A/N: Just to clarify - I know there's not really a building in the center of Jamaaliday Rescue, but I had to add it here so it made more sense. Enjoy reading and don't forget to review :D
Everyone was crowded at the entrance of the Jamaaliday Rescue maze. As they listened to the rules, Rosy glanced around. Snow was falling in flurries - maybe there would be snow after all, even though it didn't amount to much quite yet. It was collecting on the icy walls and on the presents.
"...and remember to have fun!" Darter, the deer, finished. He motioned for the Jammers to head into the maze.
Rosy, Prancing, Snickety, and Lucky dashed into the maze together, laughing. Ember, Muddy, and Velvet dragged behind. Suddenly, Ocean and Tranquil bolted ahead, soon going out of sight. Rosy could hear Crashing and Fauna Courageousclaw talking to each other behind everyone else. Gallant, Quick, and Organized had gotten an early start about ten minutes ago.
"Have fun! And remember, stay together!" Swaggy Rainymoon called. "We'll wait at the center of the labyrinth for you!"
"We'll stay safe, Dad!" Lucky called over the ice wall, bouncing up and down. She picked up a present and put it into her bag.
"Come on, let's get going," Snickety squealed, kicking up some of the snow. He giggled and shook the snow out of his fur.
After around half an hour, the wind had decided to pick up slightly, blowing the snow in everyone's faces. The snowfall had also increased, and now everything was coated in a snowy, wintery white.
"Looks like it decided to snow after all!" Rosy exclaimed happily as she picked up a yellow present with a blue ribbon and tossed it into her bag. "You know, snow has so many secrets. Can anyone actually believe that no two snowflakes are exactly the same?"
"Well, if no two Jammers are exactly the same, why should snowflakes?" Prancing pointed out, smiling. She tightened the Jamaaliday scarf around her neck and adjusted her knitted hat. "It sure is getting colder, though."
"I wonder how many presents we have," Lucky said, suddenly stopping. She threw her bag down onto the snow and started taking them out. "I'm sure I have more than twenty. What about you guys?"
Rosy set down her bag in the snow and peered inside it. There were green and red presents, yellow and blue presents, golden, purple, and pink presents. Snowflakes shielded her view from them, so she opened the bag further.
"I think I have about twenty," Rosy said.
"Me too," Snickety said. "My bag's not too full yet."
"Same here. We've still got more presents to find, but we can slow down if it gets kind of cold for everyone," Prancing said, standing up. She tossed her bag over her shoulder and shivered slightly. "I'm actually kinda hoping the snow's gonna stop now. There's probably enough already."
For the first time in forever, Rosy felt as if there was too much snow. She, too, shivered and closed her gift bag, walking along with the other three in silence, listening to the snow roar.
Legit Icyfire glanced out the window and cringed.
"Wow, it sure is snowing a bunch," he said. "It looks like it might turn into a monster."
Swaggy Rainymoon bounded next to him and shuddered. "I hope not," he said, shaking his head. "Bunnies aren't built for that kind of weather."
"At least your daughter has the Cleverivy kids with her," Legit said. "But even foxes aren't quite built for a huge snowstorm."
"But you know Rosy and Prancing," Sparkle Jellyscout said, walking next to the two worried fathers. "They'd never let their little brother or their friends down. If things do get out of hand, though, we might have to go looking for everyone else…"
Just as Legit as about to say something, someone suddenly burst through the door, covered in snow. The roar of the wind could be heard for a second before the Jammer shut the door tight and shook the snow out of his feathers.
"Explorer? What are you doing here?" Forest asked. "Dear Mira, you're frozen, aren't you - "
"I'm fine. I'm leaving through the portal in a moment," Explorer Daringartist said, turning to face everyone. "I just want to let you all know that a blizzard is on its way and will be here in around fifteen minutes. Don't leave the building. Man, I already thought this was a blizzard until I heard that it was supposed to be at least three times bigger." Then, he glanced around the room. "Hey, where are all the kids?"
Everyone was frozen. Legit's heart started pounding. He started breathing heavily. Peering out the window, he gasped in horror. He could hardly see three feet ahead. It was worse than just a few minutes ago. He could barely even see the green of the portal. Presents were crazily flying everywhere, and to his absolute horror, a loose ice brick wiggled loose of a nearby wall and flew towards the window.
"Look out!" Swaggy cried. He ducked, pulling his long ears over him. Legit and Sparkle ducked as well.
Less than a second later, the loudest shatter in the world could be heard. The room suddenly turned cold as the roar of the wind and snow filled the room, icy snowflakes biting at everyone's skin.
It took Legit a while to register what just happened.
Suddenly, everyone screamed and started cleaning up the shattered glass and ice. Legit jumped up and ran over to Explorer.
"The kids are still in the maze!" he cried out in horror. "They started around an hour ago!" He told himself that this wasn't possible. Tranquil and Ocean were both half lynx and half cougar. They weren't 100% ready for a blizzard.
Explorer's eyes went wide.
Notable was suddenly by his side. "What if Ember and Muddy freeze out there?" she cried. "Oh, Zios!"
Legit squeezed past the two to the door. "I'm going out to look for them," he said. He truly didn't care if he froze. He had to save his children and everyone else's.
"You're not going out there!" Explorer said, yanking him back. "Not like that!"
"Here, put these on," Incredible said, handing over a furry hat, a thick winter coat, a Jamaaliday scarf, and a pair of cozy winter books. He himself was wearing the same, but with a zipper tail as well. "I'm going with you."
