"This is certainly not my idea of fun," Ming-Ming announced to anyone who cared to listen. Everyone was forced to shelter inside the lodge, as no one particularly wanted to hang around outside and be rained on. While said rain hadn't eventuated yet, it was only a matter of time before the heavens opened and drenched everything in sight. In addition to the promise of future rain, it was a cold, windy day, and nobody particularly enjoyed the bite of ice carried by the wind, except the Russian team, all of whom were outside doing god knows what.
"It's nobody's idea of fun, but unless you want to be rained on, you'll have to deal." Julia appeared to be losing her patience with the pampered pop star; Hilary had lost hers fifteen minutes ago and was currently braving the weather outside with Mariah in an attempt to calm down. It didn't seem to be working however, as the two girls were still outside, Mariah huddled into her jacket on the porch while Hilary paced relentlessly back and forth, anger evident in every stride.
"I'm going for a walk," Hilary announced.
"D-don't," Mariah stammered, shivering from the icy wind.
"You don't have to come." Hilary turned on her heel, surprised when Mariah leapt up and followed her.
"Yes I do; I couldn't stand listening to Ming-Ming. Who knows, it might warm me up." She smiled weakly at the brunette, still shivering through her jacket.
"Come on, let's race. If running won't warm you up, I don't know what will." With that Hilary turned, running across the little courtyard, Mariah right on her heels.
"Where's the finish?" shouted the pink-haired girl, struggling to make herself heard over the whistle of the wind.
"We'll do a lap of the courtyard." Hilary began to run, outpacing Mariah until she nearly tripped over Ian. Managing not to fall on the younger boy, she overbalanced and fell backwards onto her rear. Mariah passed by laughing, continuing her lap of the courtyard.
"I win!" she cheered, turning to wave cheekily at the brunette.
"Only because I fell," Hilary mumbled, climbing to her feet.
"Yeah, what's with that?" Ian sounded annoyed. "You could have killed me."
"Well, you shouldn't have been in the way!" Hilary snapped, her forgotten anger rising up with renewed force.
"Come on Hil, calm down," Mariah panted, having jogged over at the sound of raised voices. The other Russians all appeared to be unconcerned with their younger teammate's antics, leaving Mariah to try and contain Hilary's temper.
"It's not my fault you don't look where you're going," retorted Ian, evidently not knowing Hilary well enough to recognise the danger signs of her temper.
"Come on guys, it was an accident." Mariah offered the statement like an olive branch, an offer of peace that both parties ignored.
"I was looking where I was going! You were in the way you little shrimp!" Hilary glared at Ian, who glared right back. Mariah backed up slightly, shaking her head. When the two continued to bicker, she walked away, moving to join the other boys.
"I AM NOT A HAG!" Hilary's shout reverberated around the courtyard, drawing interested glances from the lucky bladers still inside. Mariah winced, holding her hands to her ears in reflex. Her actions drew amused glances from Tala and Spencer, and no reaction at all from Bryan or Kai. Turning around, she noticed Ian running for his life from a very angry Hilary.
"Whatever. I am not getting involved." Mariah turned back to the boys. "What?"
"Nothing. Do you think she'll kill him?" Tala asked casually, like it was an everyday occurrence to watch attempted murder.
"If he keeps insulting her, yes." Mariah shivered again, trying to huddle deeper into her jacket.
"Cold?" The redhead asked, not sounding particularly concerned.
"F-freezing," Mariah stammered, pulling her jacket even tighter around herself. "It's the wind, I think. It feels like it should be snowing."
"It probably will later," Bryan muttered. Mariah looked at him curiously, but he didn't respond, instead choosing to shoot Tala what was to Mariah an indecipherable look. Mariah was about to begin questioning the two when Hilary stomped over, panting slightly.
"Hi, Hilary." Mariah began chirpily, hoping Hilary had worked off her anger.
"Hey, Riah." Hilary sounded much calmer now. Mariah had no idea what she might have done to Ian to work off all her anger, and she was also pretty sure she didn't want to know. The Russian boys seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as Spencer had gone to see if Ian was still alive, Kai had vanished, probably back inside where it was warm, and Tala was talking to Bryan who didn't seem to be too enthusiastic about the conversation.
"Come for a walk, Mariah?"
"Oh no, we just did that and look what happened."
"I nearly killed Ian, so what?" Mariah sweat-dropped at that.
"You nearly committed murder! Don't you know that's a crime?"
"Come on, I never killed him and I won't do it this time either!" With that reassurance, Hilary grabbed Mariah, dragging her into the surrounding woods for a walk.
"I don't think that's a good idea," muttered Tala, jerking his head in the direction of the disappearing girls when Bryan looked at him curiously.
"If they're stupid enough to get caught in the rain..."
"We should stop them."
"What? Why?" Bryan looked at Tala like he'd sprouted another head.
"We're supposed to be trying to be social, remember?" Tala began walking after the girls, smiling inside when Bryan followed him, muttering unintelligible curses under his breath in both English and Russian.
"Ooh, don't you love the woods?" Hilary cooed, prancing happily along the path. Mariah, still shivering, hurried along behind, trying not freeze to death or get left behind by Hilary.
"Hilary, don't you think we should go back now? It could rain any minute and Bryan said it might snow." Mariah was anxious; she wasn't particularly fond of the cold and she wanted to be inside where it was warm.
"Huh? You got Bryan to talk?" Hilary turned back to her friend.
"Well, not really. Seriously Hilary, we should go back."
"Fine, we'll go. Can you remember which way the lodge is?"
"What, can't you? I thought you knew." Mariah was beginning to panic; she did not want to die of hypothermia. She glanced around quickly, but could see nothing in the way of landmarks that would help her remember which way they'd come.
"Uh, Hilary?"
"Yeah? You remembered the way?"
"No. I think we're lost."
"Oh crap."
"Urgh, I hate the woods." Bryan had been muttering a continuous stream of complaints as the two boys followed the girls through the woods, taking careful note of which way they'd come from. This however was the first decipherable one he'd uttered in English. The rest had sounded like gobbledegook to Tala.
"Why?" Hopefully he could bring Bryan out of his little moody moment; the older boy was not good company when he was angry. Tala half-turned, expecting an answer, and he was more than a little annoyed when the other kept walking straight past him. Tala hurried to catch up, nearly colliding with Bryan when the other stopped right in front of him.
"Think they realise they're lost yet?" Tala asked, trying to contain his irritation.
"Not yet," Bryan murmured looking at the path ahead. Stepping around him, Tala was finally able to see the two girls, who appeared to be having an argument about going back to the lodge.
"How much longer do you give them?"
"Ten seconds," Bryan said confidently. Sure enough, Mariah's raised voice carried clearly to the two boys.
"Uh, Hilary?"
"Yeah? You remembered the way?"
"No. I think we're lost."
"Idiots," Bryan muttered, beginning down the path towards the two girls, who had begun to continue along the path, despite the fact that they were lost and moving would only worsen the problem.
"Where are you going?" Tala asked slyly, knowing that as much as he pretended otherwise, Bryan must care a little if he didn't have to be physically forced to help the two girls.
"Trying to be social, remember?" Tala decided not to push any further, as he could see the signs of Bryan losing his already short temper. Deciding discretion was the better part of valour, he followed his teammate towards the two girls.