Family Matters

Akira strolled into the village, flanked by Percy and Diego, startled to see her herd huddled, Manny glaring at three clusters of different shades of grey. Northern Sabres. They leapt into action almost immediately, snarling warningly at the intruders. The two Northern sabres of the odd herd faltered in seeing familiar faces.

"Mom?! Dad?!" "Willow." Akira's had been of astonishment, Percy's resentful.

"Argentis!" "Percy!" The parents of both stepped forward but Diego and Manny also stepped forward, the sabres faltering as they eyed the mammoths and Southern sabre warily. Akira nudged Manny's leg with her head reassuringly, the mammoth glancing down at her before stepping back as she silently requested.

"Your daughter is really far gone, Lucien. Look at her making friends with what's meant to be eaten." Willow, the sabre who had acquired Percy's resent right off the bat, said.

Akira snarled at her and she was pleased when her mother and father did as well. "So much as look at them the wrong way and I won't hesitate to rip you to shreds."

Willow glared, crouching as if to pounce. "Watch your mouth girl, I don't take orders from you. You aren't above me."

Akira's eyes flashed, standing to her full height where she was definitely bigger than the other female. "You don't scare me. I've faced worse than you." Quite the understatement.

"Willow, back down. She has as much authority over you as we do. She's still our daughter." Her father growled at the sabress who whimpered, taking a step back. Lucien looked back at the herd, gray eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience. We recognized our daughter's way of marking her territory and got hopeful. We mean no harm."

Akira huffed an amused breath, never thinking in the past three years that her intricate way of clawing grooves into tree bark would reunite her with her family. Warily, she advanced eyes fixed solely on her parents though, she was untrusting of the sabress behind them.

"We lost you and your brother during the flood," Her mother sniffed, looking at her with glistening eyes identical to hers. "I thought I lost my only babies left."

Akira faltered, tears pricking her eyes at the implication. One of her brothers was gone.

"Jace fell ill. We lost him shortly after we lost you and Lucas. Lucas found us but you...we thought it was the end." Her father smiled softly, "But I know my baby girl. She's a fighter. Your mother and I never gave up looking."

Akira sighed softly, relishing in the warmth of her parents' embrace, something she hadn't done in a long time. She was chilled by suddenly learning Jace was dead but she refused to believe it. All her brother had ever done was prove them wrong being the runt of the family. He proved he was stronger than most, proved he could survive and exceed all expectations and completely discard all the doubts of the other Sabres. An illness wouldn't have been his downfall.

"Mom," She glanced back at Percy, turning back to the sabres at an outraged cry.

"You're not his mother! I am!" She suddenly understood Percy's immediate dislike for Willow. She was the sabress who had abandoned him. His mother. "Good job you did with the honour."

Without waiting for a response, she turned to her parents. "This is my herd," She grinned at the odd looks her parents gave her. "We get that a lot. That's Manny and Ellie and their daughter Peaches," Peaches waved for both herself and her mother as the small ball of fuzz was held securely in her mother's trunk, both tucked into Manny's side. "Crash and Eddie." The possums were bold, scrambling off Ellie's back and onto hers. They were sure in their safety, however, knowing they were safe with Akira.

"Sid," The sloth waved with a wide grin, waddling forward.

Akira watched Willow pointedly though she was cautious of her parents' every move as the sloth shook their paws excitedly. "Your daughter's amazing. An absolute terror." Akira had smiled proudly at the former but cried out, affronted at the latter. Their good-natured banter seemed to ease the tension a little. The sloth gave an innocent and crooked grin.

"And Diego and Percy." To Willow, she received curt nods from both but her parents received a warmer greeting. Well, as warm as Diego could get to strangers.

Calora looked at the herd of mammals with a small, thankful smile. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

Akira snorted, "You make it sound as if they...have...to stop."

She read the look on her father's face. "No."

"Sweetheart, don't you miss home? Your friends? Us? Your brother? Sapienta? Because we all miss you." She averted her gaze, swallowing the lump in her throat.

She felt a warm weight on her back. "Hey, Tiger, this is your family. This your chance." She looked up at Manny through glistening eyes as he gently patted her back with his trunk.

"Trying to get rid of me so easily." Manny barely cracked a smile as he shrugged, a little helpless.

"Everyone will be so happy you're back, honey." Her mother gushed, already fantasizing her arrival's provoked reaction in the pack.

Akira was still hesitant. Everyone her mother had listed, she missed dearly but she didn't want to leave those who she had come to love now.

"And Idris! Oh, he's missed you the most. That Sabre's in love with you, you know. I think he'd give great cubs." Her mother ranted and Akira grimaced, at a stand-still. She met her father's gaze and was startled when he smiled softly, gray eyes gentle. "I support you in whatever you choose."

