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Snow cracked under his claws with every slow step. Wemmbu’s breath turned to mist and vanished in the icy air. He liked it here... the quiet, the cold, the sharp wind that cut through the stillness. His scales shimmered faintly purple under the dim light.
But there was movement ahead, heat shimmered faintly in the air, a distortion that did not belong in this place. He narrowed his eyes. The figure was hunched, his steps uneven. A faint orange glow pulsed under the frost coating his amor.
Flame.
Wemmbu stopped. The Blaze-hybrid shouldn't be here. His presence alone should have turned snow to steam, but instead, he looked... small and miserable. He was trembling and his breath came out ragged and visible.
Wemmbu tilted his head, almost amused and took another step forward. The snow crunched loudly.
Flame’s head jerked up, his hand darted to his sword and in a moment the blade was drawn, though his grip was unsteady. The edge reflected the pale light of the frozen sun.
„You really want to fight me like this?“ Wemmbu asked, smirking. He looked Flame up and down.
Flame’s jaw tightened. He straightened, forcing his shivering body to obey. „Sounds like a fair fight, bro. “
„Sure, it’s not like you’re freezing to death right now,” Wemmbu pointed out lazily.
Wemmbu’s tail swept through the snow, drawing a slow arc. „You’re literally dying right now.“
Flame’s breath came out harsh. „I’m just looking for something, so fuck off.“
„And what’s that? A quick death?“ Wemmbu took a few steps closer, „you’re not built for this cold, bro. You're... extinguishing.“
Flame’s lips twisted into something between a grin and a grimace. „I can still burn you if I have to.“
Wemmbu laughed. „Sure, you can,“ he said mockingly.
Flame moved first. His boots slid slightly on the frozen ground as he lunged forward, blade flashing with faint embers. Wemmbu sidestepped easily, the strike missing by inches.
Another swing, slower and weaker. Wemmbu caught his wrist mid-swing and twisted it effortlessly. The sword dropped, clattering into the snow.
„Enough,“ Wemmbu said annoyed, „You’re going to freeze before you even land a hit.“
Flame tried to pull back, but his knees buckled. The world tilted. He barely felt it when Wemmbu caught him before he hit the ground. The enderdragon hybrid sighed and looked around. Snow began to fall again.
Wemmbu was beyond annoyed. His rival just collapsed in front of him. Sure, he could just leave him here to die, but...
„You really are stubborn,“ Wemmbu muttered. He pulled off his jacket and threw it over Flame’s shoulders.
„Don’t... touch me,“ Flame rasped weakly.
„Shut up,“ Wemmbu said sharply. „OR do you really want to die here.“
Flame frowned but stayed silent. His eyes stayed on Wemmbu, even tho they were threatening to shut.
Wemmbu gave a faint sight: „Come on I saw a cave with a lava flow not far from here.” He put his arm around his shoulder and half dragged him there.
The cave mouth appeared as a jagged wound in the mountainside, half-shrouded by a curtain of falling snow. Faint warm light was coming from it. Wemmbu ducked under the arch of ice, dragging Flame behind him. The Blaze-hybrid’s weight leaned heavy on his shoulder, his amor clinking faintly with every step.
Inside, the world grew quiet. The wind died to a whisper. A yellow-red glow pulsed from the crack in the rock where molten stone moved slow and steady.
„Perfect,“ Wemmbu muttered. He half-lifted, half-dragged Flame toward it and eased him down against the stone a block away from the lava. The heat filled the air, soft but steady.
Flame’s breathing out a relieved sigh. His skin was still cold despite the warmth gathering around them. Wemmbu crouched beside him, rubbing his hands together, unsure why he even bothered to save his rival. He wasn’t used to tending to others.
He stepped back and watched as the colour slowly returned to Flame’s face. He sat down across from him, tail flicking idly against the stone. For a long time, neither of them spoke.
Flame’s breathing steadied. He cracked open one eye, the faint glow behind his pupils weak but alive. „Didn’t think you’d... play saviour, bro,“ he muttered hoarsely.
„Don’t get used to it,“ Wemmbu said, tone flat. He tossed a pebble into the lava, watching it vanish with a faint pop. „I just didn’t want to deal with a server full of chungies.“
Flame gave a quiet laugh that dissolved into a cough. Wemmbu’s gaze flicked to him, cringing at the sound: „You sound horrible, bro.”
Flame pushed himself upright with effort, leaning against the wall. His hair stuck damply to his forehead, the ends faintly smoking as the heat returned to him. „I feel horrible,“ he said after a pause. „Do you have food by any chance?“
Wemmbu rolled his eyes but dropped him some golden carrot. Flame devoured them. Guess almost dying makes hungry.
For a while, neither spoke. The only sound was the faint hiss of the lava and the soft crack of cooling stone.
Then, Flame whispered, „...Thanks.“
Wemmbu didn’t answer. He just sat down beside him, putting one of his wings around the other to trap the warmth and keep the Blaze-hybrid warm.
Flame’s eyes drifted shut again, his breathing steadier now. Wemmbu watched him for a while longer, then leaned back against the cave wall.
He liked how quiet it felt when someone else wasn’t dying anymore.