The Flame and the Dragon

Cold Concern

Cole's eyes widened as his mind tried to wrap around what he was just told. After he had taken a shivering Kai back to his room, Neuro had examined the brunette, but the news had been grim, to say the least. His skin is still freezing, and his fever wouldn't go down and they couldn't give him anything because he was unconscious and it was too dangerous. Even if they did give him something to bring down the fever, it would only make the hypothermia worse.

It was very dangerous to treat hypothermia using medication.

Too much heat was just as dangerous as too much cold when it came to treating hypothermia. They needed to get the brunette's core temperature back up to a safe level. Unfortunately, that was impossible right now because they couldn't do it anymore. It required something none of them were able to properly do to bring up his temperature. They needed body heat. Jay and the others tried to help, but Zane dismissed them. Their creature forms didn't provide enough body heat.

That was when Cole said he would do it.

He was the only one of them that was purely physical, and he was a dragon. His body was naturally warmer than a human's. Neuro advised against this, however, saying that Kai's cold body could have serious consequences against the prince's body heat. Cole ran his claws through his hair, barely nicking his fin-like ears until he heard another haggard cough. His eyes shot to Kai, who was coughing again, barely able to move. The boys held him down trying to keep him steady.

Cole made up his mind.

He walked past Zane, removed his clothes, and worked off his boots. He then ordered the yeti to take the boys outside and tell everyone what was going on and to check on Kai's vitals every so often until he woke up. They could take shifts if they must. Zane immediately protested this. Cole's heat might get Kai's core temperature back up, but if he didn't cool down in time, he could die. But Cole wasn't focusing on this. All he wanted to know was whether it would give Kai a chance or not.

He sat on the edge of the bed, and gently scooped the protesting fox, bear cub, troll, and naga into his arms.

When Zane confirmed this, Cole decided that was all he needed, placing Jay and Nelson in Neuro's arms and Ronin and Tox in Echo's. Even though they wanted to help, Echo helped them see that the best thing they could do right now was to wait and trust their master.

"You better know what you're doing, Cole!" Jay glared, but his worry was visible in his eyes.

"I do, leave us." He told them, undoing his belt. Zane's eyes narrowed, but he obeyed and followed Echo outside.

"Don't bother with his arms or legs, that'll only work the cold back towards his heart and lungs, focus on his head, his torso, and his groin, and if he doesn't warm up by morning come find us immediately." He warned just before closing the door behind him. When the door shut, Cole stripped the rest of his clothes and slid under the thick cocoon of blankets. He carefully pulled Kai into his warm chest and pressed their torsos together. He hissed when Kai's icy skin touched his.

He bit his lip and pressed Kai's forehead against his collar.

He wrapped a wing around Kai's head and hair, the other around his back and hips. He tucked the covers into every crevice around him, making sure no cold seeped through.

"Kai, I'm sorry." He whispered, hoping his flame could still hear him. He rubbed the young man's back when he started shivering again. He hugged Kai closer. "I'm so sorry I didn't protect you, I never thought... I didn't think that bastard would go this far! I know I should've seen it, but..." His voice broke on the last part, and he had to stop to keep himself from breaking down. He lay his precious flame down again, smiling when Kai stopped shivering, but his skin was still cold, and his fever still high.

He gently kissed the boy's forehead and pulled him closer, wrapping him in his warmth and letting the coolness of Kai's flesh wash over him.

He hadn't realized just how hot he'd been until now. Already he could feel drowsiness overcome him.

"I promise," Cole whispered in Kai's ear. "I promise when you wake up, I'll protect you and I don't care what he throws at me; I'll never let that... that monster anywhere near you ever again!" Cole hissed as he clenched the blankets at his side, before settling down against the mattress, then the warmth of the cocoon the staff created for Kai and the soothing coolness of Kai's skin, lulling the Dragon Lord to sleep.

"Please... come back to me, Kai." He whimpered as a small tear rolled down his cheek, gently damping the teen's forehead. "I can't lose you too, Kai, I can't..." He said at last before the stress, anxiety, and terror finally took their toll on him and he collapsed into darkness. "I'm not strong enough too."...

****************

Zane sighed as he slid his back against the door to the room his younger brother was sharing with the three other servants. After a flurry of quick questions and clear concerns, panic attacks, and a few hours of reassurance from Neuro, he had finally got the boys to settle into an uneasy sleep. He had been annoyed when Echo clamped onto Jay the entire time before they finally fell asleep with the fox in his arms. Zane didn't like how close they were.

He wanted them to return to their beds and put this all behind her.

But he didn't have the heart to comment on it. There was too much unrest already.

"How are they?" Someone suddenly asked and Zane looked up to see Ronin standing in the hallway.

"They'll be fine, they're just worried like we all are," Zane explained and slouched against the door, anxiety taking its toll on him as well.

"I'm not that surprised, who knows what those kids saw," Ronin sighed as he took off his hat and ran a hand through his dark hair, and closed his eyes. Just then Griffin sped in, having listened to their conversation, but Zane and Ronin didn't seem to care.

"Speaking of that, what exactly happened today?" He asked gravely.

"This was more than just a simple ice break wasn't it?" Zane also asked the troll. Ronin's eyes scanned the hallway, double-checking to make sure no one was there, and gestured Griffin and Zane to come closer.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of everyone but something doesn't add up," He whispered. "I checked that ice meself and I swear on my life it was at least six inches thick and I think we can all agree there's no way Kai's heavy enough to crack it, let alone fall through, and something else was there, in the lake."

"What?"

"There was this little creepy-looking bird there, it let out this sound that scared Kai's horse and made it break the ice." He explained and Griffin's eyes widened in horror. He turned to the Stewart whose eyes were hard and unreadable.

"Zane?" He gulped but Zane said nothing. Then he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Double the guard, no one is to leave the castle without an escort and at least one of the guards, myself, you two, or the Master." He ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Until winter is over, everyone is confined to the immediate grounds until further notice; if our fears are correct, then we're not taking any chances."...