Epilouge

It had been nearly a week since they last been to Glacier Pass. The herd was finally back home, and a new story began.

"Aaaaaaahhh!!!" Diana shouted in pain, gasping for a few short before pushing again. She was in labor now. Everyone was there, being with her.

"Just keep pushing honey, you're almost there." said Ellie, being a mother herself, she knows.

"M-Manny… I'm scared…" said Diana. "C-can I hold your trunk?"

"Uhhh… sure", said Manny handing out his trunk to Diana. Diana held on to it, and as she pushed, her claws contracted out making Manny gasped in pain. "Ack- j-just… go with the pain!"

Diego was watching silently, watching her sister give birth in front of his eyes. Sid was standing beside him, shaking. "You okay, Sid?"

"Yeah… I'm just a little bit nervous…" Sid replied

"Yeah… me too…" Diego said. As one cub finally came out, Sid gasps and faints on the spot.

"There there… we've got one." said Buck. He and Barret found another cave nearby which could lead them here at anytime. They've closed most of the caves now, and this was one that they decided would never close and come here for occasional visits. Flik came with them. Although he enjoyed eating the fish in the lake, he wanted to come and visit as well. He was a bit curious about how things were with Manny and the others.

Diana continued to push and scream. Sid finally got up, only to be found knocked out again as he saw another cub come out. Diego was getting somewhat more nervous and more relieved in a way.

Crash and Eddie had seen just about every birth in their old village. They've gotten used to the birth part, but the nervousness of the moment stayed just the same.

Ryan and Nia stayed beside Diana. They were a new addition to the herd, and along the way from Glacier Pass, they've introduced themselves to the others. Ryan was the amnesiac they found in the blizzard that many days ago, and Nia was his lover, who had been kicked out of her old pack to be with Ryan.

Barret stayed at a distance, waiting for what happens in the end. "Will there be five cubs? Four? Three?" Barret whispered to himself. The day he and Buck got back, everything was like a party, the gang was greeting them and asking where they came from, and they could've answered every question if Diana was suddenly caught in labor.

Ellie could remember the time she was in labor, and was all in managing Diana. She encouraged her, kept her calm and steady, and gave her just about every advice in child birth during the time they traveled.

Peaches was hiding beside Barret. She couldn't bear to see Diana giving birth. Although she wanted to grow up already, she was still a kid. She was still going to be scared of scary stories, laugh at people getting hurt, and probably cry most of the time. But, although the herd couldn't see it, she was growing up, little by little. It might even be time for Ellie and Manny to give Peaches 'the talk'.

And finally, the last cub came out. And thankfully, Sid woke up afterwards. "There we go!" said Buck. "Three lil' cubs!"

"They're so adorable" said Ellie.

Diego and the rest finally approached her. Sid looked at the cubs and fell apart to the utter cuteness of the babies. "Awww… just look how cute and cuddly they all are!"

"Uhhhh… Diana…" said Manny.

"What is it Manny?" asked Diana, finally relieved of child birth.

"R-retract the claws please." said Manny, still writhing in pain with Diana holding his trunk.

"Oh!" she said finally retracting her claws. "Sorry about that."

Buck got up from the commotion and slumped back into the snow with his head resting on a tree, resting down like he had never done it before. Barret came to him and leaned on the tree beside him. "I remember you loving this place before, you know." Barret said.

"Well, that was befo'e I stumbled upon Dinoland." replied Buck with a small grin.

"The part you liked the most here was slumping down on the soft snow, like right now." said Barret.

"What are you getting at bro?" asked Buck. Barret paused for a moment before he finally admitted it.

"Come with me, back to Ma's" said Barret. Buck looked at him for a moment before staring blankly at the cold snow on the ground.

"I-I don't know…" muttered Buck. "It's been a long time now, and I don't think Ma wants me back there and-"

"You don't need to stay there." corrected Barret. "I just want you to- you know- at least visit…"

Buck thought about this. A dominant part of him didn't want to. In fact, you could say 99% of him. But then he remembered what he had seen in Silhouette Tunnel. "Alright. I'll go visit" he decided. It was probably best he finally confronted his fears. His childhood. His mother. And if possible, his father.