She smiled, glancing over at her herd. She locked eyes with Diego whose expression was neutral. 'I promised', she mouthed. His tense posture relaxed immediately. Walking forward, almost wincing at Sid, Crash and Eddie's exclaims and wails behind her, she nudged her mother with her muzzle.

"Idris and you will be so happy and-what?"

Akira exhaled softly, looking back pointedly at her herd, "I am happy here, Mama."

The sabress faltered, looking a little betrayed as she looked back at the mammoths, sloth, possums, and mismatched sabres. "What? But we're your family. Your brother...Idris..."

Akira grimaced at the last. "Send Lucas and Sapienta to the frozen lake a mile from here. It's where our cave is. Never to the village. And tell Idris to stay away unless he wants Diego to maul him."

"I'll help," Percy chimed in and Akira laughed quietly.

Calora looked a little downcast. "Mama, don't doubt for one second that I don't care because I do, but coming home just won't do it for me anymore. I've had my life in the real world and more adventures than I care to admit and a family who I can share it with, it's more than I could ever ask for. If you take me away, I'll never forgive you."

Her mother whined, averting her gaze to the ground.

"Cal, let her make her own decisions. Our baby girl's all grown up now."

Lucien nuzzled his daughter and she smiled, sighing contently. "Thanks, Dad."

The older Sabre grinned down at her, looking several years younger. "Anything for my favourite cub."

Calora abruptly jerked at this, narrowing her eyes at Lucien. "So you do pick favourites. And you called me out for it." The sabress huffed and Akira laughed, smiling toothily. It was reassuring that after decades, her parents were still at the prime of their marriage, able to bicker playfully as they did when they were younger. "We'll be visiting, young lady. And find yourself a decent Sabre, hun. Good luck too, Idris was one of a kind; like your father."

Lucien cried out, offended, "In all my years I've never been so insulted. And I'm old."

Akira could hear Percy snickering behind her. "Dad doesn't even like him!" She acknowledged pointedly.

Her mother gave her a flat look. "Your dad doesn't like any Sabre you associate yourself with."

Akira huffed, shaking her head as she looked over her shoulder at her herd. "I'm walking them to the edge of our territory." They nodded, Ellie and Manny relaxing a bit.

"Back an hour before curfew." Akira groaned at Manny's demand, nodding before bounding off, her mother following after her with a laugh with Willow sulkily trailing behind.

Lucien lingered. "Take care of my daughter."

"As if you have to tell us." Manny quipped and Lucien grinned, deeming he liked the mammoth's sharp personality almost immediately. "And you," He looked pointedly at Diego, "Hurt my daughter and I'll just let her deal with you herself." It was almost as if he knew that the prospect of being on the receiving end of Akira's rage was scarier than anything else.

"She's got my temper." Diego had a sinking feeling he did. "But I'm trusting you, Diego. She's my baby girl." The Southern sabre nodded determinedly and Lucien's stern expression melted away. "Glad it's you and not that Idris." For dramatic effect, Lucien shivered as he spoke the name and Diego cracked a grin. Lucien mirrored his expression before looking to Percy. "I'll keep your mother away, Squirt. Take care of them both, Perce." The cub nodding, puffing his chest proudly and Lucien grinned before breaking into a sprint so fast he was a gray blur. It explained where Akira's speed derived from.


Akira watched her parents leave from the edge of her and Diego's territory and several times, she felt the impulse to run and join them but she shoved it away. Her mother wasn't very good, however. The sabress had sprinted back several times and tackled her a total of six times and cried for her to come with. Akira was surprised at her resilience.

When the sabres vanished from sight, she turned and began the mile-long walk to her and Diego's cave on the south end of the lake. There was a cluster of them near the frozen solid lake and Manny, Ellie and Peaches were situated in one on the northside, Sid, Crash, Eddie and Percy rooming in the one East of their caves. Diego was sitting at the entrance of their cave and stood, meeting her halfway.

She purred contently as he nuzzled her. She could practically feel his worry radiating off him. "So much faith in me." She huffed, nipping his jaw gently before walking past into their cave.

The sabre followed after her with a frown. "Well before I nearly made the biggest mistake of my life, I did tell you to attempt to find your family. I thought you'd go with them-hell, even Manny was telling you to."

Akira glanced up at Diego, heaving a sigh. "He was telling us both, Diego."

"I know...but I didn't want to leave."

Akira smiled as he settled beside her. "Wait till I tell Manny you're so attached to Peaches and Sid you passed up a Sabre pack."

Diego grunted, "They had nothing to do with it."

"Lies. You adore them just as much they adores you. It's cute." He huffed, faking annoyance as he turned away from her. "Careful Diego, you're sulking. And males don't pout."

He snorted, glancing at her, "Uh, Sid."

Akira cocked her head thoughtfully. "Nothing ever applies to Sid nowadays. He's special."

Diego turned back to face her, eyes shining with amusement, as he stood and joined her."Understatement."