Chapter Text
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✧A Day In The Life ✧
Of A C.L.A.D.E. Agent
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"Has it ever been this quiet here?" Kit asked as she swung on the training bar.
"Not from what I remember." Sam returned, balancing on top of a pole. He prepared to jump to the other pole when Kit shrieked behind him, causing him to lose his focus and barely grab onto the bottom of the pole before hitting the ground. "Kit!" He complained, sliding down to the ground.
"Sam, look!" She pointed at the C.L.A.D.E. crest on the wall. "Looks like Director Scratch has a new case for us!" He grinned, pressing it, which opened the vending machine next to them. "Let's go!" Kit smirked, hopping in first, her partner following close behind her.
"Hello agents," the Director greeted after they plopped down onto their respective chairs. "Earlier today, we received this distress signal from one of our agents who was solving a difficult case in the Himalayas." She informed, clicking a button to relay the message; "Help!-- Vehicle--snowed in--- blizzard-- my leg---sprained---hurry!" The agent's recording sounded urgent but was drowned in static. There was something about her voice was familiar to Sam.
"That doesn't sound good..." Kit admitted anxiously.
"Indeed, Agent Casey." Director Scratch agreed, then she continued to explain, "From what we could understand from the message, her vehicle has been snowed in by a blizzard and is unable to function, as well as she has injured her leg."
"Your mission is to find Agent Growler and bring her back to CLADE." She concluded.
"Wait! Did you say Agent Growler?" Sam interrupted, "As in, Hailey Growler?"
"Yes, I did...why?" Director Scratch asked, now intrigued. Kit looked at him, confused.
"I know her, we were close friends in the academy!" Sam mentioned, his ears perking up as his tail swished a bit behind him. "Haven't seen her in a while though... hope she's alright." He added, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Ba-bok!" The Director sqwawked loudly, regaining the agent's attention.
"Ahem, good luck agents." She concluded, pressing the button to send the two into R.O.N.
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A few minutes later on R.O.N. :
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"So..." Kit started, looking over at Sam.
"'So' what..?" Sam replied, glancing over to her.
"Who's this..."Hailey" girl?" she asked awkwardly. "You've never mentioned her before."
"Oh, Hailey? I told you about her, didn't I?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Uh no? That's why I'm asking, duh."
"Oh, uh- my bad." He replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, Hailey was my closest friend from my time at C.L.A.D.E. academy!"
With a big smile, he looked off to the horizon, his voice trailing off. "We used to do everything together."
Something about the way he had said it made Kit tinge with jealousy. "Your...closest friend...huh," she pondered.
His ear twitched when he noticed a bit of sadness laced in her normally chipper voice. "What I meant to say was, she's one of my closest friends." he corrected himself.
Before they could say anything else, R.O.N began shaking violently as they got caught in the blizzard.
Kit shrieked, her ears flopping down as she nearly fell out of her seat, her seatbelt keeping her from being thrown by the turbulence.
"I can barely see anything." Sam grumbled, squinting to try and see their surroundings. R.O.N lit up as they flew unsteadily through the harsh white winds. "Destination biome; *ding-doong* Asian Mountains." The ship chimed in the air. All Sam could see in front was white flakes covering the windshield. He noticed a small bit of grey getting bigger by the second...it looked like...
Sam yelped, swerving the ship to the side before they crashed straight into a mountain. Kit was thrown back in her seat with a scream, clawing at the armrests.
"Sam. Are. You. CRAZY?!" She screeched as they finally landed, her claws digging into her seat as her fur stood on end. She took lots of deep breaths to calm herself down, brushing down her fur as she put on her parka jacket to prepare for the sub-zero temperatures that laid ahead. The door clunked open, and a swift gust of cold wind, followed by snow, whooshed into their ship. Kit shivered, the cold air piercing her lungs with every breath. All she could make out through the blizzard was the powdery white snow, a couple rocks, and snow covered trees around where they landed.
"Brr! I really don't like the cold..." She mumbled, trying to warm up her hands with her breath. Nothing about this place was like her home, the desert. The only thing she found even remotely similar was the large expanse of glistening white snow, vaguely comparing to the sparkling sand dunes of her homeland.
Her snow leopard partner on the other hand, felt right at home in the chill.
He stood there, basking in the cold air for a moment, before getting abruptly pulled out of his trance by Kit, literally shaking him and pulling him by the arm, saying, "Come on Sam, let's go solve this case, find this...Hailey friend of yours, then go back to CLADE and get hot cocoa!" Sam complied, prompting her to let go of his arm as they walked together through the blizzard.
