Here it is folks, the final chapter and probably the final fic I'll do for Ice age. The tie-up between two of the main characters who've changed and overcome so much in their personal journeys and righting the wrongs.

So, without further adue, I hope you like the last chapter.

Please review :)

Chapter 30: In A World That's Going Under

The sunset was oddly familiar yet unique tonight. It was deep orange rather than pink, like the fading embers of a fire from long ago that still remained among the cinder-coated wood.

The ape wasn't ever a fan of sunsets, not for a long time. His back was partially turned away from it as if to reject its comforting, apologetic light, and his dark gaze was focused on the ground as he perched high in the branches of the large tree. He twirled a blade in his hand; a fish bone knife taken from long ago over the ocean. It reflected the sunset's light like slapping away a handshake. Small dents in the branch beside him caught that light; handiwork of a bored primate.

Nearby, a smaller ape was (miraculously in his opinion) sleepy peacefully, curled into a little ball. Gutt honestly didn't know why the kid came looking for him the other day, but he had. Now he was stuck with the squirt.

Ah well.

Finally, Gutt looked over his shoulder and scowled a little at the sunset before slipping down out of the tree, wandering a little along the high coast over the sea, just a little away from were Cocoum was to make sure no idiots who called themselves 'predators' wanted to find out how he got his much used nick-name.

He sat against a rock, again with his side facing the sunset, and fiddle absently with the knife in his long fingers. He didn't know why he hadn't gone after the mammoth- or any of them in particular. He just didn't feel the motivation to do it anymore.

Maybe he was just getting old, said a little thought much like something the adolescent ape in the tree further away would like to say. He gave a humorless smirk at the thought.

"Nice night, huh."

He stiffened upon hearing that voice. Gutt scowled and lowered the knife, sharp gaze fixed on a short, stout figure a little away from him. Argeth stood with his arms folded and head turned to the side, eyes fixed on the ground. It had been a few years since he'd seen him, even with Cocoum going off to be with his friends.

Of course, the issue about Cocoum staying with Gutt had never really been voiced nor heavily hinted; But most of the mammals sans the idiot sloth and possums had a notion of who Cocoum's carer was. Even so, Argeth hadn't said anything to Gutt in years.

So why now?

"Come just to see the sappy sunset?" Gutt remarked grimly, twirling his knife again, "Pretty boring in this ape's opinion, but you're always into that kind of stuff."

Argeth's eyes finally met his after a second, and they stood in silence before the armadillo wandered quietly over to stand beside him, gazing over the steep earth cliffs the touched the lips of the sea below. The waves made the only sound for a few moments.

"Been a long time since we watched a sunset together. I take it you don't come out here often during it."

Gutt rose a brow. "How'd you figure that?"

Argeth shrugged plainly, voice even. "You facing away from it."

There was a long silence yet again, and nothing was said. Argeth couldn't help but recall the events he'd never seen; events that occurred during a sunset just like this one.

Strange how such a tragic thing could happen in the wake of something so peaceful and beautiful.

It had been a while since he and Gutt had spent their days trying to figure out the best way to clobber the other; those hated times on the iceberg ship between two people who'd once been friends. So much had happened, and a lot of suffering had taken place. He placed his arms behind his back and gazed at the sea below.

A lot of it had been resolved. But one thing remained that had been left for too long. So as Gutt scowled away from the sunset and Argeth stood still and quiet, he felt no real hesitance when he finally spoke.

"It wasn't your fault, Guver." He murmured softly, "And all they would've wanted was for you to move on for good."

Guver looked up at him quietly, a hard scowl on his face, but said nothing. Agreth turned to him, his arms for once at his sides rather than folded. "It's possible you know."

He knew that more than anyone.

Guver sighed deeply and shook his head. A small, half-hearted grin came to his face. "Hm. Never been one to let things drop easily, old friend. Ya know that."

Argeth regarded him quietly for a moment, the dark orange light shining softly on his shell.

"I am sorry for what happen, Guver. But blaming yourself for the rest of your life is never going to make up for what happened. Nothing will. Because it wasn't your fault."

"Why do you still go on at this?" Guver half-growled lowly, "Nothing's gonna change what happened."

"I know that. Nothing will. But you need to realise that it wasn't because of you that they died. And for all those other things you did...every fight, every cruel intention...I've forgiven you. Cocoum forgave you, too."

Argeth stood still and stared right at him, "Why can't you?"

Guver regarded him steadily before shaking his head and sighing heavily, eyes closing as if tired.

"...We'll have to see, Args. It'll take a long time."

The faintest ghost of a smile spread across Argeth's face as Guver and he turned to look at the sunset, both of them.

"Time is all we've ever had, Guv old friend. And as long as it takes, it'll be forth it."

"Hoho, And you know this because..."

"Well...I guess we'll just have to see won't we?"

And so the sun went down steady as the waves below, the orange turning to red, then to purple, then to black, leaving only to silhouettes of the two in the darkness of the evening, the light of the sun faded before them as the light waved them goodbye, under the waves, under the world.

If I go this way, you'll come after...

Build the mast, I'll build the rafter...

we'll tread the waves, we'll leave our caves...

as if none of our past could matter...

"Daddy, maybe next time I can be a saber-tooth tiger!"

"I know kiddo, but make sure you try it on Mom next time. Its her turn to get scared."

Before we were born, there was a fracture...

we said we'd go even though we lacked-her...

we did not have the knower...

"Who else could love a pirate-hat haired ape like you but me?"

"Hun, this hair's the new awesome. That's why you married me."

"Huh, Modesty at its finest."

but we thought that that couldn't matter...

Oh, we'll go where-ever, you and me together,

on nothing but crumbs and dew...

"Big brother, get up! You have to come play with me!"

"Alright, Alright I'm up!"

We'll ride the ocean, fly the clouds

an' watch the world go by...

And all the while we'll have each other's backs

And we'll never die

"Say, Args, why'd you think the sunset's red?"

"Cause it's sick of the sky being so annoyingly blue?"

"That's optimistic."

You and-I were made to be side-bye-side,

you're the strength and I'm the eye...

We will never die...

So, after this Ice Age stories being my first franchise and first series, I think we've come to the end. Thank you all for the support and the reviews, and I'm glad you enjoyed this journey with the Pirates and Survivors.

Farewell, Ice Age fans...I'm glad you loved these stories. I hope I made them worth your attention.