The Herd's Growing Family (Ice Age)

Ellie's Past

Soon, they walk side by side together. "You know, deep down, I knew I was different. I was a little bigger than the other possum kids". Manny gives her a look when she says that". Okay, a lot bigger. Oh. Now I understand why the possum boys didn't find me appealing!"

"That's too bad. Because, as far as mammoths go, you're... you know..."

"What?" Ellie curiously asks him.

Manny awkwardly tries to give her an answer. "Well, um, uh, well. Attractive".

"Really?"

"Sure".

"What about me is attractive?"

"Huh? Wha? Oh. Well, uh, I don't know". Manny stammers. "Well...there's your uh, butt".

"What about it?"

"It's... big?"

Ellie glares at first but then smiles, feeling flattered. "Oh, you're just saying that".

Manny just goes with it. "No, no. No, I mean it. It's huge! Biggest darn butt I've ever seen".

"Aww. That is really sweet. What a crazy day. This morning, I woke up a possum. And now, I'm a mammoth".

*Meanwhile*

Sid is humming as got two rocks and rub them to make fire. He then hears rustling in the bushes but sees nothing, so he got another rock and rubs them together, making sparks fly, much to his happiness. Then he heard the bush rustle again. He turn to look at it as Diego, Avery, and Redwood arrived.

"Boy, Manny sure took a big leap with Ellie today". Sid comments about earlier.

"Sure did". Diego agrees.

"You know. He stood on the shore of uncertainty and dove right in. Splash. Kinda brave, huh? The way he faced his fear?" Sid says, trying to hint at Diego's fear of water.

Redwood doesn't catch on and instead goes back to the 'Manny & Ellie' topic. "Yeah. Maybe he's finally giving Ellie a chance to fall in love with her. You know, despite her possum beliefs".

"And hopefully he'll see that he can have another chance of having love and a family again". Avery adds, before turning to Diego with a smirk on her face. "After all, you shouldn't let fear hold you back".

"I wouldn't know". Diego tells them as he gets up. "Sabers don't feel fear".

"Oh, come on. All animals feel fear. It's what separates us from say, rocks. Rocks have no fear". Sid throws a rock into a nearby stream. "And they sink".

"What are you getting at, Sid?" Diego asks.

"It may surprise you all to know that I too have experienced fear".

"No. Really?" Avery sarcastically says.

"Oh, yeah, yeah. As impossible as it seems, the sloth has natural enemies that would like to, harm, or otherwise, kill us!" Sid explains.

"But why do they want to harm or kill you, Sid?" Redwood asks with some sarcasm in her voice. At this point, Avery and Diego's attitude was rubbing off on her.

"Well, jealousy mostly". Sid answers. "But the point is that fear is natural".

Diego moves toward Sid's face in a mid-threatening glare. "Fear is for prey".

"Well then, you're letting the water make you its prey". Avery points out.

"Yeah. And besides, I used to be scared of things too, remember?", Redwood mentions. "I feared you and Manny, that volcano, and the dodos. But as time went on, I got braver and started facing my fears. You can do the same. I believe in you".