"Two people isn't enough. I'm going, too," Wild Perfectjammer said, stepping over.
Medieval gasped. "No, Wild, you can't!"
"I have to," he said. "For everyone." He dashed into the back of the room for a minute before returning, wearing all sorts of winter gear and also carrying a small bag in his back. He handed a flashlight each to Legit and Incredible.
"It's getting dark, and we'll need those," he said. "I'm bringing a lighter just in case."
Genius. Of course they needed flashlights and a lighter. Legit wondered why he couldn't think of it himself. He had also forgotten that today was December 21st. The night was longer, and it was going to be cold outside.
"Let's go now before this storm gets any worse," Legit said. He stepped out into the raging blizzard. The snow bit at his flesh like a hundred sharp needles, but he pushed himself against it.
He wouldn't give up. He had to save his children and everyone else's. Taking a glance over his shoulder to make sure Incredible and Wild were following, he stepped down the icy steps. It took all the courage he had to turn out of the center of the maze, knowing that if he got lost, he was done for, but his children's love kept him going.
If he lost Ocean and Tranquil, he didn't know what he'd do.
Prancing fought against the wind through the darkening land. She looked up, the snow biting at her, and saw another slide. All the presents had blown off, but she didn't care.
"Come on," Prancing called. "We have to climb up and then slide down. It's our only way."
"Don't want to slide!" Snickety cried. "I'm freezing!"
Prancing pulled her brother closer and shivered herself. Her paws were going numb. "We're all freezing, Snickety! Come on!"
But just as she managed to drag everyone up the stairs, the icy blocks collapsed underneath her paws, sending everyone tumbling back down and into the freezing snow.
Prancing scowled, grabbed the bag of presents, and scrambled back onto her paws. She had to be strong for her younger siblings and her friend. "Forget it! We'll have to go around then!" She swore she almost died at the sight of the long path to the left.
"But that way is even longer!" Lucky cried out, the wind throwing her into the snow yet again.
"That's our only way!" Prancing said, shuffling forward. "Come on!"
Empress Icyfire fiddled with the edge of her holiday sweater.
If Ocean and Tranquil froze, and so did Legit…
She refused to believe that her family was outside in the storm and freezing to death. She got up and paced around the room. Legit is fine. He's a lynx. He knows the cold. The girls know it, too, even if they aren't entirely lynxes…
Suddenly, two people burst through the door and collapsed on the ground.
It was Quick and Organized. They were covered in snow and were as still as statues.
The room turned into chaos as everyone tried to drag the two frozen wolves next to the fireplace. Empress suddenly perked up and realized something.
Where was Gallant?
"Where's Gallant?" she asked them, walking over. "Organized, Quick, where's Gallant? Where's your brother?"
Organized moved slightly. He breathed in.
"...s-s-slide," he said. "We w-went...down...then h-e...g-g-g-gone. T-tried to find...c-couldn't…"
Gallant had been separated from his brothers. Empress then realized, if Gallant was covered in snow - especially near the slide - he'd look just like a lump. Incredible, Legit, and Wild wouldn't realize it.
Empress sat down and sighed.
Everything was in the hands of Mira and Zios now.
After about another half hour, the snow had gotten worse. Incredible had never felt so cold in his life. He wasn't even sure if an arctic wolf was able to feel this cold. It seemed like being a phantom - the fact that he was actually freezing.
The wind suddenly lurched, throwing him down into the snow. Incredible scrambled back up and picked up the flashlight, shining it anywhere he could, praying that the children were hidden somewhere in a corner.
"Ember! Muddy!" he shouted. "Rosy! Prancing! Ocean! Gallant! Lucky! Where are you guys? Velvet? Snickety?"
Then Wild started shouting.
"Crashing! Fauna!" he screamed. "Can you hear me?"
Incredible could hardly see Legit in front of him. For a second, he thought they'd lost him until he heard his voice from behind, realizing that somehow, Legit had gotten behind him.
"Organized! Quick! Tranquil!" called Legit. "Please tell me they're safe, Mira, please…"
Incredible could feel his paws going numb. He struggled to stay on his paws, holding his flashlight in his mouth His legs were shaking and his vision was going blurry. The dark scene before him appeared to wave back and forth.
Suddenly, a large pile of snow fell on top of him. He struggled to stand back up before another pile of snow shoved him back down. Just as he was about to get back up, he heard Wild scream.
Before he could try and get up again, Incredible's body decided that it had enough. He felt a sharp needle-stabbing pain all over him as he collapsed into the snow. A sudden warmth spread through him and then, the blizzard stopped, the snow stopped, and just as all noise shut down, a final darkness fell over everything.
Rosy stopped at the side of another slide mound.
"Let's just dig a hole and stay here," she called over the wind. "Please."
Suddenly, all four were digging as fast as they could, making a hole in the side of the mound just large enough for them.
At last, they all climbed in. Snickety snuggled closer to Lucky and instantly fell asleep. It didn't look like they'd get out of here for a while - at least until tomorrow morning. Rosy set the bag down in a corner and snuggled closer to Prancing.
"We'll just have to wait," Prancing said, yawning. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight…" Rosy said, yawning herself. But, to her, it didn't seem like a good night. More like a bad night. Although she was freezing and was afraid that she wouldn't ever see her parents again, she felt extremely tired. Her eyelids suddenly closed and she fell asleep.