The Dark Hour

--------Lalna--------

We started heading out again and Ridge was getting sleepy from the pain medication, so I rode on the same horse with him. I was in the front and Ridge was leaning tiredly against me. I didn't mind, as long as he didn't fall off. The snow was picking up and I pulled my scarf up higher on my face.

"How are you doing up there?" Ryan asked.

"I'm ok," I said slightly muffled. "Is it getting colder?"

"Yeah, I think it's -12 or -13 celsius," Valerie sighed.

"It gets pretty cold here in the winter. Lalna why don't you use your wings to keep warm."

"Would that work?" I asked curiously.

"I read up on it that Angel wings are cold resistant."

"Ok," I said softly. I focused on having them out without taking my shirt off and they slowly came out. Ridge sat up a little and I looked back at him. "Sorry." He smiled at me.

"It's ok, I don't mind. Just tell me if I'm hurting you," He yawned softly as he leaned against me again. I nodded then carefully wrapped my wings around myself. Ryan was right, I warmed up a lot faster with my wings out like this. I felt Ridge gently touch them and I smiled.

"Better?" Ryan called out.

"Yeah," I called back. Ridge was leaning on one of my wings and he was starting to slip off the horse. I quickly pushed him back upright with my wing and he jumped.

"You ok Ridge?" I asked a bit worried.

"Y-Yeah, I just started dozing off," He said softly.

"Ok," I sighed.

~~~~

We made it into town just as the snow started getting heavier. I had turned so I was sitting side saddle on the horse and I had Ridge wrapped up in one of my wings. One, to keep him from falling and two, to keep him warm.

"Where are we going Astrid?" Skyla asked.

"The hotel."

"How far is that?" Valerie asked shivering a little.

"Just a few more buildings."

"Ok." I looked at Ridge and he was dozing off on my shoulder. I sighed then jumped as something hit my wing. I looked up then squeaked as a snowball hit my wing again.

"Get out of here!"

"Hey leave him alone!" Skyla snapped.

"Why don't you get out of here too! You angel lover!"

"Hey! Back off!" Ryan yelled. I shrunk down a bit and Ridge sat up. Another snowball came at me and Ridge stopped it in midair and threw it back at the guy that threw it. It hit him dead in the face and he did not look too happy about it.

"You freak!"

"Hey! Back off before I make you back off!" Astrid yelled.

"Yeah you punk," Valerie growled. He was going to say something when Ridge buried him with a wave of snow. I snorted and quietly giggled and he smirked.

"You okay Lalna?" Astrid asked worriedly. I nodded.

"Yeah, it didn't really hurt. It kinda just surprised me," I said softly.

"Okay. Some demons still aren't okay with angels being here." I nodded.

"Oh ok." I knew we were close to the hotel so I hid my wings again, then something hit me in the back, hard, and I fell off the horse into the snow.