Space Address: 1D - Warmth

Word Count: 1715

Warnings: Starvation, frostbite

The Wilderness Trials were more difficult than Fiyero could have imagined. Autumn was fine and he was able to stockpile on food, but he had to learn how to ration. He had to learn how to hunt without dogs sniffing out for him. And the books illustrations on poisonous and non-poisonous vegetation needed a serious update. Still, he managed to find a cave in the first week which he discovered had been used by many Vinkuns before him. Some even left behind supplies they'd made or brought like a clay pot and a bow.

Then the snow came, and food became even more difficult to find. Sometimes he went days without finding anything and resorted to eating tree bark if only to get something in his stomach.

One morning, on a rare day of sunlight, he found rabbit tracks and followed the trail to the stream where he got his water. He then became distracted by something shiny in the stream. He drew closer and found a decorative comb in the shape of a dragonfly. It was embedded with rubies and pearls but seemed small for the usual comb of this extravagance. Almost as if it were made for a child. He stuffed it in his satchel and, a few feet down, found a fresh apple which he instantly put away.

The farther he went along the bank, the more odd objects he found in or under the snow as if they'd been there since last night's snow. A deflated ball, some carrots, a waterlogged diary, and, finally, a shoe. It looked as if it were made of flower petals. He tugged on it and was shocked to find a foot come with it.

Fiyero cried out and fell promptly on his butt. He sat there stunned. The foot was connected to a leg, but the skin… it was green. Fiyero didn't know dead bodies were green. He cried out again, no doubt scaring anything worth eating for miles, when the foot moved. This person was alive. Fiyero scrambled over and began digging. The snow must've kept their body heat contained enough to keep them alive, though he could've sworn frostbitten pale people turned blue.

Soon they were freed and Fiyero exhaled softly. It was a girl and she appeared to just really be green. Her raven hair partially covered her face, but he guessed she was around his age. Perhaps a year younger. She was dressed in a short dress like crushed violets that was not at all practical for this weather. And he remembered the stories he grew up with of the fae. This girl must've been one.

"Don't worry, miss," he said. "I'll help you."

Shedding his animal-skin coat, he wrapped her up in it and carried her back to his cave.

~o0o~

When She regained consciousness, her entire body hurt. What happened to her? She couldn't've been dead. If she were dead, she probably wouldn't hurt so much. Where was she? She remembered… a pair of hands. Not groping her, but gentle. Brushing her hair from her face, lifting her head up to drink something, and wrapping her up in warmth.

She was still wrapped in warmth, even though her body ached.

Where was she?

Forcing her eyes open, she turned her head as much as she could though she felt as if she needed an oil can to do so.

She was in a cave of some sort. A low fire crackled in her line of vision.

When she tried, she found she could stiffly move and even sit up. It just hurt like hell.

What happened to her?

Wracking her brain, she found she couldn't remember anything.

Not even her name.

She was sure it would come to her.

She wrapped the blanket around her and crawled towards a pile of things. Books, crude cooking utensils, clay pots, a single iron pan, some clothes, hunting supplies. This green bottle looked familiar…

"You're awake."

Jumping at the sound, the whirled around and backpedaled into the end of the cave. She couldn't make out the figure at the mouth until he came closer, illuminated by the fire.

It was a boy. He had curly hair and aquamarine eyes, his ochre skin covered in a heavy layer of furs and skins. Necessary in this cold weather. She wished she were dressed in that than this gossamer dress.

"I was worried about you," he said. "You've been out like this for days."

When he got closer, She closed her eyes and shied away, curling in tighter into herself.

"Hey… I'm not going to hurt you," He had such a gentle voice, she almost wanted to believe him. "I found you. By the river. You were hurt pretty bad. What happened to you?"

She dared to look at him again and found him sitting a good distance away from her. She felt a little bit better and stared at him fully.

"Are you a fae?"

What was a fae?

"Do you… talk?"

She was sure she did, but the words didn't want to pass through her lips. It still felt as if hands were grasped tightly around her throat.

