Ice Age: Christmas Tails

Christmas with the Herd

Sassy waddled into the clearing with her mate, Denali at her side. Her large belly made it very difficult to walk and Denali had practically forced her to stay in their cave. But she had insisted on coming out for Christmas. Ever since that first Christmas as a herd, when Peaches was so young and they were all so unsure of the magic of Christmas, it had become a very special time for all of the herd. And this year was even more special. This would be the first Christmas with Jullian: Peaches new husband, Shira: Diego's mate and their 3 cubs, Rocky, Rose and Chase. Also Sid's new mate Brooke, Denali and now Buck! The entire complete herd was together, and Sassy couldn't be happier.
The herd was busy as work, decorating for Christmas. Sid, Brooke, Crash, Eddie and Buck worked on the tree, which had become the herd's new tradition in sight of what Sid has done to Manny's Christmas rock...which he still hadn't completely forgiven the sloth for. Manny and Ellie and their daughter and son-in-law gathered all the wrapped presents together and prepared them to go under the tree, and Diego and Shira were busy with their 3 cubs. Sassy plopped down in a soft snow bank and watched her family work around her. Her peace lasted about 5 seconds until the kittens caught sight of her and ran at her. They were only 2 months old but had their mothers energy and were always hopping around and getting into mischief. The two sabers had their paws full, that was for sure.
"Aunt Sassy!!" Little Rose, the only girl in the litter dived between her two front paws and came up with snow piled on the top of her head. Sassy chuckled and shut her eyes when Rocky and Chase lost control of their soft little paws and went sliding into her, spraying snow as they went. Sassy shook the snow from her face and gazed down at her giggling nephews.
" You two are dangerous." They giggled all the harder and she smiled and was drawn back to Rose, who was batting at her muzzle with a paw.
"What about me!?" Sassy laughed and licked the snow from Rose's head, ruffling the girl's grey fur. Rose giggled and plopped back down in the snow. Shira and Diego ran up, slightly sliding on the slick ground themselves.
"How many times do we have to tell you kids! Your aunt in pregnant and is in no condition to be tackled by flying or sliding balls of fluff!" The cubs only giggled harder at their mother's words.
"Ah ah ah! You three had better listen to your mother!" Diego said.
"That's right. Otherwise, you might end up on Santa's naughty list!" Sassy told the cubs, her eyes wide in mock horror, but they didn't know that. That got their attention very fast.
"Naughty list! What does that mean momma?" Rose asked. Sassy and Diego exchanged winks.
"If means that if you're a naughty child, then Santa puts you on that list, and instead of a present, he brings you a lump of coal!" Shira said dramatically to her children. They all gasped and Chase fainted. Rocky rolled his eyes.
"Come on you two. There's no such thing as Santa or the naughty list. They're making it up just to scare us." Sassy and Diego smirked at each other.
"Rocky," he turned to his aunt. "Where did you ever come up with such a notion?" Rocky shrugged.
"All parents have their tricks." Sassy raised her head high looked down her long nose at him.
"Well I for one can tell you this is no trick. In fact, your father, me, your uncle's Sid, Manny, Crash and Eddie and your Aunt's Ellie and Peaches have all personally met Santa Clause." Rose's and Chase's eyes grew wide and Rocky seemed to gain interest in this, even though he tried to hide it. As the oldest, Sassy figured he was just trying to appear grown up to his two other siblings.
"You better believe we did. In fact, when we went to the North Pole, there was a horrible avalanche! And Christmas was ruined. But we all pulled together to make new toys and build Santa a brand new sleigh, and now he delivers presents all over the world! Not just to a few in the immediate area." Diego told his children.
"So do you want to get a present from Santa tonight?" Shira asked. All three of her cubs, even Rocky nodded. "Are you going to tackle your aunt anymore while she's pregnant?" They all viciously shook their fluffy heads.
"Then Santa just might spare you." Diego winked and nudged them along. "Go help you Uncles and Aunt's with the tree. And don't break anything!" The cubs scampered off and the three laughed heartily.
"Rocky sure is a big shot for someone so young. Takes after his father." Sassy rolled her eyes and Diego rolled his in return.
"I wasn't that bad."
"Oh please you were cold and cruel. It's amazing we found such a soft heart under all that ice on your exterior."
"He's my softie." Shira teased, nudging Diego in the side affectionately. Diego licked her cheek and for the first time Sassy realized Denali had been standing behind her the entire time, watching the three with the cubs. As Diego and Shira left, he joined her by her side and nestled into the snow, putting a protective leg around his mate's back.
