Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age or anything in the franchise.

In the Jaws of Diego

Diego prowled, sniffing the ground for any traces of the human female that had jumped over the waterfall with his target, the human baby. After meeting up with Soto and the pack, Diego had planned to search the immediate area near the waterfall in case the humans got out of the river quickly. If he didn't find them here, then he would move downstream and check there. Suddenly, he picked up a strange scent: a mammoth and a sloth.

"A mammoth? A sloth? What would they be doing here? And why aren't they with others of their own kind?" The saber asked himself. He was about to continue his search for the baby when a realization dawned on him. The mammoth and the sloth were going towards the river. The river. The humans. No, if they find the humans. Quickening his pace, Diego rushed towards the river bed. When he got there, he sighed a breath of relief. There wasn't a mammoth or a sloth in sight. At least he thought that until he heard a voice.

"You'll take care of him? You can't even take care of yourself. I have to see this." A voice said. Turning to the source of the voice, Diego saw them. A large, brown mammoth and a green sloth were approaching the cliff side next to the waterfall. Looking closer, the saber noticed that the sloth was holding a brown bundle. The same brown bundle that held the baby. So they did find the humans. Then he watched as the sloth attempted to climb the cliff while carrying the baby. The sloth was trying to get the baby back up the cliff to his herd. Judging by the sloth's climbing ability; he wasn't very good at it and wouldn't make it up. Perfect, when he dropped the baby then he could get it.

Moving around the mammoth, Diego got into a crouch position where he could strike when needed. Somehow, the sloth managed to climb halfway up the cliff but that's when it got complicated. The bundle that was containing the baby was beginning to tear open. Get ready, Diego. Suddenly, the bundle broke and the baby slipped out. Luckily, the sloth caught him with his foot. Just a little closer.

The sloth called out, "Manny!" Next, the baby slipped off the sloth's foot and fell again. Reacting right then, the saber leapt up and snagged the baby's shirt with his teeth, intercepting the mammoth Manny's catch. What was laughter of fun from the human infant turned into a shriek of surprise as Diego landed on a nearby rock face.

Whirling around, Diego's mind instantly told him to go and take the infant in the direction of the pack but one thing stood in his way: Manny the mammoth. Perhaps he would let the saber take the baby and go on his way if he played nicely.

So Diego set the baby down in front of him and greeted the mammoth. "Hi there, sorry but the pink thing is mine."

Descending the cliff awkwardly, the sloth hit the ground with his head. "Really," He asked as he recovered. "Because we found him in the river with another human. She gave him to us and disappeared."

"There's no 'we', Sid." Manny interrupted.

The human female was gone. Good, that was one less problem on his paws. "Yes really, I was sent to find him and bring him back to the herd." He lied.

"What a coincidence! We were going to take him back to his herd too." Sid commented.

"No 'we' weren't." Manny said.

"Hey, since we have the same idea, why don't we work together?"

Diego shook his head. "No thanks, you would slow me down. I have to get him back as fast as I can." He pulled the baby close to him with one of his paws. "Besides, I work solo."

Manny decided to interrupt again. "Wait, you're working solo and yet you're loyal to the humans? Kind of ironic."

"Yeah, yeah I know the irony of it. Look, we have to go alright." Diego retorted, waving a paw like it didn't matter.

Sid raised a paw. "Are you sure you don't want help? While you track the humans, I could take care of the baby." He offered.

"He doesn't want you to help him Sid." Manny said blatantly. "It was nice meeting you…"

"Diego."

"Diego, right. I'm not going in the direction you are so I'll leave you to deal with the humans. Have a nice life." Manny waved his trunk as he left.

Diego thanked him. "Thanks, I will." Then he turned his attention to Sid.

The sloth was still insistent on helping. "Well, Manny may turn down this opportunity but I'm still for it. What do you say?" A glare sent his way was so bad that it could have set his tail on fire. "On second thought, I don't want my mammoth buddy to be alone and you look like you'll be just fine without me. Take good care of the little squirt okay? Bye!" He quickly ran off to join Manny.

Now the saber was alone with his target. "Finally, they left." He looked down at the little human. "Come on you little troublemaker. I have to get you to Soto." Clamping his teeth onto the collar of the baby's shirt, Diego lifted up the baby and got off the rock. He then started on his way back the way he came, the way that would lead him to the pack.

Minutes later, Diego and the baby reached the top of the hill, where the humans' camp was. Peering over the last ledge, Diego saw that the camp was deserted. The humans must have left to chase after the pack. Climbing up over the ledge, Diego padded into the empty campsite, looking at the remains the humans left behind.

The baby, not used to the method of travel he was currently experiencing, began to whine. Having a feeling that he would hear a lot of whining if he didn't put him down, the saber reluctantly set the infant down in the bed he had found him in this morning. Back in the comfort of his little bed, the baby started to snuggle in. Just a few minutes of peace and quiet then they would get a move on again. At least now Diego could think about what he was going to do. Soto said to meet at Half Peak and that was more than one hundred miles away. It would take days to travel at the rate he was going. Factoring in that he had baggage to carry now, he knew it was going to be a rough trip. Hopefully, he wouldn't have anymore delays like Manny and Sid had been. Minutes passed and Diego decided it was time to get moving, and if the kid cried and whined, he would choose to endure it. When he checked on the kid, the kid was super quiet with the exception of his breathing. Gently, the saber picked up the baby as he did before and smoothly continued his journey.