RED ROBIN-
After I awoke from my first deep sleep that followed the shock of the cold, Dick ordered me to continue resting. My body, like my mind, was still in a haze. What Dick had said before turned into a blur of words and nonsense in my mind, but I slowly began to process the information: 'teleported', he had said. 'Alien planet,' and…'biological anomaly'? What does that…Oh yeah. I stretched my legs, but they only extended a fraction of what they used to. I was shorter. Younger.
And freezing.
He had also informed me of my condition. I mentally tried to recite the symptoms of hypothermia- shivering, drowsiness, confusion, and so forth. Check, check, and check.
I stretched my arms and legs in my cocoon of furs once more, and yawned.
"Welcome back, sleeping beauty." Jason leaned against the wall beside my bed and smirked.
"Jason. I…Uh, where's Dick?" I could tell my words were slurred, but lacked the coherence to pronunciate.
"Out like a light." He nodded towards the bat sitting by the fireplace; acting as a pillow the youngest sleeping boy. Damian's tiny head rested on Dick's arm, and the eldest's head tilted to the side and snored. I was sure Damian had been fast asleep before Dick even tried to get so close. The scene would almost be heartwarming if it weren't, well, Damian.
"We're taking shifts," Jason continued. "Not that I don't thoroughly enjoy watching you sleep." He almost looked demonic with the orange light of the fire casting shadows on his face. It was only now that I noticed the fire was the only light in the shelter. I looked out of the doorway, and saw only darkness.
"How long was I asleep?!" I sounded more like a loud and confused drunk man than legitimately concerned. Or, I guess, a confused drunk ten-year-old would be more accurate.
"Relax- it's only been a couple hours. Days are probably shorter on this planet. Why, do you have somewhere special to be?"
"Right; alien planet. Of course. How silly of me to forget." I retorted. Jason ignored me. "Look, I can take watch for a bit. Get some rest."
"Ha! You can hardly speak, Timmy, no way I'm trusting you with our—my life." I guess my daze was more noticeable than I thought. "Besides, Dick swore he'd end me if you weren't in tip-top shape tomorrow. As funny as that'd be to watch, you need your rest so we can get the hell out of here."
I turned to my other side, and lay facing the wall. After wrapping more furs over my frozen self, I was soon enveloped once again by the darkness of unconsciousness.
NIGHTWING-
I awoke to the sun's glare in my eyes and a chilled breeze. It was already morning, but- I couldn't have slept more than a few hours…
Oh yeah. I then remembered our…predicament.
I rubbed my eyes and stretched both arms, causing a miniature Damian to groan in his sleep and curl up closer against my side. Reaching over him, I gently rubbed his shoulder to warm up his small body. He's going to kill me.
The fire was only alive in some glowing coals, but all other candles had been blown out by the wind. The only warmth came from the rays of sun that breeched the shelter. One of which shot straight into my eyes. I could have moved, but Damian just looked too…peaceful. Maybe even adorable. I decided not to tell him that.
Also sat in a ray of sun was Tim's cot. The orange furs caught the light and seemed to glow. His young hand hung off the edge, but quickly retracted as he rustled in the pelts and repositioned himself.
Left of the bed was Jason. Asleep, he was still standing; leaning back with his arms crossed and head down. Gee, thanks for keeping a look out. I can always count on you to keep us safe.
The bat family has always been notorious for poor sleeping habits. However, either the calming silence of the tribal village, or the cold had affected them more than I had thought, they all seemed content and buried in deep sleep.
"Jason." I whispered across the room, and then louder. "Jason, wake up!"
His arms twitched, and more black hair fell over his eyes.
I brought my only non-restricted hand to my mouth; speaking loud enough to pierce his selective hearing, but quiet enough to not wake the youngest-two. "JAY-BIRD!"
He jolted awake and nearly fell forward, catching himself on the cot, the other hand on his gun. "DON'T YOU EVER FUCKING CALL ME THAT AGAIN OR I SWEAR…Oh." He strained his back, blinked, and ran a hand through his hair. "Jesus, Dick. Don't call me that."
I grinned.
Tim now sat up, alarmed. "What happened?!"
"Nothing, Tim. Do you feel ok?"
He massaged his temple and winced. "Ok enough." I squinted at him. "I feel better. What's the plan?"
"First things first; we need to find food and water. Then we can look for answers."
A weight lifted off my side as Damian lifted his head, rubbed his eyes, and yawned. His eyes quickly widened and he sat straight up; scooting away from me. "Ugh-get off me, Grayson!" Damian's face became a deep red, and he straightened his clothes. Jason chuckled.
"Good morning to you too, Damian."
He mumbled an embarrassed string of curse words.
I stood and stretched, feeling the over-sized suit hang off my body. "Forget what I said; first we need some clothes."
ROBIN-
This uncivilized dump was freezing. I could hardly feel my extremities, and I had undoubtedly caught a cold. The hut stunk of dead animals, bad breath, and cigarettes. Oh wait, I sniffed the air and caught another whiff of the reek. That's just Jason.
"Good lord, Todd. Your stench is making my eyes water."
"Funny," Drake spoke as he stepped out of his perch. "I get the same reaction when you speak."
"Seriously, Jason, you…are you smoking?" Grayson fanned a hand in front of his face, and looked up from his search for clothing.
I turned to the disgrace, and saw as he sucked in a lung full of fumes. He shut his eyes, and slowly blew out a cloud of smoke into the air. I gagged.
He smirked. "What does it look like I'm doing?"
"You look like you're going to get cancer. Our bodies are younger, Jason, you can't do that kind of damage to yourself. Besides, there's a kid in here." Dick motioned in my direction. The three others looked down at me with amusement.
