeared to be rage, stood from his tussock. "The Regent Elder wishes to speak!" the Chancellor declared as the noise hushed.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Diego let out a sigh of relief as Elder William's jubilant proclamation rang out, resting his head on Manny's right foreleg wearily.

Manny placed his trunk on Diego's shoulders gently, murmuring to him "It's almost over" and how he was "proud of him." Diego glanced up as once again his gaze met Titan's, who knitted his brows in a furious expression before looking away.

xxxxxxxxxxx

"Our thanks must go to Elder William for handling the interrogation of our enemy so well," Titan said. I must find some way to get rid of him - the tiger - still, but not now, since Manfred and Will have gotten father's Council all wrapped in their trunks with their defence of him, he thought. Diego. I want him gone, one way or another. Permanently. Titan manufactured a quick smile to conceal his thoughts as he continued, "And since he has conceded to our laws, and the traditions of the Council, I suppose it is fine he remains in the valley – as long as he doesn't betray us by associating with his sabre friends."

xxxxxxxxxxx

The Chancellor sat up, looking with fixed interest at Manny.

"Manfred, son of Clovis." The Chancellor darted a kind glance at Diego. "Since much of the following voting and prior discussions are predicated by this question, protocol requires I ask you this: do you vouch for the loyalty and sincerity of your friend Diego, son of Cortez?"

Manny's head tilted forward in an earnest nod, remembering times in the past when he had experienced Diego's loyalty to him firsthand - when he had turned against Soto on his account, taking a blow for him that had almost ended his life on their first journey together with the baby, his quiet sensitivity in that year when he believed himself the last mammoth, his awareness about Manny's unresolved grief over Kate and Benny, the way Diego had gently spoken well of Ellie and helped Manny to slowly let Ellie into his heart, and his selfless concern for Ellie during her perilous birth to Peaches.

Manny allowed himself a small smile as the image of Peaches crossed his mind. Peaches, similarly, to Pinky, had brought Diego - and Sid - back into the herd's fold despite the tiger's previous misgivings and hidden struggles, and Manny was intent on making sure that Diego never wanted to leave again.

If Diego owed his life to Manny, the mammoth did likewise regarding the sabre-tooth tiger. Their friendship was one born out of great sacrifices and debts fulfilled in service to the other.

Manny's answer was one word,

"Yes." Authority rang in his voice as he glanced down at Diego, realising, with a sharp pang, how vulnerable the tiger looked, swathed in his bandages, dwarfed by the mammoths surrounding him. Diego had spent much of the trial keeping up his usual front, as though he knew how exposed his position was despite the sanctuary Manny's defence gave him.

Manny sighed inwardly, hoping the motion would carry and that his best friend would be allowed to roam the valley freely again, without the threat of sanctioned violence against him.

xxxxxxxxx

"Very good." The Chancellor nodded. "This council will adjourn for twenty minutes before we vote. The motion in question is twofold, and thus will require two votes." He stamped his foot for emphasis.

"The first vote being whether Diego, son of Cortez, may remain in the Bredelands. The second vote is whether Diego shall or shall not become a defender of our borders," he scanned the council, making sure to look everyone in the eyes he could – with notable emphasis on the Regent Elder's. "Please use this time wisely. Council adjourned."


Diego and Manny let out simultaneous sighs of relief as they exchanged an affectionate gaze with each other.

"Well, that's over." Diego punched Manny lightly on the tusk.

"Yeah, thank goodness it is," Manny agreed, shooting a glare in Titan's direction, who responded likewise. Diego allowed his gaze to idly sweep over the gathered mammoths again, his sharp ears picking up fragments of talk,

"I say we let him stay - he has done no wrong and Manfred has vouched for him." The voice of the Regent Elder's mate, Theodora. What a girl! I knew she'd stick up for me.

A second voice, a male - the Regent Elder's Second - broke into the conversation, contradicting her,

"But how do we know? Manfred essentially abandoned our Traditions when he left after his family died – maybe his vouchsafing for a tiger doesn't hold because of that."

Two voices spoke at once, an older matronly cow, and another, a young bull's,

"I vouch for him as well. He was my 'imaginary friend' who played Peekaboo with me and the other calves, and I still think fondly of him because of that. He did that then and he will do the same now, protecting our young ones."

George? Theo's little brother? He still remembers me playing those games with him?

"We need a defender of our borders to monitor other predators - such as humans - and keep an eye on our calves."

Footsteps shook the ground slightly, heading in his and Manny's direction. Diego's ears laid flat against the back of his head; his concentration broken as the low roar of discussions flying over his head by the council members became indistinguishable murmurs. He hoped it wasn't the Regent Elder coming over…

Diego glanced upward into the smiling face of Elder William, Opposition party leader… and friend. Diego relaxed, sitting back on his haunches as William extended his trunk to Manny.

Elder William and Manny entwined their trunks together in a brief greeting, though Manny's expression remained solemn. Diego cleared his throat,

"Thanks for speaking up for me, Will, to the Regent Elder and his Chancellor. I appreciate it. I know it comes at some cost to you."

"No problem, no problem at all!" came William's response. "I came over, by the way, Manny, to congratulate you for having the gumption to plead such an unpopular case before the Council. I joined your cause because you two, and your uncommon friendship, inspired me."

Diego hid his head, humbled by William's statement. Elder William considers our friendship an inspiration? Who knew Manny and I would ever come this far, given how we first met.

Manny shuffled his feet as Diego glanced at him. Manny looked embarrassed, yet also pleased, at his old friend's praise of him. William sent Diego a sincere wink before turning back to Manny.

"Don't worry, Manny. I'll be voting for Diego to remain in the valley with you and your herd. He deserves the chance to prove himself in the role of guardian of our borders, whatever the Regent Elder might say about it." William turned to stride off, calling over his shoulder,

"Be of good courage, Manfred son of Clovis and Diego son of Cortez! You have my vote!"

XXXX

The twenty minutes were over. The Chancellor, sweeping his gaze around the clearing, brought everyone's discussions to an abrupt halt with his proclamation,

"This council is called to order! The allotted time for deliberation is at an end, and now you are to state your votes. You are to answer twice, the first to the question of whether Diego, son of Cortez, might remain in the Bredelands. The second question is as follows: Should Diego become the Guardian of our borders, defending us from attack from without?"


*Gasp*! How's that for a cliffhanger ending? What will the Council decide? Will Diego stay or will he go? Stay tuned for the results in the next chapter!