The two trekked for what felt like an hour to the general area of the transmission.
"I can't tell exactly where she sent the signal because of the blizzard. He frowned, looking at his iSpy gauntlet.
"So this is around where it was sent?" Kit pointed at the holographic map from his glove. "Doesn't look like it'll be too hard to find our missing agent." She smirked.
"Not exactly, Kit. Look." He replied, switching it to the 3-d map. "The message could be from anywhere down in that valley, all the way to the top of that mountain." He pointed out, a frown forming on his face.
"Ohh... yeah, that makes it much more complicated..." She sighed. A powerful sudden gust of wind pushed the two, making the kit fox lose her balance and slip down the small snowy hill they were standing on.
"Kit!" Sam yelled, running down to his partner who fell headfirst into the snow. He pulled her out of the pile she was in and said, "You alright, Kit?"
She spat out snow and spoke through clenched teeth, "I have snow...in my shirt."
Sam couldn't stop himself from snickering as she shivered and struggled aimlessly to remove the snow. "It's not funny Sam!" She gritted. "You're right, it's not funny...." He cleared his throat.
Plastering on a serious face, he reactivated his gauntlet and looked at the map for a second, then he pointed up to a cave at the base of the mountain and said, "There should be hot springs in that cave up there for you to warm up in if you want-"
"Thanks Sam!" She interrupted, running to the cave as fast as she could.
He laughed as he watched her enter the cave at the speed of light. "You're welcome!" He called back. Spotting a log nearby the cave entrance, he decided to sit there to wait for her and review the geography.
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"Oh-thank-goodness!" Kit rejoiced as she felt the warmth of the hot springs compared to the bitter chill of the ice going down her spine. She took off her jacket and shook out all the snow and ice from herself before she sat in the relaxing pool of hot water. "I usually hate it when Sam is right....but this time, thank you Sam Snow!" She sighed contentedly, laying in the spring's inviting heat.
She relaxed in the water for a few minutes before getting out to dry herself and her clothes. She was twisting out the water from her shirt when she noticed some pretty flowers growing in the cave. "Ooh!" She gasped, gazing at the flowers. The flowers were mesmerizing, the petals were a striking, vivid, brilliant blue color that connected to the yellow stamen that began the bright green stem. She powered on her iSpy goggles to scan them. "Hmm...the Himalayan blue poppy..." She muttered.
"These blue poppies are pretty~!" She smiled to herself.
With the warmth of the hot spring seeping into her bones, Kit took a moment to appreciate the stark contrast between the cozy cave and the raging blizzard outside. She exited the cave, her eyes immediately squinting against the blinding snow. "Sam, did you find any clues while I was warming up?" she called out, her voice carrying over the howling wind. Her fur was still slightly damp, but the heat from the spring had significantly reduced the cold's bite. She shivered slightly as the snowflakes kissed her nose and began to dance around her.
"What?" Sam asked, making his way over to her from the log where he'd been sitting. He'd been so focused on his map that he hadn't noticed Kit leave the cave. "I've been studying the geography, trying to figure out the most likely path Hailey would have taken before the blizzard hit. It's pretty treacherous up here, but she's really clever. She would've found shelter before it got too bad."
"Let's see," Kit said, peering over Sam's shoulder at the 3-D map projected by his iSpy gauntlet. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the terrain, noticing a small cave nestled between two towering peaks. "What about here?" she pointed, her finger touching the holographic display. The gesture was deliberate, a subtle attempt to redirect the conversation from the wolf she was beginning to feel a strange tug of jealousy towards. "It's protected from the wind and not too far from the main road. If she was hurt, she'd want to find cover quickly."
"That's... actually not a bad guess, Kit." Sam's expression grew more serious as he considered the possibility. "But we can't just assume. We have to check everywhere." He paused, his gaze drifting towards the cave. "But you might be onto something." He nodded, his eyes refocusing on the map. "Let's split up, you check that cave and I'll start looking around here. Remember, she's hurt, so don't go too far."
