Inside the dim, icy confines of her cell, Shira paced back and forth, her claws scraping futilely against the frozen walls. Every sound from above deck sent her ears twitching, her heart racing with hope, only for despair to settle in once more.

From above, a commotion erupted. Shira pressed herself against the ice bars, straining to catch snippets of the conversation.

"Land ho!" one of the pirates yelled.

Shira's heart leaped. Land meant escape—or at least a chance at it.

"What do we have here?" Gutt's voice boomed. He sounded smug, as always, but there was an edge of excitement that made Shira's fur bristle.

"Land mammals," another pirate confirmed. "Looks like they're huddled near the shoreline. One of 'em's huge."

"Well, well, well," Gutt purred, and Shira's stomach churned. "A mate, you say? For that mammoth?" He chuckled darkly.

From above, she heard him weaving his tale. "Your mate, Manny, sent us ahead to rescue the poor land mammals trapped here. He's a good guy, that one. Always thinking of others."

"Daddy's coming!" A young voice squealed. It wasn't the sharpness of the voice that stung her, but the hope in it. She'd had that once, back when she had another name.

Above deck, Gutt continued, his tone growing more menacing. "Oh, yes, Manny's coming. But until then, you're all under my care. Wouldn't want anything to happen to you before his grand arrival, now would we?"

There was a shuffle of movement, followed by Ellie's firm voice. "Don't touch her."

Shira gritted her teeth, her claws digging into the icy floor. The sound of metal clinking—likely chains or shackles—confirmed her worst fears. Gutt had taken them hostage.

"No!" Shira growled under her breath, slamming into the ice again, this time harder. Pain shot through her shoulder, but she ignored it. Her mind raced with memories of her father's stern but loving voice, teaching her to keep fighting no matter what.

"Stay calm, Peaches," Ellie's voice carried through the vent again, soothing and maternal, though there was an undercurrent of fear. "We'll figure this out."

"Oh, you'll do more than that," Gutt sneered. "You'll wait, right here, nice and quiet, for dear old Manny to show up. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see what I've done with his precious family."

Shira roared in frustration and slammed her body against the wall once more, ignoring the burning pain radiating down her arm. "Come on, come on," she hissed through clenched teeth.

But the ice didn't give.

Above, the voices faded as the crew hauled the others further away. Shira sank to the floor of her cell, panting and preferring her bruised shoulder.

Peaches squirmed in Gutt's iron grip, her eyes darting frantically between the hulking mammoth on the approaching ship and the pirates surrounding her. "Let go of me!" she screamed, thrashing against the dagger pressed lightly to her neck.

Manny's voice thundered over the crashing waves. "Peaches! Don't move, sweetie! We're coming!"

"Daddy!" Peaches sobbed, trying to pull away, but Gutt only tightened his hold.

The pirate captain smirked as the fog rolled around them, the icy wind whipping through his fur. He stepped forward, dragging Peaches with him until the light of dawn revealed him clearly to the oncoming ship.

"Welcome home, Daddy!" Gutt sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. He tilted the dagger just enough to catch the sunlight, the blade gleaming ominously.

"Let her go!" Manny roared, his massive form leaning forward, ready to charge at any moment.

"Oh, I don't think so." Gutt grinned, revealing his jagged teeth. "We were just talking about you. In fact..." He gestured grandly at the massive, spiked ice ship beneath his feet. "What do you think of my new ship? I call her Sweet Revenge. Fitting, don't you think?"

From the depths of Gutt's ship, Shira strained to hear every word, her pulse pounding in her ears. She could feel the vibrations of Manny's ship growing closer, the waves rocking the vessel beneath her. She slammed her claws against the icy bars of her cell, her roars weak and hollow. Panic gripped her. Why couldn't she make enough noise? Why did her voice fail her when she needed it most?

Nearby, Ellie gripped the icy bars of her own cell, her face set in grim determination. "Peaches!" she called, fear and anger in her voice. She turned her attention to the lock on her cell, ramming her weight against it repeatedly.

Shira watched as Ellie's relentless attempts finally paid off. The ice holding Ellie captive cracked and shattered, sending shards flying to the ground. Ellie stumbled out, panting, and quickly looked around for the way out.

Shira mustered what strength she could and called out weakly, "Wait! Help me, please..."

Ellie froze, her eyes locking onto the young sabertooth. Her gaze softened as something seemed to click in her mind. "Kiara?" she asked hesitantly, taking a cautious step closer.

Shira blinked, the name unfamiliar. "No," she replied, her voice trembling.

Ellie's eyes widened in realization. "Diara?" she whispered, her voice trembling now too.

Shira looked down, her heart aching. She'd barely heard that name in years. She nodded, ashamed at the uncertainty in her own voice.

Ellie's face lit up with astonishment and relief. "Oh, Diego is going to be so happy to see you." Without hesitation, she approached Shira's cell and began working at the icy lock.

The ship suddenly lurched, throwing both of them to the ground. Above deck, the sound of splintering wood and shouting pirates filled the air. The two ships had collided, and chaos erupted.

"Hold on!" Ellie said as she scrambled back to her feet. She struck the ice holding Shira with all her strength, determination etched into her face. After a few heavy blows, the ice cracked, and Shira stumbled out, her legs shaking beneath her.

"Thank you," Shira whispered, barely able to meet Ellie's gaze.

