I guess it's not enough to say sorry to all of you. I've been meaning to finish this up but...I recently started my first ever relationship (XD) and I've kinda been preoccupied with him. I'm sorry and I know that's no excuse. Anyway, please forgive me and enjoy this chapter. I'm having a hard time writing the humans in because I don't want this to be one of those stories where Roshan is magically cursed with the ability to speak to animals. Though I was thinking of having Roshan slowly begin to remember the language of the animals. That seems the best way to continue without giving up on the humans all together.

Diego paused mid-step and listened to the sound of a familiar wolf's howl. Cass had also stopped and was now listening with a smile on her face.

"What's he saying?" Diego asked softly.

"Who is that?" Ellie asked.

"Is that Jasper?" came Sid's question.

"He says he's found his boy and that he and a good friend are coming to meet us." She looked to her left and saw Manny's suspicious expression. "He also says not to worry, Manny…He's bringing Pinkie too." Diego, Sid, and Manny's faces all lit up with excitement and disbelief.

"Pinkie?" asked Sid.

"How does he know it's him?" Manny's tone held more disbelief than excitement; quite the opposite of the floppy green thing that rode atop his head.

"He can understand most, if not all, of their language." Diego began quietly.

Cass finished, "His boy told him."

The silence was killing the twins. "So….we just wait here for them?" Crash asked what was on all of their minds. Cass couldn't find words; Diego just shrugged.

A sudden rustling in the stiff undergrowth behind them called everyone's attention. Jasper and a slightly smaller, unfamiliar russet wolf stepped from the undergrowth. Jasper flicked his tail, signaling the other wolf to stay back as he padded forward to greet his friends. Cass rushed forward and buried her muzzle in the thick fur on his neck. Sid handed lil' Diego to Manny who lowered him to the ground to go greet his surrogate father. The chocolate-furred wolf pup rushed Jasper and nearly tackled the larger wolf with oversized paws and a ceaseless licking tongue.

Cache sat back and watched the surprising display of affection. "Are they yours?" asked the russet wolf with a tip of his head towards Cass and lil' Diego. Jasper looked up with confusion written across his face. "Your mate? Your pup?" Cache clarified for him. Jasper blinked a few times and looked back at the both of them then turned back to Cache with a soft smile.

"I--I think they are."

"Jasper, who is this?" Ellie asked warily.

"Oh," He jumped as if suddenly remembering the other wolf's presence, "guys this…is Cache."

Maybe Crash was a psychic. "No way!"

Eddie, ever the one to state the obvious. "Dude, you said he died!"

"How can he be sitting right there!?" Crash chimed.

Jasper opened his mouth to answer then closed it again; Cache hadn't told him that story. "The humans took me to their healer. Turns out they still wanted me after all that." Cache's stance and voice showed amusement, but his eyes told a different story. Jasper stared hard at the other wolf for what seemed an eternity before turning to Manny, Ellie, and the others.

"You ready to meet Pinkie?"

Jasper and Cache had left nearly a half an hour ago to retrieve his boy and Pinkie. The nervous energy running through Manny caused him to fidget restlessly and snap at almost everyone; he no more believed that the black wolf had found the human boy they had dubbed 'Pinkie' than he believed that Diego would all of a sudden become a vegetarian. Ellie seemed nervous as well, while Sid was only anxious to see the boy they had rescued from certain death again and the twins were anything but nervous. Diego sat silently with his back to all of them.

Manny tensed when Diego gracefully leaped to his feet. Seconds afterwards, Jasper and Cache stepped from the underbrush for the second time that day only this time two human men stepped out behind them. Neither held spears or any weapons, but Manny still pushed Ellie behind him protectively. The eyes of everyone in the herd save Diego and Manny widened—Sid's in recognition and disbelief, Ellie and the twin's in wariness and awe. Diego was equally stunned, but kept his emotions hidden, while Manny's face was one of suspicion, apprehension, and a hint of unmistakable loving recognition—the boy they had cared for all that time ago, was now grown and standing before him again. The bull mammoth couldn't help the small flash of pride he felt at the sight of the young man; dressed in deer skins from head to toe, long thick hair hanging in his eyes and a painted-on saber's paw print adorning the cloth above his heart. Wonder what Diego will think of that? Manny thought absently.

