A Mammoth Christmas Ice Age Novels & Stories

"Prove it how?" "Let me make a prediction. Something specific about weather in the next week. If I'm right, will you at least consider I might know what I'm talking about?" "Miss Chen—" "Please. I know how this sounds. But what if I'm right and you ignore me and millions die because no one believed me?" Morrison was quiet. "What's your prediction?" Maya remembered the freak snow event from her original timeline. January 8th. Twenty inches in four hours.

Our designated section, which had been a lonely island of support, is suddenly inundated with a pack of fans larger than I ever realized we commanded. They aren't just cheering; they are howling in a rhythmic, unified chant. A group of supporters holds a massive banner that reads: LYON’S KINGS RULE THE ICE. Another cluster of rowdy fans in neon Stormbreakers gear displays a sign: KNOX-OUT POWER. There is even a group of spectators who have superimposed my face onto a classic Alpha-wolf silhouette with the caption: THE ONLY LEADER FOR THE PACK.

A train couldn't plow through a Goliath siege walker. Yet, here it was. A juggernaut of black steel, breathing steam and defiance. With a heavy, pneumatic groan, the armored side-ramp of the *Mammoth* lowered, slamming into the frozen earth with the finality of a coffin lid. The steam parted. Tristan walked down the ramp.

“So, the single mom woke up the next day to a delivery van full of gifts and a big Christmas tree! Upon asking the men who brought the gifts over, she found out that everything came from her new boss, the same man who brought her and her children to an amusement park the night before. But at the back of her mind, she started to worry again that these presents may have some strings attached…” “The story sounds so familiar,” Siel told her mate with a smile as she watched her children enjoying another storytelling session with Myron and Raquel. “Also, how many bonfires does your pack get to celebrate in a year, anyway?”

But she included me too. “Toby, next time you see him acting all tough, just remember he screamed like a baby when I did that.” I laughed before I could stop myself. A real laugh that surprised even me. “He seems pretty tough on the ice,” I said shyly. “Oh he is,” she said. “But at home he’s just my annoying big brother. You should come visit sometime. Mom makes the best cookies. She would love you.” The words made my throat tight. I pictured a warm house with people who teased but loved each other. No locked doors. No secrets that hurt.

"Ivy, my sweet girl, how did you end up in there? "I never let you be cold when you lived with me! How could this happen to my baby?" As if she'd lost her mind, she grabbed a coat from the couch and draped it over my body. "No, my Ivy isn't dead. She's just too cold. She'll wake up once I cover her up!" Covering me with the coat wasn't enough. Grandma tried to rub my hands warm. But when she touched my hands—frozen solid like icicles—she couldn't hold it together anymore. She let out a bone-chilling scream.

"If I'm a fox you've earned every word of Ice King. Cold, untouchable, freezing everyone out the second they get too close." Antonio slapped the table. "Sign the papers. The jet leaves in forty-eight hours and this is happening whether either of you likes it or not." Jannis signed like the paper had personally offended him. I signed after, hand steadier than it had any right to be. As I finished the last page, he leaned closer across the table. "Try not to get in my way, Vixen." His eyes held mine, dark and intense. "You won't like what happens if you do."

Living, undeniable proof of her statement walked through the door. Xander Hale. He didn't just walk. He strode in with the kind of confidence that made it impossible not to look. He didn't bother glancing at the teacher, the chattering students, or anyone else in the room. No, Xander freaking Hale acted like the entire world existed on his terms. And maybe it did.

•NYMERIA• [SEVEN YEARS AGO] My hands were shaking while my stepfather led Christopher and me to see my mother in her hospital bed. She was so tiny and I could see the skeleton in her face. Her arms were thin and she took hollow breaths. My stomach tightened when I saw her chest bones. I felt like I was in a nightmare. I wished there was something I could do to help my mother and get her back to her health, but I didn't know what to do.

[Dad, is Thor the Tiger telling the truth? Tusker the Elephant didn’t answer. Thor the Tiger pressed on. [Tusker the Elephant, stick to the original plan. On Christmas, the elephant herd must create chaos, storm the enclosures, and draw attention. The others must act too. Monkeys can throw stones, hippos can charge the fence, crocodiles can come ashore… Success isn’t required. All we need is to spark unrest. I’ll ram the gate, get out, and bite anyone I see. The humans should know what the king of the forest can do!]