This was sickening.
"I am NOT a—" Words left my mouth sounding squeaky and whiny. I was not whiny. Slowly, I took a breath and calmly spoke. "I am not a child."
Jason exhaled more smoke and laughed. "Whatever, baby-bird."
I sprung, teeth clenched, and fists clasped. He stepped backwards in surprise, and I was stopped only by a tugging force on my sides. "You will regret that, Todd!" My voice sounded vicious, and I held back a grin.
The hands gripping onto my sides began to pull me up and I…I struggled in the grip. "Put me down, Grayson!"
I could hear Drake say something unintelligent and laugh.
He hoisted me up to his chest, and restrained my arms. "Calm down, Damian."
"I was trained to kill at the age of three, Grayson; I could easily break your hands, regardless my size!"
He didn't respond, but kept me pinned. The hut was silent for nearly a minute, and I ceased my struggling.
"Are you calmed down?"
I nodded once, and he released me onto the floor.
"Just…go wait outside for now, ok?"
Grudgingly heading towards the opening in the side of the shelter, I turned to Todd. He looked down at me and raised his eyebrows. I took another breath and spoke again.
"I was never a child."
I continued towards the exit.
"Damian, wait… Here." Grayson held out a small animal fur blanket. I looked him in the eye, took it, and left.
RED HOOD-
"You look like idiots." I laughed, putting my last remaining pack of cigarettes in my pocket.
With still no sign of the old woman, we pillaged the shelter for necessities. Dick had managed to find some sort of white thick cloth pants, along with a few sewn fur-parkas. The pelts seemed to have come from a type of elk, but the hoods and sleeves were brimmed with a grey-tan fluff.
Underneath a pile of junk, I found a single pair of leather boots, but mine where perfectly fine. Oversized, albeit, but fine. And there was no way I'd trade in my leather jacket for a fucking Eskimo costume.
"And you look like you're going to freeze. At least our clothes fit." Tim retorted, pulled the fury hood over his head, and tightened the leather drawstring.
"Whatever helps you feel better about yourself. At least I don't look like I'm being choked out by a Pomeranian."
Tim shrugged and continued raiding the hut.
"And isn't this against some kind of moral code of yours, Dick? Stealing from the elderly? I mean, I've done worse to survive, but this is big for you."
Dick glared my way. "We need warm clothes, Jason. And I fully intend to return anything that we borrow."
"Are you teenage girls done picking your outfits yet?!" A small but obnoxious voice shouted from outside.
"Just, take this." Dick handed me a red woven scarf. It smelt like animal innards.
I scoffed. "I'll pass."
"Please? So I can at least say I tried to keep you alive?" He pouted.
"Fine." I snatched to item and balled it up in my hand. "But I'll only wear it on the brink of hypothermia."
"Good enough for me."
Dick placed their uniforms, along with a couple fur blankets, into a leather drawstring bag and threw it over his shoulder. I grabbed my mask, and secured it under my arm. We left the safety of the shelter, and walked onto the newly snow-covered ground. The cold slapped me in the face. Fuck.
I rubbed my hands together and pulled them inside the over-sized sleeves of my jacket. I'll be fine.
I looked to the rest of village. However, where other huts used to be scattered throughout the village, we now stood in a snowy meadow. Where there used to be masses of tribe members, the village was empty. This planet gave me the creeps.
Damian was sitting against the outside of the hut curled in his fur blanket before he saw us and quickly stood. He looked at Tim and Dick and smirked. "You look ridiculous."
"You look like a four year old." Tim brought his hands to his mouth and warmed them. "And you're wearing the same thing, idiot."
"-tt- I make it work."
I stared into the snowy abyss, and noticed Dick doing the same. "I hate to interrupt this precious moment, but does anyone else notice the lack of … life?"
The other two turned and looked out into the field of white.
"What is this witchcraft?" Damian sounded almost angry as he stepped further onto the snow. "Everything was here moments ago, I swear."
"I don't doubt it, Damian." Dick assured and put his hand in the parka's pouch. "We all saw the same thing."
"Well, unless we all just imagined an entire village, something's messing with us." I stepped past the demon-kid into the field and looked back at the hut. I sighed. "And I hate being messed with."
I pointed towards where the hut, our only shelter, was placed. The other three bats turned and let out groans of both appalment and anger. There was now nothing but the snowy ground. This has got to be a joke.
"Ok, we need to put this mystery aside until we find some food and a shelter- get out of the cold. There's no point in finding anything out if we end up dead" Dick turned to face the rest of us. "I will not let that happen."
We each nodded. Regardless how loud-mouthed and irritating Dick tended to be, the guy was a natural leader.
"So," I cleared my throat. "Which way, boss?"
He turned to the field and then to the mountains. "Pick one."
I began walking onto the white meadow, and the others eventually followed. With each step, the ground seemed to become more expansive and white, until—
CRACK.
Oh shit.
I felt ice give way beneath me, and fell along with it; caught in a flurry of white.
"JASON!"
I could only look up to the light from the fractured iced grow smaller until I saw only darkness, and continued to fall. For minutes, it seemed, the darkness and cold surrounded me before I landed. The ground was not hard, but a soft cushion of snow. A damp, icy chill invaded my jacket and boots.
Dick's words rung in my head. "I will not let that happen."
I am still alive.
He won't let this happen.
I am still…
…
Author's Note- Thanks for the reviews, and I am so sorry for the end of this chapter. I tried to make the POV changes not as quick and obnoxious, but please review if I should improve something :) I hope this chapter wasn't too horrid, and the third will be out some time next week!
