Ice Age: Unwanted Melting of Fate [Sequel to The Misfit Herd]

Chapter 7: A Herd's Determination To Save One Of Their Own

A/N: It's been a while since I last did one of these but I just wanted to pop in to say I hope you guys are doing well, staying healthy, and that everyone you love and you are staying safe! I really hope you guys are doing okay.
I'm sorry for not updating constantly like I normally do. To make it short, I have recently found myself dealing with a serious health issue that's been thrown at me out of nowhere and it's been getting harder to deal with but I've been trying my best to power through the last month of torture. I'm meant to get surgery to get better but at the moment as I'm writing this, I haven't gotten the approval for it. So today I decided to push myself to write and try get something out despite the pain, I'm sorry if this is much shorter than my other chapters, and that the writing is unlike my usual style, rushed, and lacking in some areas. I'll probably come back to fix it when I feel better but I still hope you guys enjoy it, I love you all, please stay safe and healthy, love you guys! <3

A/A/N: I have also found myself falling into the rabbit hole that is Alice In Borderland that's been my comfort and support since getting really sick, so that might be something I'll write a story for eventually, maybe if people want to see that and I feel confident in being able to write for it.
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"AGH!" I woke up almost startled by the shout, fight mode kicking in as the first thought in my mind was that we had been found by danger and we were being attacked.

However, standing up to my paws, I came to see we were fine, and nothing was surrounding us, taking advantage of our weak and helpless states.

I turned my head only to discover Manny was awake, his eyes wide as he puffed out heavy breaths, fear, and terror true in his brown irises that proved he was the one who made the noise, no doubt waking up from a nightmare.

"Manny?" I called out softly, walking over to him and getting the mammoth's attention, his stiff body starting to relax upon seeing me in sight, "Are you okay...?"

"Fi-Fine... F-F-Fine... I'm fine..."

"Liar." I sighed, "You had a nightmare, didn't you? You can't hide that look of terror from me." I sat down in front of him, letting out a yawn as I rubbed my left eye.

Manny was quiet, mouth pressed in a firm line as a guilty expression crossed his face and he looked away from me.

"I didn't mean to wake you..."

"It's alright." I reassured, "I'm betting Buck's story about Rudy got to you."

He gave a soft chuckle, "Am I that easy to read...?"

"If I wasn't already used to scary things that could eat me up in a second, Rudy would've made me scared too."

Manny gave me a small smile, gratitude in his eyes that I was understanding.

I looked from him to his sleeping wife, who was unaware of his plight, still deep within her dreamland.

"I get it. You're terrified for Ellie all the same. It makes sense that you'd have a nightmare about her and Rudy together... especially with her carrying your unborn child." I couldn't help but smile, turning to look at him, "You're a good husband and father, Manny."

The smile on his own face dropped, and I felt a frown come up on my muzzle, watching his eyes drop down to the ground.

"I want to be..."

"Manny." I stood up, walking to him, and placing a paw on his right leg, "You are incapable of being bad in either roles. You going so far for Squirt back during the Ice Age is already proof enough."