Not Gonna Die (A Skybrine Fanfic)

|Chapter 8| Just snow

          Delicate, innocent, pure white snowflakes fluttered down from the clouds, landing on Adam's shoulders and the back of his horse. It had become steadily lighter but the blanket of clouds blocked out the sun, meaning that he had no way of knowing how many hours had passed. His hands had gloves and his furry hood was up and he was wearing thick boots but he was still shivering violently. His arms shook as he brushed the snow off from his shoulders, the horse warm underneath him from the steady trot they were doing.

          The consistent snowfall dropped the temperature down several degrees and Adam's breath was steaming in the air. He had to be getting close to the border now, surely. He couldn't stand this cold, his fingers and toes were completely numb and they ached when he tried to move them. He urged his horse faster. He had to get out of here. He had to... to get out... of here...

          Thump.

           The Team had been invited to breakfast with Queen Anne and they sat around a table in the back of the ground level of the house, served a variety of hot foods which were sitting on the large table. They had only been seated for several minutes before Jason went upstairs to wake Adam up. The rest didn't start the meal, instead waiting for the two to return.

           "Weather's looking pretty good today," Anne mentioned when there was a lull in the conversation, looking out the window. "I'd wager that the snow will clear off in a few hours but it's not too heavy to do some outside stuff."

          "We should probably think about heading back in a few days as well," Ty said regretfully.

          "But not today, so who cares," Mitch reasoned, eyeing some of the hot bacon.

          There was another lull in the conversation and Seto glanced towards the door. "Jason and Adam are taking a while," he muttered.

           "Adam can be a heavy sleeper," Jerome said, but his voice died off slightly.

          "Maybe I should..." Ian started, beginning to stand up but the door to the dining area crashed open and a worried Jason stood there.

          "Adam's gone," he said. "His room's empty, his saddle and his horse is gone and no one's seen him today."

          "This is because he was always cold, wasn't it?" Ty asked with a huff but his voice carried a trace of worry. "He should have just told us and we would have left without question."

          Jason gave a tiny shrug but Anne was frowning. Something in Ty's words had stirred a memory but she couldn't quite snatch at it.

          "Ty," she said, interrupting the conversation that had suddenly sprung up. "What did you say before?"

          "Uhhh.... He should have just told us?" Ty said, his eyebrows creased in confusion.

          "No no, before that."

          "This is because he was always cold?"

          Her eyes widened a little and she gave each of them a quick glance. "How long has this been going on for?" she asked, seeming to dread the answer.

           "You mean, how long as he been cold for?" Mitch asked. "Only since we got into the snow country."

          "This is the first time?"

          "Oh, and when Adam and I went to Lord Rob's territory," Quentin said, "on the edge of the snow country. But not before that."

          "Did he huddle next to the fire but couldn't get warm?" she asked.