Ice Age: The Next Generation

New Additions

Christmas passed and spring arrived without incident for the herd. The arrival of summer however also brought on Peaches's delivery. Ellie, Sassy and Shira were in the birthing cave, helping Peaches through her premature delivery, while the men and their offspring paced. Rose winced as another one of Peaches's screams of pain drifted out. She watched Jullian's shoulders tense and Manny patted his son-in-law's back with his trunk. Rose remembered her mother telling her how painful delivering her and her brothers was. She looked over at Rorik...her soon to be mate. She loved him more than anything and their family and friends were more than supportive of their love, but Aunt Sassy had insisted that they wait to marry until they were at least a year and a half old. She didn't want them to be hasty at such a young age. They had one more month before Rorik would be old enough. Rose didn't regret her decision or love, but she was saddened at the knowledge that she would never have children of her own. She and Rorik were completely different species, so having children was impossible.
Rorik caught Roses's eye and smiled, coming over to nuzzle her comfortingly, seeming to read her mind. They had discussed the matter before, but both loved each other too much to stay apart. Rose burrowed into the thick fur at his chest. She couldn't be too sad though, she'd have plenty of children in her life once her brothers mated, not to mention Rorik's siblings. Shira and Sassy came out of the cave, grinning like Cheshire cats. Well, cat and dog.
"You two should go see." Shira said, gesturing to the cave. The males hesitated.
"Manny! Jullian! Get your fat butts in here and look at my gorgeous grand babies!" Both mammoth's eyes widened to the size of coconuts and they all but ran into the cave. Sassy and Shira burst out laughing and leaned on each other so they wouldn't fall down.
"Don't tell me...," Denali said, a slow smirk forming. Sassy nodded as she tried to catch her breath.
"Twins!!" She gasped and then fell into another peel of laughter. The crowd stood staring for a moment before everyone started grinning and chuckling.
"Two girls! Oh boy Jullian and Manny are in for it now! And I thought Peaches was gonna faint!" Shira said as she stumbled over to Diego, who was laughing himself. Sassy snickered.
"And she wondered how she was gonna handle more than one kid at a time."
"I'm just glad I wasn't the one delivering this time." Diego said.

Freya quietly observed the celebration. She was very happy for Peaches, but felt out of place in all the merriment. She'd never been one for socializing or being overly joyful. She was the loner of her family. She was grateful her mother understood this but even Sassy was more open hearted than Freya ever thought she could be. She watched Rose and Rorik together, and her parents and Uncle Diego and Aunt Shira, all so happy and in love. Not to mention Haken and Nikita. Freya had to admit while she'd been skeptical of the former beta at first, she found she'd grown quite fond of the black wolf. Haken was crazy for her and Freya knew the feelings were just as strong for Nikita.
Freya sighed and was about to go congratulate join her family when her favorite uncle swung down from the trees and landed in front of her. Freya grinned as Buck twirled his knife in the air and gave her a wink.
"So how's my favorite niece on this splendiforous occasion?" Freya shrugged.
"I'm happy for them but you know I'm not one to get overly excited about these things." Buck nodded, mouth stretched into a wide grin. Freya knew that smile. She eyed him warily. "Ok Uncle Buck what are you up to?" He feigned innocence.
"Whot, me!? Up ta somethin'?" Then just as quickly the innocence melted away into a devilish grin. "I'm glad you asked my dear girl." He leaped into a tree and gestured for her to follow him. "Come on, off you pop." Freya shook her head and ran after her crazy uncle. They crashed through the brush for a couple yards until Buck just stopped. Freya looked around.
"What's going on?" He put a finger to his lips and shushed her loudly. She rolled her ice blue eyes and looked around again. She lifted her nose to the wind and caught the scent of another wolf. She stiffened and then her ears rotated as muffled crunching came from the bushes. She went on alert, crouching, her hackles raised ready to fight. Then Anker stepped out of the bushes, grinning wolfishly. (Pun absolutely intended) Freya's jaw dropped and she straightened up.
"Where did you come from?"
"Does it matter?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I came back for you obviously." Freya's eyes widened. Anker and the pack had been close by for a few months after her mother banned Lone Star, but then they had moved on. She and Anker had run into each other once or twice on a hunt and had enjoyed taking down their kill together. She'd missed him. More than she cared to admit. Anker stepped towards her. "I'm leaving the pack, striking out on my own." He shook his head. "Alpha isn't for me, it's not who I am. So I'm going to make my own way." He looked deep into her eyes. "Come with me Freya." She gaped like a fish out of water.
"Are you crazy?" She finally asked. He smirked.
"Possibly. About you? Definitely." She took a hesitant step back.
"I hardly know you." He shrugged.
"So? We'll learn about each other as we go. But you've stuck in my mind from that first moment I saw you on patrol with Nikita, and I've wanted you ever since. Come on Freya, where's your sense of adventure, that wild heart that I know you have. I know you love your herd and family but that life isn't for you and you know it." Freya glanced up into the trees, noticing that Buck was conveniently missing. She looked back to Anker, studying him for a moment. His form was not as big or powerful as Rorik or Haken or her father, but instead was long and elegant but strong and firm. His amber eyes pleaded with her. She made her decision.
"I need to say goodbye first." Anker broke into a huge grin.
"Of course. We can do it tomorrow since your cousin just gave birth." She smiled.
"I'd like that."

Sassy curled up in Denali's warmth that night, thoroughly content and happy. Denali licked behind her ears and she gave a little moan of happiness. He chuckled.
"You have no idea how much I love it when you're happy. She raised her head to look at him.
"I have a lot to be happy about. Peaches has two beautiful, bouncing baby girls, Haken and Nikita are soon to be married as well as Rorik and Rose." She shook her head. "A wolf and a saber mated. Now there's something I never thought I'd see."
"Didn't anyone ever assume you and Diego were mates before Shira?" She rolled her eyes.
"Once or twice Sid, Manny or Ellie would make a comment of how we fought like an old married couple or were always together or something like that. But I love Diego as my brother, always have."
"Good thing too." Denali said, grinning mischievously. "Cause you're all mine." He tucked her tighter into him and she sighed.
"Always my love." She whispered. As Sassy began to drift to sleep she thought of Freya. Her eldest daughter had come to her privately that night and told her about Anker. Sassy told her she needed to discuss it with the whole family and give her goodbyes to the herd tomorrow, but she gave Freya her blessing. Freya deserved to have adventures and be happy, and Sassy knew she'd never get that here. She had to follow her heart. Besides, Anker was a good kid.
Sassy let out another satisfied sigh as she dozed off, feeling very much at piece, and wondering what happy times lie in store for her and her herd in the future.

A/N: And that's a wrap!! I hope everyone enjoyed this story and fell in love with the characters as much as I did! Happy Reading!