Ice Age: A Summer Disaster

An Old "Friend"

What they didn't realize is that Stella had been spying on them from the bushes and heard Louis and Noa's conversation, she felt really guilty for what she was about to do, but did it anyway

She dug a tunnel and made her way towards a small cliff near the ocean that had a long, unstable bridge reaching the other side. Down there, many, many vines were hanging and could serve as a home to many creatures. Stella carefully climbed down to the center, where there was a huge ball tangled and knotted by vines, where someone might be living in there

With a little luck, she got there without falling down and stood in front of the entrance. It was dark, but she knew he was in there

"S-Sir?" Stella stuttered as the creature hummed lowly with a growl in his throat

"Who dares to disturb my slumber? Do you want to perish this desperately?" He asked in a whisper, along with a threatening tone in his voice

"I-I'm sorry for disturbing you, but-but I've encountered a group of animals while I went fruit hunting for you. Some of them are the ones you told me about" Stella replied as the creature almost jumped out of his nest

"What? They're here?! Who exactly?" The creature asked as he extended his hand and lifted Stella's chin with his claw

"There's a teenage girl mammoth, a sloth, a female saber, a molehog and a... human" Stella gulped as the thing removed his hand from her face

Then he chuckled lowly as shivers went down Stella's spine and held onto the vine while slowly backing away

"That fat mammoth might not be there, but trust me. He will pay for it once his family is gone. And you are going to help me with that"

"What?! Sir, I can't do that, they-"

Stella was silenced as he grabbed her and picked her up with one hand and squeezed her very tight, making her choke and have difficulty breathing

"Remember when those humans you told me about destroyed your family and you had to fend for your own? Well, I gladly took you in and cared for you and I might as well get rid of the dead weight. Is that what you want?"

"N-No" Stella choked as the thing finally released her and could breathe again, gasping for air while the creature started chuckling again

"You will do anything what it takes to either get them right here or find a way for me to get out of this trench"

Throughout the whole night, Stella hasn't been able to get some sleep at all. She felt guilty and everything, but she had no other protection other than the large ape. The only decent amount of sleep she got was at least 4 hours

It was still early as the sky was still pink and everyone was still asleep around the campfire, which the fire has already been gone by now. Everything was calm, until one of them was abruptly awoken by Stella gently shaking them awake

Louis

He was still drowsy as she peeled his eyes open and saw Stella

"Ah! Stella!" Louis gasped as Stella shushed him by covering his mouth

Stella gestured for him to follow her as he did, she brought him to the forest just close to where the others were sleeping and kept her voice low

"You wanna see where all the good wood is? For the boat?" Stella asked as Louis nodded

"Yes, but I can't go without telling them first"

"Don't worry, we'll be back. At least, before they'll wake up. It's still early" Stella quickly assured him as Louis thought for a moment, before agreeing