Kit nodded, her ears perking up. "Alright, Sam, I'll keep an eye out for her," she said, trying to sound more enthusiastic than she felt. The thought of this 'Hailey' made her feel a twinge of something unfamiliar, something that didn't sit right in her stomach. But she trusted Sam, so she pushed her feelings aside. "I'll be back soon," she promised, and with that, she darted up the mountain, running through the snow to reach the cave. The wind whipped around her, stinging her eyes, but she didn't stop. Once she reached the cave, she paused for a moment, the warm air from inside caressing her frozen nose. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what might be inside, then plunged into the darkness, her paws crunching against the icy floor. The cave was quiet, exept for the occasional drip of melting ice. She pulled out her flashlight from her pocket and shone it around the space, illuminating the glittering crystalline ice on the walls. It was beautiful, but she had a mission to complete.
"Be careful, Kit!" Sam called after her, his voice barely carrying over the wind. He watched her disappear into the snow before turning back to the map. His heart was racing, a mix of excitement for the case and concern for his old friend. He knew Hailey could handle herself, but the urgency in her message had been clear. He took a deep breath, the cold air filling his lungs, and set off in the opposite direction, scanning the surroundings with his iSpy gauntlet. The snow was deep, making it difficult to spot anything, but he was determined.
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As Kit ventured into the cave, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of jealousy towards Hailey. Why did Sam seem so excited to see her? Was she more than just a friend? She shrugged off the thought, focusing on the mission at hand. Her flashlight bobbed with each step, casting eerie shadows across the ice-covered walls. The cave was surprisingly vast, with several tunnels branching off. She took the one that looked the most traveled, her shoes leaving prints on the frozen ground.
Kit's breath fogged in the air as she followed the trail of footprints. She scanned them with her i-SPY goggles, looking through her collection of creature prints. They seemed to match wolf prints, but were too smudged for her to be sure. Her thoughts swirled around the mystery of this friend Sam talked about so fondly. Was she a rival? A love interest? A fellow detective? The uncertainty gnawed at her, but she pushed it aside. The mission comes first. She turned a corner and her flashlight beam caught the glint of something metal.
As Kit approached the glinting object, she saw it was a C.L.A.D.E. badge, the emblem still gleaming through the dusting of snow. Her eyes widened. It was Hailey's badge, it seemed to be in pristine condition, almost as if it had been placed there deliberately. She tucked it into her backpack and called out, her voice echoing through the cave.
"Hailey?"
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Hailey Growler, a Tibetan wolf with piercing blue eyes and a warm smile, had been Sam's confidant since their days at the C.L.A.D.E. Academy. They'd shared countless adventures and late-night study sessions. Her once pristine whiteish-cream fur, now matted with snow and ice, was a testament to the harsh conditions she'd endured. Despite her injury, she remained resilient, her spirit unbroken. Her thoughts drifted to Sam, hoping he'd be the one to find her. She felt a twinge of regret for not confiding her feelings sooner, but she knew it was a bit late for that now.
Hiding her pain, Hailey called out, "Is that... Sam?" She leaned against the cave wall, trying to listen for any signs of rescue. The howling wind outside muffled most sounds, but she thought she heard something... a faint echo, perhaps?
Kit's keen hearing perked up as she stopped in her tracks. The wind outside howled like a chorus of kindergartners screaming, but amidst the chaos, she swore she heard something. "Hello?" she echoed into the cave, her voice bouncing off the icy walls. It was faint, almost lost in the cacophony of the blizzard, but it was definitely a voice.
Hailey's ears twitched, the sound of a voice piercing through the numbing silence. It wasn't Sam's, though. Her eyes grew wide with surprise, and she called out with hope, "Sam?" Her voice was a whisper, carried by the wind and the vastness of the cave. She waited, her breath coming out in frosty puffs, for any sign of her friend. But what if it wasn't Sam? Who else would be out here in this storm? She pushed herself up, gritting her teeth against the pain in her leg, and shouted louder, "Sam? Is that you?" The echoes danced around her, taunting her with the possibility that she might be hallucinating from the cold.
The voice grew louder, and Kit's heart pounded in her chest. It was definitely someone calling for Sam! She dashed through the cave, her paws slipping on the slick ice as she followed the echoes. "This way!" she shouted, her breath misting in the freezing air. The blizzard's howl was a constant reminder of the danger they were all in. Finally, she saw a figure huddled in the shadows. "I'm from C.L.A.D.E.," she announced as she approached, her eyes locking onto the wolf's form as she pulled out her badge. "I'm looking for Hailey Growler."
