Game On

Chapter Forty-One: The Snowy Mountains

Finding the place to start the climb was easy enough. The mountain was rough and jagged enough for foot and hand holds beneath the snow. Mark climbed up first, dusting off the little ledges to expose the rock for Sean. Something Sean appreciated since he had no gloves, and the rock was already cold enough. Mark made it look easy. He'd climbed rocks for exercise in real life... but Sean this was Sean's first time. His only advantage was that he had wings that helped propel him up a little whenever his hands got too tired to pull him up. Every few feet they stopped and let their stamina bar refill. They only benefit to this was that after so many feet, their stamina bars increased from the consistent workout. However, the higher up they went, the harder it was for Sean's stamina bar to recover. With the weight of the fur coat and the growing strength of the icy wind, combined with his need to keep climbing... his stamina was barely able to reach the halfway mark before draining rapidly back to a sliver.

Stopping on his own to recover his stamina, Sean called up to Mark. "This is getting bad... Mark, I don't think I can reach the top." Glancing down at him, Mark asked in a worried voice. "How is your stamina looking?" Panting heavily, Sean looked at it and became disheartened. The bar was struggling to recover. Every second that he recovered; the cold wind chipped away. Staying very still, Sean answered grimly. "Mark... my race wasn't designed for cold... I'm not going to make it..." Mark glanced around the snow-covered wall before steadily climbing back down to him. Resting beside him, Mark whispered to him. "I'll stay with you then. I won't let you fall." Shaking his head, Sean told him through a sniffle. "It won't matter. Mark, I'm sorry..." Adjusting beside him, Mark blocked the cold wind from hitting him and asked curiously. "If I block it... does it help?" Sean glanced up, noticing that it did a little. Giving him a nod, he quickly added. "It does, but it won't matter. My stamina is hindered under the weight and climbing is..."

Putting a hand on his shoulder, Mark told him warmly. "Sean, you can do it. I'll help you. You set the pace. I don't care how long it takes." Sean rolled his eyes but smiled. Taking his time, he started to move again. Mark moved with him, keeping the wind off him as much as he could. Reaching a difficult section, Mark moved lower to help push him up. While Sean tried to reach for the next hand hold, his foot suddenly slipped off the hold under him. A sharp scream left him as he fell, but Mark's arm caught his thigh, and he slammed Sean against the mountain with his shoulder to pin him there. Shakily grabbing the wall again, Sean clung to it and tried to remember how to breathe normally. His heart was racing so fast. Moving up behind him, Mark leaned against his back with a leg nestled between Sean's legs for support. Resting his warm head against his exposed cold cheek, Mark whispered to him calmly. "You're ok. I got you." Shaking his head, Sean mumbled out. "No. It's not. I'm terrified of heights, and you made me climb a mountain."

A deep throaty chuckle left Mark, making Sean feel strangely calmer for a moment. Kissing his cheek, Mark purred into his ear. "It's not a completely straight down mountain. You can look down and just see the mountain's curves. You're ok." Sniffling, Sean strained out. "Why is it that I have wings... but YOU are better at this." Mark brushed a tear off Sean's cheek with his lips before it could freeze and told him so beautifully. "Because right now my stats are all in strength and stamina. I have you for the other stuff." Mark's attention drifted to Sean's fingers, noticing how red they were from the cold and how his nails were trying to sink into the stone. Meeting his eyes, Mark told him so confidently. "I'd throw you over my shoulder, but then you really would be looking down. You can do this. I'm right behind you." Taking a deep breath, Sean started to climb again until he reached the same spot where he fell. This time, he didn't reach for it. It was too high for him.

Coming up behind him, Mark wedged his shoulder between Sean's legs and told him clearly. "I'll give you a boost. Reach for it." Sean shakily lifted his hand, then inhaled sharply as Mark hefted his legs off the mountain to push him up. Reaching it, Mark stayed still until Sean got his footing again, then moved back up beside him to block the wind more. The night fell upon them before too long, leaving them at the mercy of the moonlight to guide their way. To which Sean rather liked. The show reflected the bright moonlight, making the dark seem bright and soothing in its glimmering silvery light. Excitement began to fill Sean when he could see the top just ahead. They were almost there! Yet, this far up, his stamina was making him crawl to the top. He barely had five slivers of movement and had to keep stopping. His fingers were so cold that he couldn't feel them, but they were still working. Despite the warm fur, the cold up here was beginning to creep inside it. Reaching his ears and wings with a bitterness that was almost painful.