Barret smiled, relieved that he could actually go home, with his brother again. He slumped down with Buck and rested.

"W-what are you gonna name them?" asked Diego. He first pointed at the first one who came out. A male. Diana gave some careful thinking and finally came up with it.

"Nicholas" she said.

"Alright… what about this one?" Diego asked, now pointing at the second who came out. This time, a female. Again Diana gave it some more careful thinking, and finally decided.

"Rhea"

"Okay… now for the last one." Diego said pointing at the last who came out. Another male, and this time, Diana didn't need any thinking. She had already made up her mind.

"Oscar Jr."

Diego smiled. He had finally told Diana the cold truth of what happened to Oscar before. Diana cried on that day. But at least know she knew.

"Well, looks like things are getting busy here." said Ryan while he leaned on Nia, and her doing the same.

"And things might even get 'busier'" replied Nia, flirting with him. They were planning on having kids themselves, and with everyone around, they knew that everything was going to be okay. After all, they were now part of one big family.

"Hey, Diana." said Sid.

"What is it, Sid?" asked Diana.

"I wanted to ask, can I babysit for you?" asked Sid.

"What?"

"NO SID" answered Diego simply.

"Awww!" said Sid disappointed. "But then who going to take care of them with Diana?"

Diana fell silent, but Diego gave her a light of hope. "I'll do it."

Diana glanced at Diego, and he smiled at her. "I may not know anything about raising kids, but I'll do my best." Diana fell into tears and hugged Diego. And Diego actually hugged back, making Manny shed a tear.

"Heh- who's the tough guy know?" said Ryan sarcastically to Manny.

"Shut up!" he said, and everyone rose up into laughter.

"Hey Flik!" said Crash.

"What?" Flik asked.

"Think we could ever get a ride on you again?" asked Eddie.

"No." Flik answered.

"Aww… come on!" said Crash. "For old time sakes?"

"Still a no." Flik answered once again.

"Hiya!" shouted Eddie as he instantly rode on Flik. This made Flik flap his wings, trying to shake off Eddie.

"Get off me!" Flik shouted.

"Awww, come on!" said Crash as he rode on to Flik as well. "Just once"

"Oh, you asked for it!" Flik said, and instantly jetting off in the air, flying as fast as he could. Although he was making a desperate attempt to shake off the possums, instead he made them enjoy every moment of it.

"Giddy up!" shouted Eddie, pulling Flik's feather.

"S-stop it, you runt!" shouted Flik back. Too distracted from flying, he crashed landed on the snow the split second he realized it. The three of them went in the soft snow. Crash and Eddie instantly plopped right out of it.

"Yeah! Let's do it again!" said Crash, giving Eddie a fake high five. "Ha! Missed me!" Which resulted them in fighting.

Flik sighed, shaking snow off of his feathers. "You boys…"

Peaches ran along the snow playfully, making Ellie chase her. Manny followed, and so did Sid for a short while before losing his breath. Manny then approached Sid. "Sid."

"W-what is it Manny?" Sid asked, breathing heavily.

"I know that at first it was just the two of us and Diego in the herd, and, I just wanted to ask you if you were okay with all these other people joining the herd. After all, you're the one who first made this herd."

Sid shook his head. "I don't really mind, in fact, I'm more happier with this. All that I ever wanted, was to be a part of a family, big or not." Manny felt relieved that Sid didn't hate the idea of the herd getting bigger. "Besides, I've already gotten used to lovebirds cuddling around and all." He said directing at Manny and Ellie, and then pointed at Ryan and Nia.

Ryan cuddled with Nia, and she did as too him as well. It didn't need a genius to expect them to kiss afterwards. A happy couple.

Buck and Barret kept on resting on the snow. Times like these were very precious, and they enjoyed each and every moment of it. "Family… huh?" shrugged Buck. Barret looked at him, but seeing Buck was at peace, he didn't mind anymore.