"You never told me you met Santa Clause." He grinned down playfully at her.
"It's a very long story. I doubt we have time for it right now." He chuckled and licked behind her ears. As dusk fell, the herd made a fire and all gathered near the Christmas tree and all told stories of Christmas memories they'd had over the years.
"I'll never forget my first Christmas on Gutt's ship." Shira said and shivered. "Flynn hung every kind of Moss, weed, holly and anything else he could find from every corner of the ship and then everyone fell off one by one into the water from drinking too much fermented fruit juice." The herd laughed and Rose looked up at her mother.
"Momma, what's fer-fe-fermented?" She asked, stumbling over the big word. Shira blanched slightly, realizing her mistake. She quickly covered it though.
"It means stale. So not very good. Makes you sick if you drink it."
"Which isn't far from the truth." Sassy muttered to her mate.
"I rememba' my first down belo' in the land o' the dinosaurs! Coo that was a fun year! By then I'd already lost me eye an' Rudy was hooked on me somethin' fierce! But I tricked the beast." Buck whipped out his knife, the blade glistening in the firelight. The cubs were enamored. "He followed me into them' woods, a roarin' an' carryin' on the whole way! I'm swingin' from vine to vine, tree to tree when suddenly one of the snaps! An' I go tumbling down into a patch of some kinda plant with white berries! Mind you this is still in the trees, this stuff don't grow on th' ground! Well I started a sneezin' which I knew would give away my position. Rudy was right unda' me, his tail swishing and those I ugly eyes scouring for his prey." Buck paused for dramatic effect, acting like Rudy, stalking through the woods.
"What'd you do then uncle Buck?" Chase asked.
"I'm glad you asked! I managed to hold in my sneezes long enough ta grab a handful of that ole' plant and then swing down to Rudy. I landed softly on his head, and snuck up to the beast's eyes. That's when I couldn't hold it in any longa' and let go with a big one! Rudy roared an' tried ta buck me off his head but I scampered down his snout and stuffed that plant right up his fat nose!" Everyone cringed. "Then I sneezed on him one last time, an' swing away and listened in great amusement for th' rest of th' night to his pitiful sneezes that made the earth shake." Buck finished his tale and looked at them all, a smug smile on his crazy face. Sid pulled something out from behind his back and held it above his head.
"That was mistletoe Buck!" He looked to Brooke. "And when two people are under the mistletoe, they have to kiss!" Brooke giggled and kissed her mate without question.
"Did you start that tradition handsome?" She asked, her British voice almost melodic. Sid nodded proudly and eyed the herd then walked over to the sabers and hung it above Diego and Shira's heads.
"Come on you two! Christmas tradition!"
"Uncle Sid that's so gross!" Chase pipped up from down between his mother's feet. The saber's smirked and kissed above their children for the sole purpose of hearing them ewww and cover their eyes with their paws. The herd laughed. Sid looked around, hunting for his next victim when his eyes landed on Sassy and Denali. He skipped over and hung it over them. Sassy rolled her eyes but smiled.
"What's the significance of kissing under this plant?" Denali asked and Sassy shook her head.
"Don't question Sid's genius, just kiss me you idiot." Denali chuckled and kissed his pregnant wife and the herd awwwwed at them. "Oh shut up." Sassy said, her cheeks ringing red with embarrassment. Shira looked down at her cubs.
"It's getting late! You all need to go to sleep in order for Santa to come deliver presents!" The cubs were off and running for their cave before anymore could be said. Everyone laughed and Diego and Shira said their good nights and walked after their children. One by one couples dissipated from the group, voting to turn in and wait for Christmas morning. Denali helped Sassy back to their cave and she sank down on the cold floor and Denali immediately wrapped himself around her larger form, trying to warm her.
"Merry Christmas Sassy." She licked his muzzle affectionately.
"Merry Christmas Denali. I have a confession. I didn't get you anything for Christmas. I've been so caught up with my pregnancy I completely forgot." Denali smiled and nuzzled her.
"You and my pups are all the presents I will ever want for as long as I live. You're due in a few days, and it'll make for the best Christmas ever." The two nuzzled for a few minutes before Sassy succumbed to her exhaustion and fell asleep in her mate's arms, throughly content and happy, and feeling so very blessed to have such a wonderful family on Christmas.

The end? I don't think so!!