A/N: This takes place the first night of travel after the group has returned Pinky in the Original film, and Diego is struggling with his injuries.

Manny tries to help the best he can and ends up snuggling with Diego.

(Most of these start out as drabble-y things that gradually get muuuch longer.)

This is a Five and One fic, but I separated them into chapters since they got MUCH too long to be condensed into one single story to upload. Go figure. ;P

The strange little herd found a cave for the night after giving the baby back to his father. Manny had ensured that their travel was slow, since Diego kept limping heavily. He collapsed in the snow several times, something that worried Manny, but the tiger refused his offers to help.

That night, snug in their cave, Manny knew he had to do something. He had to let Diego know how much he... appreciated... the sabre's sacrifice for him.

The mammoth glanced over at the sabre, noting the pensive expression in his eyes as he stared into the fire. Diego had just sacrificed his entire way of living, Manny thought. I wish I could find some way to let him know that he's okay... that he's safe with us.

The two long red lines – the still-fresh wounds from Soto's assault on him – shone in the light of the fire.

Manny watched with concern when Diego stumbled. The tiger's motions faltered with every step. Manny grimaced, wondering if Diego had internal injuries from when Soto had thrown him against that rock. He worried that Diego had broken some of his ribs. But the only clue Diego gave about his injuries was the way he clenched his teeth in his attempts to rise or walk.

The mammoth glanced over at the sloth. Sid was already asleep, completely oblivious to any concerns about the sabre. Manny envied the sloth's naivety. He was too overjoyed that their friend was alive to appreciate the possibility that his wounds were still fatal.

Diego exhaled a small sigh and then rose to his feet, his movements shaky. Manny, without thinking, reached out his trunk to steady him. Diego glanced over at him and then sank down beside him, the barest of smiles on his face.

"Thanks," Manny said, breaking the silence wrapped around them. "You didn't have to do that, Diego."

Diego shook his head,

"You taught me a better way of living… with your actions," he said. His eyes clouded with pain. "I've… lost… everything, and now there's certain to be a price on my head, but I had to do it. I couldn't let your sacrifice go unpaid."

Manny couldn't find any words to respond, so instead he nodded his head gravely. He noticed that Diego looked tired, and the sabre's head was dropping with weariness that he kept trying to shake off. The sabre leaned against Manny. His head rested on one of Manny's massive forelegs, his breathing growing gentle and relaxed. Manny realised that he'd fallen asleep.

Manny placed his trunk over Diego's shoulders, drawing the sabre closer to him in a brief embrace.

"You're my brother now," he whispered.

We're all brothers now… and it's all thanks to that little baby.

Fin

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