"It's okay," he said. "I've been on my own for about two months now, so I'm okay with talking for both of us. I'm Fiyero by the way."

Fiyero. She felt her lips mouth his name.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. "All you've really had were soups and water. I tried making you tea, but you spat it in my face. It was hilarious."

Fiyero was feeding her and tending to her. She titled her head slightly and looked at everything with the silent question.

"I don't live here," he said. "Not permanently. I'm trying to earn my diamonds," he explained. "In the Vinkus, you aren't a man until you spend time in the wilderness fending for yourself and if you die, then you die. You're allowed one bag of things to bring with you and everything else you have to make yourself, but here it looks like it's tradition to leave something behind for the next guy. I have to stay here until spring. If I come home before the Spring Equinox, then I don't get my diamonds. Most guys get them without this, but I'm not most guys."

She could tell. A memory of people laughing at her flashed in her mind. Gasping sharply, she held her hands up defensively when an image of someone throwing a rock at her followed.

"Did I say something?"

She shook her head. When she opened her eyes, Fiyero placed a bowl of food halfway between her and the fire.

"I don't know what fae eat," he said. "I mashed up some sweet root and blueberries for you. Try it."

Crawling forward, She snatched the bowl and huddled back into her corner. Sniffing the food and deciding it wasn't poisonous, she dipped her finger in and tried it. It was… pretty good. She hungrily ate the rest of it, scooping every last bit out of the bowl.

"I don't have much more to give you," said Fiyero apologetically when she looked at him again. "It's winter and we have to ration."

Ration. She knew what that word meant. She nodded and placed the bowl where he left it.

"I'm going to call you 'Fae' from now on," he said. "Until you can tell me your real name."

Fae was fine.

"You still look kinda tired," he said. "I can be quiet if you want to sleep more."

Sleep was enticing, but she was still scared. Huddling up against the wall, she stared him down until exhaustion overtook her.

When Fae woke again, there was a bundle of clothes next to her and Fiyero was nowhere to be found. Disrobing as quickly as she could, she dressed into the clothes he left her. They were a little big, but significantly warmer than the dress she was in.

While by herself, she read one of the five books. This one was about plants.

"Good afternoon, Fae," Fiyero greeted. "It was a pretty good hunting day. I cooked and dried the meat outside since it can smell kinda bad."

That was considerate of him. Fae glanced up from her book.

"Do those clothes fit you okay?" he asked. "Are you warm enough?"

She nodded and played with a bit of her hair shyly. Not that she remembered a lot of people, but he seemed to be on the more attractive side. Well, she found him attractive. He grinned and got the fire going again.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked. "You don't look like you're in much pain."

Fae wiggled her hand side-to-side. She hurt, but she managed. Fiyero nodded and placed a waterskin near her then backed away. She grabbed it and gulped down the water inside, cringing at the ache in her throat.

Fiyero sat down on the opposite side of the fire.

"I don't mind sharing my cave with you," he said. "At least until you find your family. Do you know where they are?"

Did she even have a family?

Fae shook her head slightly.

When she wasn't hurting as much, she insisted on helping him gather food. She found she was pretty good at judging soil for roots. She had vague memories of gardening, but she wasn't sure where. Fiyero claimed she knew because fae were born from trees.

At night, he would regale her with stories and folktales of his people. Fae knew who the Vinkuns were. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew a lot of things. Just not about herself.

One evening, while he was singing a song to her, Fae got up and sat down beside him.

"I'm glad I found you, Fae," he said. "I think I might've gone insane if I were here by myself." He paused. "Though… seeing a green-skinned girl who doesn't talk might be a hallucination in and of itself."

Elphaba huffed a laugh and whispered hoarsely, "I'm real."

Fiyero looked at her in surprise and laughed.

"I was worried for a minute there I was going to be talking to myself all winter after all."

Elphaba shook her head, leaned closer to him, and closed her eyes. "Tell me another story."

"Certainly."