"You make it here yet?"

"Yeah, we're here."

The fox laid his hand against one of the pillars surrounding the Master Emerald's shrine. Even through his gloves, the stone was chilling to the touch. He continued to stare at the spot where the Master Emerald should be, completely absent of the magical gemstone it was meant to house.

"Sonic's with you, right?"

"Uh, well…"

Tails bit his lip, shoulders tensing slightly. The snow under his feet crunched slightly as he shifted uncomfortably.

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean 'not exactly'?" Knuckles snapped, his voice crackling through the communicator's speaker.

"Well," Tails began, "Sonic actually ended up getting snowed in while visiting Station Square last night."

The blizzard had hit the entire area unexpectedly, burying Station Square, the Mystic Ruins, and even Angel Island in snow. Tails was currently standing on top of what had to be four feet of the stuff. He only kept from sinking too far thanks to the snowshoes he'd brought with him.

"But you said 'we'," Knuckles pointed out. "Who's with you right now."

"Um…"

Tails looked back over his shoulder, where Big the Cat stood. The cat stared up into the snowfall, which had persisted overnight.

"I'm with Big," Tails finally admitted.

"Wait, seriously?! Big?!"

"I encountered him on my way here," Tails explained. "I thought he could help."

Knuckles sighed, sounding raspy through the tiny speaker. Tails had gotten a distress call from the echidna just hours ago. Apparently, Knuckles had retreated to a cave to try to escape the snowstorm, bringing the Master Emerald with him, of course. During the night, though, the cave had been completely blocked off by snow, leaving Knuckles trapped.

"I'd be able to escape if I had my shovel claws with me," Knuckles had said during the call that morning, "but I didn't think to bring them and the snow's frozen to the point I can't dig out without them. I'm uh…kinda stuck."

Knuckles had gone on to admit that, despite having a fire the previous night, it had gone out and he didn't have the resources to make another one. He, like everyone in Station Square below, had completely underestimated the storm.

"Just stay on call with me, Knuckles," Tails said, turning to walk back toward Big. "We'll be there soon. Where are you?"

"Somewhere in the jungle," the echidna answered. "The cave extends a bit underground, but it's a pretty tiny cave. Not too easy to describe how to find it either."

Tails hummed contemplatively, pulling his coat farther up on his shoulders.

"Are we gonna rescue Knuckles now?" Big asked, noticing Tails approaching. Big didn't even seem to need a coat or snowshoes, the cold not seeming to bother him much and his enormous feet acting like snowshoes on their own.

"We're gonna have to find him first," Tails said. "I still have him on call. He's gonna try to guide us."

"Oh," Big said, looking down at the communicator in Tails' hands. "Hello, Knuckles."

Knuckles could be heard muttering something through the speaker, but the distortion was just enough to make it unintelligible. It was clear he wasn't happy, though.

"How far in the jungle did you go?" Tails asked, starting to walk. Big watched Tails for a moment, then proceeded to follow behind him.

"Not too far from the shrine," Knuckles answered. "If I had to give an estimate, I'd say I was walking for about ten minutes before I found the cave. Went straight down the main stairs of the altar and didn't really change direction."

"Gotcha."

"I wonder how Froggy's doing back home," Big wondered aloud.

"Hold on. You live in the jungle in the Mystic Ruins," Knuckles pointed out. "How'd you escape the snowstorm?"

"Oh, we don't live there during the winter," Big explained. "Can't fish during the winter. That's why we go to Seaside Hill."

"So what were you doing back in Mystic Ruins?" Tails asked.

"I forgot my favorite bobber. I told Froggy to stay home and I came to get it, but our house is buried under the snow."

Tails nodded slowly.

"Well, some of us can't exactly pack up and go somewhere else when winter hits," Knuckles scoffed. "It's not easy here on Angel Island during the winter. Sometimes I get lucky and Angel Island's orbit takes it somewhere tropical for the winter, but we weren't that lucky this year."

"And you have to stay here with the Master Emerald, no matter what. Right?" Tails asked.

"Exactly," Knuckles replied. "Doesn't matter if I'm starving and freezing my tail off, I have to stay with the Master Emerald."

"How are you now?" Big asked.

Knuckles let out a grunt, not answering for a moment.

"...Starving and freezing my tail off."

"Don't worry," Tails tried to reassure him. "We're on our way."

"I was expecting you to bring Sonic," Knuckles huffed.

"I promise, we'll be there soon."

"We could get some food after?" Big asked expectantly.

"What?" Knuckles retorted indignantly.

"I'm hungry too," Big admitted.

"I think it's a good idea," Tails interjected. "Knuckles?"

"Whatever."

It seemed Knuckles didn't quite have the energy to argue despite how disgruntled he sounded. Tails started to worry.

"How long has your fire been out?" Tails then asked.

"I don't know," Knuckles answered. "I still had it when I went to sleep, but it went out sometime during the night. All I know is that I woke up and it was freezing in here."

Tails bit his lip.

"What's left of the fire?" Big asked, startling Tails with his urgency.

