The Herd's Growing Family (Ice Age)

Back Home & Avery's Choice

"You're a great guy too, Buck", Redwood responds. "Promise me you'll take care of Avery. She's a tough one, but it's nice to know that she has someone by her side".

"Now that's a promise I wouldn't dream of breaking", He grins before turning to look at Diego. "Take care of them, tiger".

Diego smiles back. "Always listen to Buck".

"We're almost out!" Sid's voice echoed as everyone else exited the cave.

Diego and Redwood hear him and give both Avery and Buck one last glance goodbye before turning around and heading off to catch up with the others.

Avery waved goodbye and sniffled a bit, right before looking at Buck, who put his hand on the side of her face and began gently wiping away her tears. "Are you okay?" He asked her.

Avery paused for a bit and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I think I'll be okay. This was just a hard thing for me to do".

"I understand", Buck tells her.

"And also... this may be pretty obvious already with all that's happened but... I... I love you. A lot", Avery confessed. "And I can't wait to keep having adventures with you".

Buck pulled her into a loving embrace and the two shared another kiss. "I love you too. And from this day forth, I promise to do whatever it takes to keep you safe and happy. No matter what".

"Just don't get too overprotective", Avery smirks before kissing his cheek. She then breaks away from the hug and walks over to pull Buck's knife out of the ground. She hands it over to him and he tosses it in the air before catching it.

He then walks over to a vine and holds his hand out to Avery. "Ready?"

"Nope", Avery smirks jokingly. After a second of silence, she speaks again. "Let's do it".

Instead of grabbing his hand however, she grabs onto another vine and gives him a ready look. Buck uses his knife to cut both their vines and the two begin swinging over the skeleton bridge.

"Rudyyyy!" Buck cheered as he and Avery swing along, cutting more and more vines as they go. This caused the skeleton bridge to fall completely into the cavern below, and made the cave collapse as well, sealing up the entrance to the lost jungle. Thankfully, the two weasels made it to the other side safe and sound.

Although, the bridge's destruction was spreading to the rest of the cave where Diego and Redwood were at. The two ran while dodging falling rocks as they left.

They soon make it back to the surface, meanwhile the others watch as white steam emerges, followed by Diego and Redwood.

"Whew! That was a lot!" Redwood commented.

"Is everybody okay?" Manny asked the herd.

"Where's Buck?" Eddie questioned, not seeing the male weasel with them.

"And where's Avery?" Ellie asked next.

Diego looks back at the now destroyed cave and gives a soft smile.
"Don't worry. They're where they want to be"

"Are they going to be okay?" Crash asked, feeling concerned.

"Are you kidding? Nothing can kill those weasels. It's Rudy I'm worried about", Diego says. "Also, Avery says she wishes the best for us. And that she'll miss all of us".

The group share looks about the fact that they were now down not just any member, but a friend. Avery was a great friend to most of them and going on without her won't be easy. If she means it when she says she'll miss them, then the feelings from the herd's side were mutual.