Into the Storm

I'm back! :D I know, I know, it's been too long. I'm sorry I haven't updated this story in such a long time. Or any of my stories, for that matter. But I do really like this one, and I want to continue writing it. So, for any of you guys who still want to read, thank you so much. I hope to update way more often than I have been - at least once or twice a month. Hey, today it's been ten months since I started writing it! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this very very overdue chapter! :)

Chapter Ten

"How long have we been traveling?" Jay asked.

Cole glanced at his watch. "Wow, Jay," he remarked. "Looks like we've been walking for a whole...twenty minutes!"

"Wait, what?"

Kai pushed Cole playfully. "Yeah, right!" He turned to Jay. "It's been about three hours."

Jay nodded. "Okay, that's what I thought," he said. "It's just so hard to tell right now. I mean, the sky's still light, and...that's about it. I can't see anything in this storm."

"This is hardly a storm, Jay," Zane corrected him. "It's simply overcast and slightly snowing. The weather is actually quite nice."

"Yeah, says the ninja of ice!" Jay countered.

"Actually, he doesn't even have his ice powers right now," Lucy pointed out.

Jay shuddered. "Aw, don't remind me!" He pulled his hood further over his head. "I wish Kai at least still had his power. It's so cold!"

"We can't change that unless we get rid of the amulet, and that's not exactly an option at the moment," Lloyd said. "But that's okay. We're ninja! We can tough it out. We have to."

"You're right," Jay agreed. "Besides, I can just walk next to Nya." He headed over to join the water ninja near the front of the group. "She's really hot!"

Kai growled. "Watch it, Blueberry," he warned, "or I'll show you hot!"

"You don't even have your powers," Jay reminded him. "Man, I sure hope you weren't planning on using your hair, 'cause that's not gonna do much!"

"Okay, that's it!" Kai darted toward the blue ninja. "Come here, you little - !"

Lloyd pulled him back. "Easy, Sparky! No need to go crazy. That's just Jay being Jay."

"Hey!" Jay said. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Yeah, Kai," Cole added. "No need to get...heated!"

The others stared at him blankly.

"What?" He asked. "That was funny!"

"It really wasn't," Nya argued.

The black ninja sighed. "Whatever. Hey, does anyone know how close we are to the caves?"

"Of course not," Zane replied. "If we knew that, this whole journey would be much simpler."

"Yeah," Lucy agreed. "And don't you think somebody would have told you if…" She trailed off, staring at something in the distance.

"What's wrong?" Lloyd asked. He followed her gaze, and his green eyes widened. "Um, guys?"

"Yeah?" Cole said.

The green ninja pointed to the sight in front of them. "Look at that."

The rest of the group looked in the indicated direction. In front of them, the snowy terrain went on for as far as they could see in every direction. The only visible path ran down into a valley with threatening cliffs on either side.

"Wow," Nya breathed. "I had no idea we were so far into the mountains."

"I don't think any of us did," Kai agreed.

Cole stared down the steep hill at the valley. "Well, that looks safe," he said sarcastically.

"We'll be fine," Lucy told them. "It's really not that bad. Just snow and cliffs."

"Yeah," Jay said, "and the last time we were somewhere with snow and cliffs, we almost fell off one of the cliffs!"

"I did fall off, mind you!" Lloyd reminded him.

"You were possessed by Morro. That doesn't count."

"It sure felt like it counted!"

Lucy straightened up. "Come on guys," she told them. "We have to keep going."

"Lucy's right," Nya said. "The sooner we find the storm, the sooner we reach the caves. Let's move!"

The seven started to make their way down the hill.

"One wrong move, and we're all gonna be snowballs!" Cole pointed out.

Jay thought for a moment. "One wrong move…" He smiled. "Or one right one!" With that, he jumped forward and landed in a roll.

"Jay!" Nya gasped. "What are you - ?"

The blue ninja started rolling down the snowy hill. "Whoo-hoo!" He yelled.

"What the heck is he thinking?" Cole wondered.

Lloyd stared after his friend. "Count on Jay to do everything the fun way."

"He's crazy!" Kai said. "He's gonna get hurt, or worse!"

"Actually," Zane corrected him, "there is a ninety-two percent chance that Jay will be just fine."

"Yeah, but he doesn't know that!"

Cole kept his eyes on the blue-clad figure who was still tumbling down the hill. "You know, Jay's actually a lot smarter than we give him credit for. Don't tell him I said that!"

"Too late!" Kai teased. "He's never gonna let this go!"

"Well, go ahead and tell him. Be my guest. He won't believe you anyway."

"Oh, but he will," Zane told him. "Because I recorded you."

"You what?"

"Hey guys!"

They all looked back down the hill toward the sound of the voice. Standing at the bottom was Jay, completely unharmed and just as excited as ever.

"Jay!" Cole called. "You're okay!"

"Of course I am," he replied. "It's just rolling down a hundred yard cliff covered in snow."

"Yeah, okay, whatever," Kai said.

"Jay stared at his friends. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come on! We've got a world to save!"

The others reluctantly rolled down the hill after the lightning ninja. After a matter of moments, they were all together in the snowy valley.

"Well," Kai muttered, "that was...fun."

Jay smiled. "It was, wasn't it?" He started skipping through the snow in the direction they were headed. "Now let's go find those caves!"

The rest of the group followed him through the valley. It was just a long, flat expanse of snow, with a few large rocks here and there.

Kai picked up a stick and jumped up on one of the rocks. "Halt, my students!" He ordered, doing his best Sensei Wu impression.

"What the heck?" Lloyd said, amused.

"Listen to your Sensei, younglings," the brunet continued. "If you want to be the - I don't know - Ultimate Master of Epic Swagness, you must earn it!"

Jay laughed. "The Ultimate Master of Epic Swagness? Sounds like something a five-year-old would make up. Or Kai."

"Eh, what's the difference?" Cole teased.

Kai pointed the stick at them. "Quiet, scrubs, or I'll shove my staff up your - "

"Okay!" Nya interrupted him. "That's...that's nice, Kai - er, Sensei. You paint a beautiful picture."

The others burst out laughing.

All of a sudden, Jay stopped. "Wait, did you guys hear that?"

His friends quieted down and looked at him.

"Hear what?" Cole asked.

"That rumbling sound," Jay replied. He looked up at the cliffs above. "Oh, this isn't good!"

The others glanced up as well. Sure enough, the cliffs were shaking. The snow on their edges was starting to slide down the steep slopes toward the valley below. The piles picked up speed as they fell, getting closer by the second.

"Take cover!" Jay ordered, looking around the valley frantically. He noticed a group of large rocks in the distance and darted toward it, making sure his friends were following. "We have to get to those rocks for shelter," he said. "It's an avalanche!"

Maybe the most cliche thing I could have done! XD

Anyways, I hope you liked that. You guys have seemed to really like this story, and I'm happy I finally decided to write more :) I have ideas of what will come in future chapters, but I don't know for sure what I'll end up writing. Stay tuned to find out!

And yes, I know Lucy still had her powers when she had the amulet earlier. I guess it just takes their powers when they're exposed to it for a longer period of time. That or Arie did something. Guess we'll know soon enough XD

Please review! Your reviews make writing even better.

'Til next time,

Cinder :)

(QOTC: What's your favorite season so far? Also, it's almost summer, so when do y'all get out of school? June 3rd is my last day!)