Savage Fire was about ready to kill something. At the moment she wasn't sure who she wanted to kill more, Diego or Sid. Both were absolutely grating on her nerves. Diego was so cocky and sure of himself and Sid was so stupid it wasn't even funny. She fought her way through the blizzard they were currently in, tiny ice crystals clinging to her pelt and actual icicles hanging off her canines. By the next day they had made it through and saw the sun again. Diego had run ahead and she was anxious to join him. She didn't trust that saber and didn't want him leading them anywhere she hadn't okayed. She ran up behind him and sniffed the air. She thought she smelled something familiar but between the cold and all the snow her sense of smell had been seriously wacky for the past day. Diego ran up to her Manny and Sid.
"Hey good news! I found a shortcut!" Her neck fur immediately bristled. She had been this way a thousand times and didn't know of any other way to get to the Pass. While he and Manny "discussed it" she padded forward a little bit and looked up to find the shortcut he was talking about. Sid joined her and dropped the icicle that he had been holding through his throat.
"No thanks, I choose life." He said, looking up at the dark hanging cliffs. Savage Fire has to admit they looked rather foreboding and ominous.
"Then I suggest you take the short cut." Diego threatened, getting up into the sloth's face.
"Are you threatening me?" Sid questioned, wiggling a finger at his nose.
"Move sloth!!" Diego shouted and the sound echoed off the cliffs. A rumbling shook the earth and rocks began to fall. Savage Fire could've bit him in that moment. He had just caused a freakin avalanche! Manny ordered them inside and she didn't have the opportunity to voice her own reasons and suspicions about this "shortcut" of Diego's. They all hurried into the cavern and the rocks fell behind them, blocking the entrance. Icicles shook above them and everybody held their breath. Finally they stilled and the rocks stoped falling.
"Ok, I vote shortcut." Manny said. Savage Fire and Diego stepped in front of the group and lead the way.
"Stick together guys. It's easy to get lost in here." Savage Fire completely agreed with him. The cavern had a dozen tunnels and heaven only knew where you would end up if you went down one, or what you'd encounter if you went alone. They traveled in silence until Diego finally spoke up.
"How long have you been alpha?" The question came right out of the blue and she definitely wasn't expecting it. She thought hard. She was quite young yet still, but her experience and wisdom went beyond her age.
"My father was alpha, and when he was killed in battle I was made alpha. The beta would've been...but he didn't want the position. I had been trained very early in life. Very early and it was always expected that I'd take the position at some point. So I was made alpha. I adopted my fathers name of Savage, and the beta added on Fire. I've been that for about a year and a half now. I was made alpha when I was 5 months old." Diego's jaw dropped open.
"You're kidding me right? I knew the alphas were made at a young age in wolf packs but that's a little extreme don't you think?"
"I didn't have a choice. My father was dead and I was his only surviving pup. It was my duty to stand up and lead my pack, so I did. Sometimes we do the right thing, for the wrong reasons and sometimes we do the wrong thing for the right reasons. I never wanted to be alpha, but I wouldn't dishonor my father by refusing or cowering."
"You're one of the best and most feared out there." Diego remarked.
"True, I have made a name for myself and I've lead my pack well. But I never wanted this. Sometimes I'm tempted to let one of my competitors actually win the challenge or simply let my beta take charge."
"I take it you've had several challenges." She nodded. She was about to ask him about his pack life when she heard the baby cooing. She looked up only to see him slide down an ice chute and fly up over the ice and disappear. She, along with the boys yelled in panic and raced to the edge to see where he'd gone. Her paws slipped on the smooth surface and she went tumbling down the ice slide, the others right beside her. They flew down the ice after the baby and into different holes in the ice wall. She screamed as she slid out of control down through the hole and came flying out on the other side. She landed on Manny's back and Diego landed next to her seconds later, digging his claws into Manny's flesh. Sid landed on his head and grasped Manny's trunk.
"Captain, iceberg ahead!!" He warned as they quickly approached a section of ice sticking straight up. They slid onto it and for a moment it seemed like they were completely stopped. Then the ice cracked.
"Oh no." Diego muttered. They fell down and each landed in an ice chute of their own, the baby right in front of them. Diego hunched down to gain more speed and she and Manny copied him, neither wanting him to reach the baby first. Suddenly Roshan's chute ended at a ramp and he went flying into the air, laughing all the way. Manny turned himself around and caught him midair. Sid slammed into the ice wall, then Diego and she she screamed as she followed. They all poked their heads out and gasped as Manny came slamming into them. She sat there with Manny and Sid and giggling Roshan, all with snow piled on their heads. Diego whooped and burst out of the snow.
"Yeah!! Who's up for round two?!" He asked excitedly. Then he cleared his throat and cowered slightly. "Tell...tell the kid to be more careful." He said, his voice getting gruff again. Savage Fire was surprised at the sudden shift in character in Diego. It was almost like he had never let himself have fun before. The ice slides had been a ton of fun in her opinion but her worry for Roshan has prevented her from celebrating with him when it was all over. She smirked slightly. Maybe Diego did have a soft side to him after all.