The chaotic scene on Gutt's ship was a blur of shouting, crashing waves, and the desperate cries of loved ones. The topside deck was pure chaos. Pirates scurried in all directions, trying to secure Gutt's "Sweet Revenge" as Manny's ship loomed alongside it. A makeshift bridge of wood bark stretched between the two vessels, creaking ominously under the strain of the collision.

Ellie wasted no time, sprinting across the bark bridge toward Manny's ship, her heart pounding with every step. The bark groaned beneath her weight, splintering at the edges, but she made it across and turned back, yelling, "Come on, Dia! You can do it!"

Diara froze at the edge of the bridge, her paws trembling. The sight of the roiling water beneath her made her stomach churn. She backed away, shaking her head.

"I—I can't!" she cried, her voice cracking. The bouncing ships collided, and Dia screamed daddy as she skidded away from the edge.

"Diara!" Diego's voice boomed from Manny's ship. He was at the edge, his golden eyes wide with desperation. "You have to jump, kitten. I promise I'll catch you. And I will never ever let you go again!"

Taking a deep breath, Dia forced herself to back away from the edge, giving herself room to leap. Her legs felt like lead, but she steeled herself, her father's voice grounding her.

"Here I go..." she whispered, then bolted forward and jumped.

The wind rushed past her, and for a fleeting moment, Dia thought she was free—until claws gripped her scruff midair.

"Say goodbye," Gutt growled, his sharp teeth gleaming in a wicked grin. Without hesitation, he swung her around and released her, sending her plummeting into the icy water below.

"NO!" Diego's roar echoed over the waves as he leaped onto Gutt's ship with a savage determination that made even the pirate crew scatter. The two ships began to drift apart as the collision's force loosened their connection, but Diego's fury kept him firmly planted on Gutt's deck.

"You took my daughter twice," Diego snarled, his muscles coiled like springs. He bared his fangs. "So now I'm going to have you for lunch... and dinner!"

Gutt laughed, brandishing his bone dagger. "You think you scare me, kitty? Bring it on!"

The two collided in a blur of claws and fury, their snarls and growls ringing out across the deck. Diego's strength, fueled by years of training and the rage of a father protecting his child, was relentless.

"You're out of your depth, kitty!" Gutt spat, lunging forward.

Diego sidestepped, slamming his shoulder into Gutt and sending the pirate captain staggering. "You've made one mistake," Diego snarled.

Gutt sneered. "Oh? What's that?"

"You messed with the wrong herd." With a mighty roar, Diego swung his full weight into Gutt, sending the ape flying off the boat, with Manny waiting below. The pirate's startled cry was cut short as the impact of Manny's bat, a broken mast, sent him flying through the air like a cannonball. He disappeared into the horizon, crashing into the ocean with a faint splash.

"Out of the ballpark!" Manny cheered, dusting off his trunk with a satisfied grin.

The chaos subsided as Gutt's ship began to sink, its icy hull splintering and crumbling into the sea. Diego stood at the edge, scanning the water frantically. "Diara!" he shouted, his voice raw with panic.

From the water, a familiar shape emerged—Precious, the massive whale, carrying Diego on her head. She nudged him toward the shore, where the rest of the herd waited.

Once they reached the shallows, Diego leaped off Precious's head, shaking water from his fur as he frantically looked around. "Diara!" he called again, his voice trembling.

Precious made a low, playful noise and opened her mouth. From inside, a small, soggy figure emerged. Dia stepped out, dripping wet but alive.

"Daddy!" she cried, running toward him.

"Diara!" Diego choked out as he rushed to meet her. The two instantly buried their muzzles in each other's neck, embracing for the first time in forever. "I've got you, sweetheart. I've got you."

Diara buried her face in his fur, sobbing softly. "I thought I'd never see you again."

Diego pulled back just enough to look at her, his eyes softening. "You're home now," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "And I'll never let you go again."

The others gathered around, smiling warmly as father and daughter embraced, finally reunited. Manny placed a reassuring trunk on Diego's shoulder, while Ellie hugged Peaches tightly, relief washing over everyone.

"Dad," Dia asked hesitantly, "where's Mom?"

Diego's expression faltered for a moment, the weight of the question clearly pressing on him. He took a deep breath. "Mom's... underground."

Dia's ears flattened, her voice trembling. "You mean..."

"No!" Diego interrupted quickly, shaking his head. "No, I mean she's literally underground. With dinosaurs."

"Dinosaurs?" Dia blinked, her confusion momentarily cutting through the sadness.

Diego offered a small, bittersweet smile. "Yeah. When we lost you... she couldn't handle being up here anymore. So, when we went underground, she decided to stay."

Dia's ears drooped, and she glanced down, guilt flooding her face. "It's my fault," she whispered.

Diego cupped her cheek gently, tilting her face up so she had to look at him. "No, honey," he said firmly. "It's not. None of this is your fault."

Dia hesitated, her voice soft. "We'll get her back, though, won't we? Now that I'm back?"

Diego's gaze softened, his expression full of determination. "Absolutely," he promised. "We'll bring her back. Together."

Dia nodded slowly, her hope rekindling for the first time in years. Wrapped in her father's arms, she finally believed things could be okay again. And now, with her family on the horizon, the future didn't feel so scary anymore.