"Nothing but ashes. Everything burned out."

Big hummed contemplatively.

"How cold is it in there?" Tails asked.

"Pretty freaking cold," Knuckles replied in a deadpan manner. "What do you think?"

Tails knew exactly how cold it was on Angel Island at the moment. The last he'd checked, the temperature read well below freezing.

"Are you walking around?" Big asked.

"There's nowhere to go in here," Knuckles retorted. "The cave's tiny and there's no way out."

"Not to go anywhere," Big said. "To stay warm."

"Wha?"

Tails' eyebrows rose. He hadn't even thought of something like that and it was clear Knuckles hadn't either.

"Keep moving and you'll be warmer," Big explained. "When Froggy and I walk when we're cold, we feel a lot warmer. You should try it."

"I…"

Knuckles paused for a moment.

"...I'll try."

Tails could hear a shuffling sound from Knuckles' end. He then looked up, noticing that he and Big were about to enter the jungle.

"We're coming up on the jungle," Tails declared. "We'll be there soon."

"Yeah."

That was all Knuckles said. Tails' shoulders stiffened up as he and Big stepped underneath the jungle canopy. The snow wasn't as smooth here and the two of them had to step over large mounds that had fallen from trees, a task that was much easier said than done for Tails specifically. It wasn't easy to navigate in his snowshoes and it wasn't long before he tripped. Before he could land face-first in the snow, however, Big reached out and grabbed him around the waist. As Tails was pulled back to his feet, he glanced up at Big, who stared at him with a strangely blank, yet warm look.

It had always been perplexing to Tails how Big could seem so absent, yet still so rooted in the moment. He could end up in exactly the right place at the right time and not know how or why he even got there. He could be lost in his own thoughts then immediately come back with an answer to a question he didn't even seem to be listening to. It was a paradox Tails didn't know if he'd ever become accustomed to.

"You okay?" the cat asked him, snapping him back into reality. Tails shook his head slightly to get his bearings.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"What's going on?"

"I just tripped, that's all," Tails replied. "How are you doing?"

"Shivering like crazy," Knuckles answered, his voice shaky. "Still walking, though."

"We should almost be there," Tails stated.

"You've said that five times already," Knuckles retorted.

"Not five," Tails muttered, slightly embarrassed.

"Where's the cave?" Big asked, looking around.

"That's the problem," Tails said. "If the entrance is completely blocked by snow, it's gonna be really hard to find."

"Well, hurry up," Knuckles snapped. "I don't know how much longer I can take it in here."

"What did the entrance to the cave look like?"

"It was kind of in the ground a bit. Not totally, but it kinda sloped down? It was a great big mound, if that helps."

"A little," Tails replied, scanning the area carefully. He was getting even more worried now. Knuckles' voice was starting to slur a bit, like he was starting to have trouble speaking. That definitely wasn't good at all.

"Just keep walking," the fox then said. "Keep your blood pumping. You're gonna be fine."

"Quit treating me like I'm gonna die," Knuckles snapped. "I'll be fine. Just focus on getting here."

"I'm just worried about you," Tails retorted. "I'm not allowed to be worried?"

"No. You're not. Stop it."

Tails shuddered, brow furrowing.

"Knuckles, you can't just tell me not to be worried!" Tails roared, cheeks heating up. "You could have hypothermia! You could be in massive danger!"

"Um, Tails?"

"I'll be fine. Stop it."

"What if we can't find you?! What if your condition keeps getting worse?!"

"Tails?"

"Stop. Now."

Knuckles' tone was stern, but it was clear enough that he was pissed.

"I'm not about to lose you, Knuckles!"

Tears were starting to form in the young fox's eyes.

"Tails–"

"If Sonic were here, we would have found you already! Why couldn't Sonic have just stayed in Central City?! Why'd he have to go to Station Square and get snowed in?! Now you're in trouble and I don't know how to–!"

"Gh–!"

Tails stopped short, freezing where he was as a loud clattering erupted from the communicator's speaker. The kit's blood ran cold.

"Knuckles?!"

"I…fell…"

He was sounding worse by the minute. His once-strong voice had gotten a lot weaker and he was having more trouble speaking than ever.

"Knuckles! You have to get back up! Keep walking!"

"I…don't want to…" the echidna argued weakly. "Just…let me rest…"

"Knuckles, you–!"

All of a sudden, Big reached out and grabbed the communicator out of Tails' hand, causing the kit to let out a shocked yelp. The cat quickly brought the communicator close before speaking.

"Please don't go to sleep, Knuckles," he began calmly. "Keep talking to us, please."

Tails shook fearfully, too scared to try to intervene.

"I'm…tired…"

"You shouldn't go to sleep," Big said. "Can you tell me a story about the Master Emerald? Tails is gonna try to find the cave, right Tails?"

The final statement was directed straight to Tails. The fox jumped, nodding firmly before frantically scanning the area for the mound Knuckles had been talking about earlier.

"The…Master Emerald…"

"Tell me something that happened while you were with the Master Emerald," Big prodded.

