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They woke at the exact same moment. Chiaotzu pulled the blanket close to his chest as he looked over at Tien. The triclops had bared his teeth in a snarl, his three eyes narrowed and his hands tight fists. Chiaotzu reached out with his mind, hoping to use telepathy, but a sharp look from Tien made him draw his energy back, nodding. If they were feeling what they thought they were feeling then telepathy was not a good idea. Luckily they had known each other for so long that this wasn’t really an issue.
Tien got out of bed and raised one hand with his palm towards Chiaotzu, a classic ‘stay’ gesture. The telepath shook his head and lifted himself out of the bed, hovering silently in the air. If Tien was going to investigate this feeling, Chiaotzu was coming too.
The triclops frowned, but nodded. He would allow this. For now. The frown that knitted his brows together suggested that if there was any hint of danger then Chiaotzu was being taken forcibly to safety.
They quickly put on their warm clothes, rugged up against the cold, and exited their little cabin. Snow blasted around them, making Chiaotzu shiver and hug himself tightly. Another pointed look from Tien. Another equally stubborn stare back. Another begrudging acceptance. They were a team.
Tien stood perfectly still, his three eyes narrowed against the surprisingly bright glare of the moon on the perfect carpet of snow. Chiaotzu floated beside him, both eyes closed, feeling out every little flicker of ki around them. Tien had supressed his own energy to practically zero but Chiaotzu was very good at this now and it still blazed almost distractingly bright beside him.
A small arctic fox had made its burrow at the top of the hill, a pair of tiny kits resting close to its warm belly. A hare was bounding over the frozen lake to the east, its large paws skidding on the slick ice. Beneath the thick ice several large ancient fish circled each other.
There was no sign of any other human.
He opened his eyes, shook his head. Tien nodded and they went inside together.
As the door closed behind them a man stood silently on top of the mountain. The moon glinted off two red lenses set in a metallic headpiece. A cold smirk twisted beneath a thin moustache. He was watching.