Diego and his sister Diana took care of the newborn cubs, with Diego as the somewhat step-father. Diego took her and the cubs to a makeshift den, an ideal place for raising cubs in a snowy landscape.

This was perfect, this… was family.

The end… and the start of new beginnings…

Xion the Author: T.T the story has finally ended. But with this, I could now upload a new story! Hurray for that! And as you may have noticed, the story has gone shorter, now on 14 Chapters! (this is the 14th).

Ryan: So I guess this means you're not gonna stop writing?

Xion the Author: Heh! Not even by a longshot. Thank you, everyone, all the readers and reviewers out there! Thank you, debit13! My first reviewer! Thank you DiegoRedeemedLover (aka DR+L). Thank you as well RemmyBlack, Shewolfx1, thatsonehappychick, kaktusic and to all the other anonymous reviewers and readers! And finally, the long awaited "Squirrels!"

Scrat and Scratte were going all lovey-dovey with each other. They were chasing each other, usually Scrat was chasing Scratte. They were atop a giant ice glacier before they finally got tired. Scratte left Scrat for awhile because she had to do her "business". And after a while, Scrat was completely alone.

Scrat was patiently waiting for Scratte to get out of the bushes while sitting on a rock. It was then until he heard some bushes bustling about to his behind him. When he looked back, he saw his precious nut, with an arm extending over the bushes. Scrat was about to go crazy for it until he looked back. Scratte still wasn't here, so he might as well get it quick and quiet. He grabbed the nut with both his hands, but he couldn't take it from the one holding it. He pulled and pulled, but still no luck.

Finally, the one holding it in the bushes finally emerged. Scoot. Scrat wanted to "politely" take the nut from him, but Scoot was suddenly coming over him. Scrat didn't want to get smooched by him, but he also wanted the nut. He was pulling really hard, but Scoot was too strong, and kept on pushing his lips towards Scrat. Scrat placed with his feet on Scoot face, started pulling crazy.

Scoot had finally had enough of it, and just instantly took the acorn from Scrat's grip. Scrat was panicking, his nut was about to go, with Scoot! That he could not take. In complete wrath, Scrat charged towards Scoot, grabbed the nut with his guard down, took it, and hit Scoot with nut again and again.

Scratte heard the commotion. Scrat raised his nut up high, while Scoot lays on the ground, unconscious. Scratte sees Scrat with the nut and gasps. Scrat sees her and waves high. Scratte suddenly starts walking to him rampantly. Scrat wondered why, and then looks up to realize he was holding the acorn. Uh oh, she must have the wrong idea.

Scrat made an embarrassed smile. He tried putting the acorn gently on the ground before Scratte stepped on Scoot's head and immediately took the acorn from his hands. She then hit Scrat with it really hard, making him fall down unto the ground. She then raised the acorn up high and tried to slam it down on his head. Scrat screamed and rolled on the ground to dodge it. The acorn instantly plunged into the ice. Cracks came out of the ground. Both Scrat and Scratte knew something bad was about to happen. They try to keep the cracking from continuing. They were actually trying to keep the ice from splitting. But as the cracks suddenly got deeper, and the glacier shook, they knew it was too late.

Scrat looked back at Scratte to see her glaring at him. She raised up her gliding arms. Scrat tried to stop her, but the second he did, she flew off. The glacier was now moving, fast. Scrat had to get out of there quick. He instantly jumped off in a desperate attempt. He screamed as he plummeted down the tall 50 feet glacier. Scratte glided along him, shook her head, and glided away while he was free-falling.

Scrat continued to scream until he finally hit the ground. He got off from the hole he made feeling woozy. He shook his head and watched the glacier move. At least now he was safe. But then he remembered something. He realized that beside Scoot's unconscious body, was his acorn! Scrat got up from the hole, but it was too late. The glacier hit the giant lava wall, making the bottom half of it stay there on that side, covering the exit of Glacier Pass. The top half of the glacier flipped over, covering his nut and Scoot under 25 feet of ice and snow. Scrat pulled his ears, eye bags, tried to actually pull his head off, and screamed.

Ok, that's it! Thanks for reading!