Ice Age

Roshan's first steps

From far away, the tigers seemed to be waiting for the mammoth and Diego to come back. Their leader, Soto paced around, waiting for his lieutenant to come back while his pack members rested and waited. Zeke was very excited.

"Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo! I can't wait to get my claws on that mammoth!" he chuckled.

"No one touches the mammoth until I get that baby," Soto growled.

Zeke wasn't paying attention. He was still thinking about the mammoth meat he wanted to taste. "First I'm gonna slice its hindquarters in sections. I'll put the white meat in one pile, and the dark meat in another."

"Hey, knock it off! I'm starving," Lenny growled, annoyed.

"Next, the shoulders. Occasionally tough, but extremely juicy."

"I told you to knock it off!"

"Save your energy!" Soto roared. "Mammoths don't go down easy. There is only one way to do it. First you have to force it into a corner. Cut off his retreat, and when you three have it trapped, I'll go for the throat."

Just like he said, Soto and the other tigers continue on.

When Silver and the others are almost getting to the Pass, the storm was picking up sooner or later. The blizzard made Silver's body freeze. Frost covered her clothes and her skin as her hair turned white because of the snow. She coughed as cold air escaped from her mouth, but she held Roshan into her chest, shivering.

"Guys! We gotta get the kids out of the wind!" Manny called desperately. "How much further?"

"Three miles," Diego stated.

The mammoth let out a sigh. "I'm beat. We'll get there in the morning."

Silver agreed and motioned the others to get inside a small cave. It seemed warm enough for them to sleep but they will be safe from the storm. Manny and Diego to see Sid is drawing a sloth.

"What are you doing?" Diego asked.

"I'm putting sloths on the map."

"Hey, why don't you make it realistic and draw him lying down?" Manny suggested.

"And make him rounder," the tiger replied. Silver begins to grab the chalk and begins to make a circular body.

"Ah-ha! I forgot how to laugh!" Sid said, sarcastically. He colors his body and then a flick of flame causes some of the sticks to burn. Fire has been created. "I'm a genius!"

And so, everyone gathered around the fireplace for the night. Silver was glad she had the fire with her. It helped her skin warm up and the frost to melt away.

"From now on, you'll have to refer to me as "Sid, lord of the flame!" Sid announced.

"Hey, Lord of the Flame. Your tail's on fire," Manny answered.

Noticing this, Sid runs around in circles, screaming, trying to get the fire out of his tail. Diego grabs Sid and pulls him back into a small pile of snow, extinguishing the fire.

Sid let out a sigh in relief. "Thank you! From now on I'm gonna call you Diego–"

"Lord of "Touch Me and You're Dead"!" Diego said. Sid became scared but the tiger was joking. "Nah, I'm just kiddin', you little knucklehead!"

Silver laughed. But then she saw something very odd happening. Roshan started to stand up on his own feet.

"Hey, lovebirds. Look at this," Manny said, looking at Roshan.

Before their eyes, they saw that the child was standing up and walking.

"I don't believe it," Sid gasped in amazement.

Silver watched as Roshan started to step forward. She knew that her little brother was walking. The excitement coursed in her spine as she stands up and waved her hands to get to her.

"Come here, you little biped," Sid called to him gently. "Come here, you little wormy-worm. Come to Uncle Sid. No, no, no, no, no, no. This way. This way."

The baby turned to Diego instead of Sid. Silver knew the child needed this.

"No, no, no. No, go to him. Go to him," Diego insisted. The small child fell over and hugged Diego's paw. The tiger seemed embarrassed. "Um... Okay. Good job. Um... keep practicing."

"Look at that," said Sid, smiling. "A little guy is growing up. What should we call the tall one?"

Silver begins to tip her head.

"Any idea what her name is? Manny asked.

Sid begins to think for a moment. "What about Cherri?"

Silver shook her head. They tried to guess who her name was but she only shook her head no.

"Well, she has silver in her eyes," Diego guessed.

"So your name is Silver?" Sid asked.

Silver nodded her head yes, smiling

"What a nice name," Manny said, impressed. Roshan sneezes and yawns, feeling he's ready for sleep. "All right, come on. Sleep time, Lumpy."

"Look at that big pushover," said Sid. "You know, Diego, I've never had a friend who would risk his life for me."

"Yeah, Manny's... is a good guy," replied Diego.

"Yeah he is. Well, good night."

As Sid goes to sleep, Diego looks at the peak of Half Peak worryingly in the distance where his pack are waiting for him and their prey he led them to. After he goes to sleep, Silver curled her body into a ball and slept.