The Lost Ones

Chapter 26

They started looking for sheep.

Stampy stopped when he saw a shimmer in the snow and went to see what it was.

Quentin turned around. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure." Stampy dug through the snow before gasping and holding up a pair of shears.

"What the-?" Quentin walked over.

Stampy held them out to him. "They seem brand new too..."

"I don't get it... does this place wanna help us or kill us?"

"I... I don't know." He replied. "Let's just get some wool..."

"Ok..." Quentin frowned and looked around the mountain.

Stampy helped him start looking around for sheep.

A little later, they found one. "Over here!"

Quentin ran up to the sheep, making sure it wouldn't run away.

It turned to him and gave a baaa. Stampy laughed and came over.

Quentin kneeled down next to the sheep, swinging an arm around it to keep it in place.

It played him no mind and continued to munch on the grass.

Stampy came over and started to shear it.

"What are we gonna do with the wool?" Quentin asked.

"Uh, we could line our jackets maybe?"

"I was gonna say blankets but that's a much better idea."

Stampy nodded, tail swishing as he finished. "There we go. Thank you mister sheep."

Quentin chuckled and picked up the wool from the snowy ground.

"Well, do you think that's enough?"

"Should be." Quentin smiled.

"Let's head back then."

Quentin nodded and began to trace their steps back.

Stampy followed him.

"So... you found some wool..."

Stampy froze to the spot.

Instinctively Quentin grabbed onto Stampy's arm, his eyes darting around the area.

He clung to him in return as Kala appeared. Blood still stained around his mouth still from attacking Jason. "I see you are short a member. Did he die from blood loss?"

"You wish." Quentin sneered, moving Stampy behind him. "He's safe, we made sure of that."

"Ah... lucky thing then. That AI of his saving him like that..." he muttered, before carefully wiping his mouth, looking down at the blood on it. "Oh, how rude of me, I forgot to clean up."

Stampy shuddered, breathing hitching.

Quentin tightened his grip on Stampy, pulling his sword out. "What do you want now?" His voice was cold and almost emotionless.

Kala smirked a little. "He pulled his on me too. You've seen how well that went." His smirk grew. "But as for why I'm here, I mostly came to check on your progress. I'm honestly surprised you are still going and no one has taken a tumble down the mountain or succumbed to frostbite and the spine chilling temperatures yet..."

Quentin's grip on the sword faltered. "You really think we're gonna give up now? He asked sarcastically. "I can play your little game all you want."

He grinned. "Oh, I know. Question is, which of you will drop out first?"

Stampy's ears laid back and he frowned, starting to really shake.

"Neither of us are doing that." He frowned. "We will get out of here."

"Oh? Then what about your third party member, hmm? Someone is bound to leave the party sooner or later..."

"Wh-what's that supposed to mean?!" Stampy demanded.

Kala grinned wider. "What do you think it means, kitten?"

Stampy paled and stepped back.

"You're full of crap you know that?" Quentin's voice rose. "We're all getting out of here, whether you like it or not!" He hid Stampy behind him.

"Full of crap, am i?" He laughed. "I could kill both of you hear and now. Leaving Jason to wonder where you two are and why you haven't come back only to wait days on end for you to never come back..." he extended his claws, stepping forward. "Hmm..." he muttered looking between them before grinning. "As much as I'd love to tear you both apart like I attempted to do for your little space ranger, this should be more fun to watch..." he stepped back just grinning at them both.

"W-what do you mean by that?!" Quentin yelled, taking a step forward, arms spread to protect Stampy of any attacks.

"Oh... you'll see pretty soon..." he replied before vanishing as Stampy turned and gasped. "Quentin!" He cried out, staring at the snow rumbling down the mountain at incredible speeds.

Quentin froze in fear for a few seconds. "R-run!" He grabbed onto Stampy's hand and began running away as fast as he could from the snow.

Stampy clung to him and ran as fast as he could in the deep snow that crunch with each step. He struggled not to trip in it as they ran but the snow was catching up. "We aren't going to make it!"

"Hang on!" Quentin rolled onto the ground, taking Stampy down with him. Once landing he pulled Stampy into his chest, using his own body to shield the other. The snow was almost there, getting bigger and faster by the second. Quentin looked up into the sky and focused, shooting out a fountain of water from his mouth. The water formed a spherical shape around them, freezing almost in contact with the air and turning into ice. The water kept coming until the sphere was a few inches thick.

Stampy squeezed his eyes shut and clung to him, waiting for something to happen, whether it be cold icy darkness engulfing them or a miracle of them being saved, he wasn't sure but listened as Quentin desperately tried to, what stampy could only really assume, protect them.

The snow finally reached them and crashed down around and on top of the sphere, sending them into darkness.

Quentin relaxed a little, his whole body beginning to ache. He was still tightly holding onto Stampy despite how much his body wanted to let go and just collapse. His breathing turned heavy, creating large clouds of fog when it hit the harsh, cold air.

Stampy shook as he stayed in Quentins grasp before opening his eyes and letting them adjust, seeing Quentin still holding onto him. "Q-Quentin? Wh-what happened?"

"To be honest..." His voice shook a little. "I don't know..." He had no clue what he just did, and had purely acted on his own instincts. The chances that it would've even worked in the first place were pretty slim. "But we're alive, and that's what matters..."

Stampy slowly nodded, panting and watching his breath freeze. "Wh-what about J-Jason??" He asked. "Do you re-think hes o-okay too?"

"He's s-still in the cave and the entrance is b-blocked." Quentin reassured him. "H-he's okay, he m-might just be snowed in for the t-time being... l-like us..."

"H-How are w-we going to g-get out of th-this?"

"I-I... I d-don't know..."