The boy's small dark eyes were alight with something akin to amazed recognition. He grew up listening to the story of his early childhood, but never actually believed those farfetched stories of a small child being returned to his father by a mammoth and a sloth. He had always had dreams of those animals, but had written it off as childish fantasies due to the crazed imaginations of his elders. Though, one element of those dreams kept him from completely dismissing the idea: the saber. His father and the others had never mentioned a saber being in the group, yet every time he had one of those dreams the saber would be there.

Diego tensed as the boy's eyes rested upon him. The boy locked eyes with the saber and both knew instantly that they had surely met before. The boy smiled and Diego only stared in shock. Sid was…right? How is that even possible? Diego thought back to when Sid had suggested that because the herd had raised the boy that he wouldn't hunt them all that time ago. He blinked a few times and turned his head to see the others' reactions. Sid was staring with open awe and elation while Manny's face was written with disbelief and a slight hint of his usual over-protectiveness and Ellie only gazed in amazement and slight awe; if the twins opened their jaws any farther they would hit the ground. Diego smirked slightly and turned his attention to his right where Jasper sat beside Cache—both of which seemed quite pleased with themselves—with Cass and lil' Diego on his other side. Cass kept her son between her front paws and her determined and slightly fearful glare never left the humans.

They all jumped when the eldest human spoke while glancing in Cache's direction. The russet wolf stood, ears perked to listen, trotted quickly towards the man and sat before him obediently. The man said a few more things before Cache turned back to the herd and Jasper's family.

"He says to tell you thank you. He doesn't know what he would have done if that saber had gotten Roshan too."—only Jasper and Sid noticed Diego's guilt-ridden wince at those words—"He also wishes that you will allow Roshan to stay with you for a night or two to become…reacquainted with his saviors." Manny's brow furrowed and Diego frowned; no matter that they had basically saved the child's life, he was a human hunter now and would not hesitate to take them all in their sleep. The two also knew that they would never hear the end of it from Sid if they were to deny this opportunity.

Diego shot Jasper a glance that said "We're not going to be sleeping tonight" and stepped forward with a quick, steadying glance to Manny. He stared hard at the large russet wolf that sat loyally at the feet of his masters before moving his eyes up to meet those of the boy he helped rescue all that time ago. The boy released a small gasp and took the tiniest step backwards; the pungent scent of fear filled his nostrils and his instincts told him the human would be easy prey, but he stopped his thoughts before they went too far.

"Tell them we said it's alright as long as all weapons stay with his father." Diego stated; his voice leaving no room for discussion. He was not about to let his herd be taken down by a scrawny human boy and his elderly father. Cache turned to play another game of charades with the communication-deficient humans.

After a few moments, Cache turned back to them. "The father wants to stay as well. He can see that you don't want to lose Jasper for the night and he wants to spend time with him." When Diego made no reply Cache continued. "He agrees to the no weapons rule. Jasper and I will go with him to bury the spears." The saber visibly relaxed yet the tension still stayed in his thick shoulders as he nodded his approval.

The father saw this and raised his spear slowly, indicating that he was going to bury the weapon, and turned with Jasper and Cache on his heels. Diego watched them go with something akin to distraught in his emerald orbs. Jasper seems so happy with that human. What if… He was pulled abruptly from his thoughts by a nervous cough from the boy, who still stood beneath the tree, looking anxious and slightly fearful. As he should be. There are three mammals here that could kill him with ease…one of which would enjoy the kill. Diego shook his head free of those thoughts and turned, hoping that the boy would know to follow.

Diego could hear the soft footfalls of the boy's boots against the powdery snow as he trailed behind the predator. Manny and the others turned with him. Manny kept one eye on the boy and one eye on Ellie the entire time. Sid dropped back to walk to the side of the boy. Roshan smiled nervously and waved to Sid who returned the gesture enthusiastically. Roshan seemed to relax slightly.

Okay, so I'd love to hear from you guys again. Whether you want to tell me I suck for leaving this story for so long or you want to tell me that my story needs some serious editing...I just want to know your opions. So don't be afraid to tell me what you think :) Also, I just realized that I screwed up majorly and left out a huge chunk of the story. Please go back and read chapter 11.

-Phantom