Frost Blooded

Chapter 2

We trudged across the tundra silently. I kept glancing over at my rescuer. He was handsome, tall with tousled brown hair and bright green eyes. His skin looked tan, which was rare for anyone since the warm days had passed. He walked with confidence, like he knew who he was and where he belonged, something I wished I could say for myself.

"So, I never asked your name." The man noted.

"I'm Jenny," I answered, my voice cracking.

"Derek." He stopped and reached out his hand.

"N.. nice to meet you." I stammered, shaking his hand.

"You too, Hun." He smiled at me. "Why are you looking for the city anyway? It could just be a rumor."

"I've... been on my own for a long time." I sounded pitiful, "It's time for a fresh start."

"Fair enough." He turned and kept walking. "I'll get you there, if it's there, safely. Nothing will hurt you as long as I'm around." He looked back at me and flashed that perfect smile. "I promise."

I smiled back and followed after him, wondering what this could turn into. Could he actually be as perfect as in my dream?

After we walked about ten miles, we came across some rocky terrain. "Come on, Hun. There's probably a cave up here. We can start a fire and eat something." He started climbing up one of the mountainsides, pausing every ten feet or so to help me and make sure I was keeping up.

We must've climbed at least 200 feet before he found a suitable cave. He reached out from the cave mouth to haul me up, and I gasped in awe. The cave walls were lit up with a rainbow of different gemstones that seemed to generate their own light. The sight was more beautiful than the lights that danced in the sky every night.

"What are these?" I wandered around, running my hands along the walls, noting the different textures.

"I call them glowstones." Derek answered. "They're only found high up in caves on the mountains. I like to think that our ancestors from the warm days left them to remind us that there's hope."

"That's almost poetic." I laughed, taking a mental note that there was a sentimental side to Derek.

"What can I say?" He put his hands up as if in surrender. "I'm a dreamer."

"Well, dreamer boy," I teased. "Are you going to teach me how to start a fire and cook so that we can actually eat on this trip."

"But of course, My Lady!" He mock bowed before pulling out some twigs and moss from his pack. He showed me how to use your hands to twist a strong stick in the middle of flammable items to create a spark to start a fire. "It's friction," he explained. "The faster the stick is moving, the more friction it causes on what's underneath, and when it builds up enough, it sparks."

"How'd you learn all this stuff?" I asked.

"I've been on my own a lot too," He looked down. "Both of my parents died in the earthquake. I used to follow the men out to hunt, though, and they taught me enough to survive. The rest, I had to learn on my own."

"I lost my mother in that earthquake too." I looked down at the fire, casting shadows on the cave walls, flickering and dancing without a care in the world. "A few years later, my father disappeared without an explanation. I've been on my own since."

"Oh, come here." Derek pulled me close, wiping a tear from my eye. "At least now I know why the ancestors brought us together." He was whispering in my ear now, making my heart flutter. "We've gone through the same pain. We can heal together."

A/N What a coincidence? (Insert smirk here) I'm sorry this one's short guys, but I hope you enjoy it. As always please vote if you liked it and comment with any critique and/or ideas.