Cold Morning
A/N: So I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this yet... But here's the next chapter!
And thanks for the reviews from Tacitus labs and SingularStevie! They really made my day!
Tacitus labs: Don't worry, I intend to finish this to the end. :)
SingularStevie: I hope I live up to your expectations with this chapter. :)
Enjoy!
.:.
It was a cold morning. Snow fell in layers outside, oblivious to the wishes of the many people whose walkways it began to pile up on. As the fluffy flakes fell, they chilled the air around them, tracing intricate patterns upon windows. At a lake far from the nearest township, these flakes formed a layer of ice on the surface of the water, chilling the air in the surrounding area. The beast was annoyed, its escape plan delayed by this unexpected snowfall. As the ice began to spread, the water below was strangely warm, a steady stream of bubbles coming up from an unknown source of heat.
If one was to look closer, they might notice a light at the bottom of the lake, appearing to flicker in and out of the seaweed that covered the floor of the lake.
If one was to look closer still, they might catch a glimpse of the source of the fire, a steady stream of phosphorus and fire coming out of a strange, tentacle-like structure.
If one was to look closer still, they would notice that the fire did in fact come out of the tentacle.
But by then it would be too late.
.:.
Alek stirred as the sun hit his face, the first rays of dawn creeping in through the slitted curtains of his room. He glimpsed at the falling flakes outside, before groaning and turning over, away from the sunlight, at a futile attempt to catch more hours of sleep. Just as he was getting comfortable again, Deryn burst into the room shouting some incomprehensible words, shocking him into a state of alertness, while Bovril stared at her with a bemused expression, perched upon his bedside table.
"ALEK! GET UP! I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!" He murmured his objections from beneath his pillow, pulling the blankets up high over his head. Deryn shrugged, walked up to him, and in one deft move, pulled the blankets onto the ground, exposing his body, only covered in thin pyjamas, to the freezing air circulating inside the room.
"Go away." he mumbled, curling up into a ball in an attempt to retain the heat of his body.
"Blisters Alek, we have to go soon!" Deryn said, exasperation apparent in her tone.
"Go where?" he asked still in a futile attempt to catch more sleep.
"That's what I'm here to tell you ninny!" Sighing, she rolled him towards the edge of the bed and pushed him off, his body crashing onto the floor with a loud thud.
Alek got up off the floor, rubbing his head, and looked at Deryn reproachfully. His back ached from when it had made contact with the floor, and his head was spinning from the rush of blood to his head. He grunted in pain as Deryn yanked him off the floor, taking a few steps towards the wall fighting to keep his balance. At least now he was vaguely aware of his surroundings.
"You didn't have to do that you know." Deryn grinned.
"All in good fun!" she replied, too enthusiastically for Ale's liking.
"Fun." echoed Bovril, before giggling to itself. "Bum-rag."
"What are you trying to say, beastie?" asked Deryn, peering closely at the loris. Bovril continued to giggle in reply. Deryn rolled her eyes.
"I wouldn't say crashing off the bed, after a nice long sleep mind you, is fun, Deryn." said Alek, still aching from the impact with the ground.
She ignored him, her eyes drawn upwards to another point of interest. She started to shudder, small noises escaping her as she struggled to contain her laughter. She was making some very girly noises right now, Alek thought, as he followed her gaze upwards. He sighed.
"Very funny. Of course my hair is going to be perfect from the moment I wake up." he said sarcastically. At this point Deryn looked like she was choking, hacking and coughing hard into her hand. Alek continued on, saying "Yes, my hair must be the funniest thing in the world right now, to warrant such a reaction, Mr Sharp." Deryn struggled to keep a straight face, before bursting out doubled over in laughter, coming out in short sharp bursts of sound.
"Your hair…" she managed, before bursting out into another bout of laughing fits. Alek glared at her, silently willing her to stop, before realising he was having absolutely no effect on her irregular bouts of laughter. Resignedly, he got up and walked over to his wardrobe to get dressed. He turned back to look at her,
"Do you mind?" asked Alek, meaningfully glancing at the door.
"Of course, your princeliness. One must keep at an appropriate distance at all times." she said, mimicking the formal tones of Count Volger. She paused, a thought passing across her face. "Then again, it's not like I haven't seen anything like that before." Deryn again struggled to keep a straight face, while Alek tried to figure out the meaning behind her words. As always, he gave up, the mystery unsolved, and pointed at the door.
"Door." he said adamantly, unamused by her stubbornness.
"Bum-rag." she replied. Deryn started to walk to the door, when Bovril spoke.
"Lake Kraken." Alek looked quizzically at the creature, waiting for a further explanation, of which none was forth coming. From Bovril at least. He then turned to Deryn, waiting for an explanation. Deryn stopped at the doorway, thought for a moment, then spun around to face Alek.
"Wait! Now I remember why I got you out of bed!" she uttered triumphantly. Alek only stared wearily at her. He was still tired, after all.
"We're going out to the lake today to collect some specimens for Dr. Barlow." At this Alek groaned, while Deryn tossed him an incredulous look. "It's a fair bit away, and it's snowing outside, and its cold, so I suppose you better get dressed in warm clothes." She glanced at the pair of pants he was holding in his left hand, unsuited to the cold weather outside. "Unless you want to freeze your bum off."
"Sure I do." Alek replied sarcastically. Deryn grinned, while Bovril let out another one of its mad giggles.
"Well then, see you at breakfast. We're leaving after, so you better be ready before then."
"Yes, liebe. I wouldn't miss it for the world." There was a subtle hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Now would you please go away?" She rolled her eyes.
"Oh, and one more thing."
"What is it now?" The annoyance in his tone was unmistakable.
"Good morning." Pulling him in close, she kissed him. He responded in kind, somewhat surprised. But he didn't complain.
After a few seconds they pulled apart, a small smile now on both of their faces.
"Morning then." he replied, turning back to his wardrobe. As Deryn walked out, he muttered under his breath.
"Still a bum-rag." she heard faintly.
"I heard that!" Deryn's voice yelled from the hallway. He smiled wistfully, wishing there could be more than these brief morning kisses.
Today is going to a fun day, he thought. Even if it was freezing cold.
.:.
As Alek shrugged himself into his heavy winter coat, he thought about the cold weather outside. He thought about how they were going on yet another specimen collecting expedition. And how today, he was going to have to go outside in the cold, with only his thick coat to keep him warm, while the snow piled up on the ground around him.
As he dressed, he started to daydream of the nice warmth of the lab, tainted with the smells of a thousand species, along with the faint reek of clart. But at least it was warm. All he had to look forward to outdoors was a long day of collecting a few barking samples of fish. And maybe a few crabs or frogs, if they were lucky. Blisters, he thought, they were even planning on collecting the seaweed in the area! It's probably below zero outside he thought, as he noted how the hot condensation of his breath materialised in front of him, reacting with the cold air in his room. Why today, of all days? Couldn't they have waited until they had some warmer weather?
He tried to think of excuses to get out of going out to the lake. But then he sighed, knowing that Deryn would be going, dragging him along screaming if she had to. He knew this from previous experience. And then there was Dr. Barlow, who was coming along of course to oversee events. Of course, he thought between those two there's no getting out of it.
Resigned to his fate, he pulled his hood over his head, stomping out of the room and down the hallway, following the smell of bacon and eggs in the air. At least breakfast smelled good.
