(Editing) Hide and Seek: Taken Series Book 1

Chapter Six

Finished - Mar 30, 2021

Word Count - 1391 

Music - BrunuhVille - Tales of Ice and Blood 

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Harsh wind tossed Natsu's hair wildy, his clothes using his body as a flagpole in the crazy conditions. Yet he still moved forwards, leading the group to their hopeful destination. Despite the frigid temperatures and raging storm, Natsu did not feel cold. Granted his comrades did not share his opinion, for they all trailed behind him, counting on his nose and lack-luster sense of direction.

However, because of the wind and snow, Natsu couldn't use his nose to smell anything other than sleet. Plus the roar of the wind drowned his ears from hearing anything more than a few feet in front or behind him. Thus; making his super senses useless.

"Smell anything?" Happy asked, hiding in Natsu's vest.

"Sorry buddy, it's hard to find anything in this weather." Natsu sighed.

"This is supposed to be the biggest storm of the year. It's not supposed to let up for several days." Wendy stated her new information she had gathered from the town at the base of Mount Hakobe.

"Maybe we should wait until then? It's impossible to even see anything at the moment." Grey confessed. If the ice mage was having a hard time in a blizzard, then it was obviously a harsh storm.

"No!" Natsu turned around harshly. "Lucy is also out in this storm, we can't just leave her!"

"Natsu is right. Plus, if we wait all the evidence will be completely covered by the snow." Erza supported Natsu.

"Then we keep going. For Lucy." Happy's teeth chattered against Natsu's shoulder.

The group continued on, searching and praying for any type of sign of their missing friend. After what seemed hours of endless wondering Erza spotted something in the distance.

"Look! A cave!" She pointed and started jogging towards her new find.

"If anything, it is shelter." Grey and the other also started making their way to the cave.

The moment Natsu entered the cave, he was able to hear and smell "normally", normal at least for his heightened senses. Thus he immediately smelled Lucy's scent.

"Guys, I can smell her. She must be close!" Natsu dove deeper into the cave, following her smell.

Running at an alarming pace, he didn't have to go far when he saw an amazing sculpture. A massive tree-like structure of ice swirled down from the top of the cave. It was incredibly huge and took up most of the space.

"Wow." Wendy stopped in her tracks just behind Natsu.

"Look at the size of that thing." Erza observed in awe.

"That was obviously created by magic." Charlie stated. "No way something of that nature would form on its own."

Natsu's nose led him to the bottom of the structure and he noticed that there was a small opening. He could barely see into it through the gaps within the tree's "roots". Bending down on his knees, he looked into a hole and saw there was definitely a space inside large enough for a person. However, though it smelled strongly of Lucy's scent, it was empty.

Natsu deflated and slumped back on his knees, Lucy was not there. They were too late. He could feel the sting in his eyes as his hopes sunk.

"She's not here." Natsu stated, without looking back at his comrades.