Cold Cold Cold

The blizzard has struck with little to no warning, turning the cold but colorful world into one of ice and sleet and wind. The roar that escape the orange cryolophosaurus’s mouth quickly got snatched away by the wind and snow, leaving him gasping for breath and half collapsed in the snow.

Katydid had been traveling on his own across the open wetland when the storm had hit, quickly obscuring his vision and leaving him stumbling across the uneven ground. “Bellatrix!” He howled again, attempting to call out to his packmate. However, his roar went unanswered, muffled by the wind. ‘She doesn't have feathers, she won’t be able to last long in this storm!’ Katydid worried to himself, slumping down. His feathers were fairly thin as well, although they kept out the snow much better than the Anteosaurus’s would.

However, a flickering in the snow ahead of him quickly caught Katydids attention, as he squinted into the wind. A dark, glowing shape was approaching, but the wind muffled any footsteps that could have been playing. Was this some kind of ghost?

However, his fears were put to rest as Bellatrix darted forward, her dark hide already coated in snow. “Katydid!” The Anteosaurus shivered, running forward closer to him. “This storm came out of nowhere, huh. Im lucky I was found.”

“Found?” Katydid craned his head back to where his friend had come from, only to jolt back. From within the blizzard was a glowing grey cryolophosaurus, standing out as she lit up the snow around her. Her gaze was neutral as she stared at the two, as silent as a ghost.

“Yeah! I was lost, and I was found by them… they managed to track you down somehow.” Bellatrix looked back at the other cryo, a bit wary but also more trusting than Katydid.

“Who are you? Why did yo-” Katydid started to speak, only to be interrupted by a low huff from the other cryo. She gestured her neck, making a clear come hither motion before retreating into the snow. While the fog quickly covered her, the bright glow of her feathers was a clear beacon to where she stood. 

“Are you sure we can trust her?” Katydid turned to his companion, anxious. Bellatrix shrugged.

“She saved me. She had no reason to, and I doubt she’s taking us somewhere to eat. Besides, she seems nice!” Katydid sighed a bit, still worried but a bit more calm. This stranger had chosen to save them, and it wasn’t like they had much of a choice otherwise. 

Together the two padded after the ghostly cryolophosaurus, her glowing lights the only way they were able to track her across the snowy land. Slowly they followed after her, unable to tell just where they were heading and forced to put their lives into the claws of this stranger.

Eventually, Katydid realized with a jolt, they had reached the abandoned human dens. The blizzard became less of a threat as they entered, the large buildings blocking the wind from swirling the snow around. The glowing cryolophosaurus was waiting for them in front of a boarded up den, a small chewed out hole showing just how to get into the shelter. With a nod the other cryolophosaurus crawled in, tufts of feathers caught on the boards showing just how often this was done. Bellatrix squirmed under first, Katydid hesitating before slowly following.

Inside the small, wooden den it was chilly, but more manageable than it was outside. Random bits of human trash was scattered around, likely brought in by the other cryolophosaurus for whatever reason. However, Katydid was pulled out of his observation of the area when the other began to speak.

“I am Iodine.” Her voice was low and creaky, as if she only ever used it once every full moon. “I was traveling in the blizzard and found the night hunter, and decided to bring her back to my nest. She lead me to you. Now we are here.”

“Why do this?” Bellatrix asked, stepping forward from where she had been pawing at a pile of trash. “Why save me?” Katydid cocked his head as well, curious for an answer.

“It is cold.” Iodine answered. “In cold like this, those who are alone often die. I require company in order to survive this storm, and you needed my help to not die in it. I am a bit better equipped to survive the cold than you may be, but it is better for all of us if we stick together and share body heat and food.”

That was not what he was expecting. “Wait. Are you asking us to stay here with you?” Katydid bristled. “We could have been fine on our own!”

“Wait…” Katydid turned to look at Bellatrix in disbelief. The traitor! “She’s not wrong. We wouldn’t have been able to find our way of here alone, and we can’t survive in this human den alone- heck, we probably can’t even leave until this ends! Its best for all of us this way.”

Katydid looked at Bellatrix in disbelief, then at Iodine, before sighing and sagging down. “Fine, fine. I guess we do owe you for saving us.” He admitted. “Anything we need to do, then?”

Iodine seemed slightly shocked for a moment, before shaking herself off and recovering. “Yes. We need to block off the den before night hits and it gets worse. I don’t have enough food for all of us, but hopefully we can venture out in the morning and find scraps to eat when the blizzard eases off.” Iodine demonstrated, pushing a large but broken wooden box towards the wall, blocking off another gap at the bottom. “Like this. We need shelter.”

Bellatrix had already leapt into action, pulling at a wooden plank with her mouth as she attempted to drag it over to the hole they came from. Katydid joined after a moment, picking up the plank from the other end. Better than being old in the cold, he supposed.