Kit emerged into the cavern where the voice had come from, and the figure of Hailey grew clearer. The wolf was leaning against the wall, her eyes reflecting the light from Kit's i-SPY with a mix of hope and pain.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Hailey's features for a brief moment, her eyes searching Kit's. But then she saw the genuine care in the fox's gaze and the C.L.A.D.E. patch on her jacket. "Oh, thank goodness," she murmured, her voice weak with relief. "I'm Hailey... I've been waiting for Sam." A hint of a smile played at the corners of her lips despite the shiver that ran through her. "But I guess you'll do." Her eyes searched Kit's, looking for any sign of hostility or mockery. Despite her condition, she was still a trained agent and knew not to let her guard down completely.
Kit felt a prickle of annoyance at the remark but reminded herself that Hailey was hurt and likely just tired. She knelt beside the wolf and shone the flashlight on her leg, her eyes widening at the sight of the swollen ankle. "Looks like you've got yourself a sprained leg," she said matter-of-factly, her voice soothing. "Don't worry, I'll get you out of here."
Kit pulled out her iSpy goggles, pressing a button to initiate a call. "Sam, you're not going to believe this," she said, her voice a mix of excitement and relief. "I found her! Hailey's in here, but she's hurt. Sprained her ankle pretty badly." The wind howled in the background, carrying her words through the storm. She glanced at Hailey, who offered a weak smile. "Yeah, she's okay, just needs some help." She paused, watching the snowflakes dance in the beam of her flashlight.
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Sam's eyes lit up at Kit's voice in his earpiece, a smile breaking through his worried expression. "You found her? That's fantastic, Kit!" He shouted over the blizzard, his breath misting in the cold air. "I'm on my way!" He turned on his heel, his tail fluttering in the wind. The snow crunched under his paws as he sprinted back towards the cave, his heart racing with a mix of excitement and relief.
Sam burst into the cave, panting from the exertion, his fur ruffled by the wind. He spotted Kit and Hailey in the dim light, the latter leaning against the icy wall. "Hailey!" He called out, his voice filled with genuine warmth. The snowflakes caught in his fur sparkled as he approached, the cold no match for his excitement.
Hailey's eyes lit up like the stars in a winter sky as Sam rushed to her side. She couldn't help the wide smile that spread across her frostbitten muzzle. "Sam!" she exclaimed, her voice a hoarse whisper of joy. Relief flooded through her, and she felt a bit of strength return to her shivering body. As Sam knelt beside her, she glanced at Kit, curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar scent and the C.L.A.D.E. patch on her jacket. "Sam, who's your friend?" she asked, her voice still weak but filled with a hint of amusement.
Sam chuckled, his eyes sparkling with warmth as he met Kit's gaze for a brief moment. "This is Kit," he said, his British accent cutting through the cold air. "She's not just a friend, she's my partner at C.L.A.D.E.." "We're here to bring you home, Hailey. You're going to be okay." His gaze grew more serious as he assessed her injury, his thumb brushing the iSpy gauntlet on his wrist. "We need to get you out of here before you get any worse. Can you walk?"
Hailey's smile faltered a bit at the mention of 'partner'. She had always hoped for something more with Sam... and he may have just given her an idea to help make it happen. "Walk?" she replied, her voice a mix of sarcasm and pain. "With this ankle?" She looked at Kit, then back to Sam, her eyes pleading. "I can't put any weight on it, Sam. You know how much I hate asking for help, but I need you to carry me."
As Sam turned to Hailey with a concerned look, Kit felt a peculiar twist in her gut. She watched the way Sam's eyes softened at the sight of his injured friend, the gentle way he spoke to her. It was clear they had history, a bond that ran deeper than mere colleagues. And there she was, a kit fox with a messy lifestyle and a penchant for snacking on weird things, suddenly feeling inadequate beside this poised, beautiful wolf. Her thoughts swirled like the snowflakes around them, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt. Was she truly the right partner for Sam? Maybe... just maybe, she was holding him back... Kit's heart sank as she watched Sam carefully scoop Hailey into his arms, her fur starkly white against his grey fur.
"Let's get her back to C.L.A.D.E.," Kit said, her voice a tad too cheerful to mask the insecurity that had suddenly wormed its way into her heart. She tried to focus on the task at hand, the blizzard's fury seemingly mirroring the turmoil inside her. She turned her gaze away, focusing on the path ahead, trying to push the unsettling feelings aside. But as they made their way through the treacherous snow, the cold wind seemed to whisper, "You're not good enough."