"I…can't think…"

"Something easier? Can you tell me about one of your adventures with Sonic?"

"Sonic…yeah…I think so…"

"Tell me a story, please."

Big didn't seem distressed in the slightest. Tails had no idea how the cat could manage it in such a dire situation.

"Eggman…sent a letter…Told us he was gonna…He had a weapon…In three days…"

Finally, after running a short distance from Big, Tails spotted an enormous mound of snow through the trees. If it was the cave entrance they were looking for, it seemed to have been completely buried.

"Big! Over here!"

"You can keep telling the story," Big said to Knuckles, beginning in Tails' direction with an outward urgency Tails wasn't used to him having. "What happened next?"

Nonetheless, Big still remained calm as ever, even as he hurried to join Tails at the snow-covered mound.

"Sonic…and Tails and I…went to try…to stop it…"

Big handed the communicator off to Tails, who took it quickly as Big dug his hands into the snow and started to shovel his way through. Tails, despite his trembling, tried to calm himself down. He could only hope this was the right place.

"We…went all over…but…it wasn't Eggman…"

"Who was it?" Big asked. He was doing a good job of getting Knuckles to keep talking, Tails noted.

"Metal," Knuckles answered, "and he…had an air fleet…and captured Eggman…"

Finally, Big seemed to be striking ice. With the cat's raw strength, though, the ice stood no chance. Tails surmised Knuckles might have been able to get through it as well if it hadn't been fortified by so much snow.

"You're here?"

Knuckles must have heard the commotion above. Tails' heart skipped a beat. That meant they were definitely in the right place.

"Hang on," Big declared. After that, one final swing was all it took to shatter the last of the ice, creating a clear opening into the cave. Tails quickly scrambled past Big, nearly shoving the cat aside to get into the cave. He immediately spotted Knuckles lying on his stomach on the ground, his communicator a short distance away. The echidna shuddered violently, barely having the strength left in him to force his head up to look at Tails.

"You…"

"Knuckles!" the fox yelped, racing to Knuckles' side and struggling to pick him up. "I've got you! Don't worry!"

Tails tried not to show too much disturbance over how frigid Knuckles' body was to the touch and Knuckles sighed shallowly, allowing Tails to drag him back to the entrance of the cave, where Big was waiting. Without another word, the cat grabbed Knuckles from Tails, hoisting the echidna up into his arms and cradling him against his warm chest.

"Can you keep telling me the story while we go back to Tails' plane?" Big asked Knuckles before turning back to Tails and giving him a firm nod.

"I…can…"

Somehow, to Tails, there was a huge difference between hearing Knuckles in this state over the communicator and actually seeing Knuckles this way before his very eyes. It made the kit even more afraid, but Big's actions had shown him that he couldn't just panic. Without a second thought, Tails bolted back through the jungle in the direction of where he'd landed the Tornado. The snow landing hadn't been the most ideal, but, using the plane's Cyclone form, he should be able to get it to take off again. He'd start it up before Big and Knuckles caught up so it would be ready for them.

He just had to tell himself that Knuckles was going to be okay.


Tails raced down the hall, every blanket in the house stacked haphazardly in his arms. He and Big had managed to fly Knuckles back to Tails' home outside Central City in record time. Now it was a matter of getting Knuckles warm again.

During the trip back, Tails had put the plane on autopilot and looked up how to treat hypothermia on the internet. They were supposed to make sure Knuckles was warm, but they weren't supposed to shock him with too much heat. Blankets were recommended, so Tails had decided to make that his first priority.

The fox then skidded into the living room, where Knuckles was laid onto the couch. He was still talking to Big, which was a good thing. They both perked up when Tails entered, though Knuckles was notably still weak.

"I have the blankets," the kit declared, tossing them onto the floor before choosing three of them to drape over Knuckles. The echidna seemed a bit put off by this, but didn't say anything, letting his bewildered expression do the talking for him. As he did this, Big stood, absentmindedly leaving the room. Tails stared confusedly as he left, but decided not to question it.

"A-are you okay?" Tails then asked Knuckles. "Do you need anything?"

"Food," Knuckles stated plainly. "Anything's fine."

His voice was still shaky, but it was clear he was regaining his senses. Tails nodded, backing away from Knuckles.

"I'll see what I can get," the fox declared. "Stay awake, okay?"

Knuckles merely grunted in reply. It didn't seem like he was too keen on being coddled, but he still didn't have it in him to refuse. Tails then turned, hurrying out of the living room and down the hall to the kitchen.

"Huh?"

The kit was startled to find that Big had reached the kitchen first. The cat was searching through the cabinets, but he turned to face Tails as he entered.

"What are you doing?" Tails asked.

"Spicy tuna," Big replied, closing the cabinet he'd been searching through. "It always warms me and Froggy up."

Tails perked up. He'd read that he shouldn't be feeding Knuckles anything too particularly hot, but spiciness seemed like the perfect workaround.

Tails didn't even realize Big could cook but, thinking about it a bit more, it made perfect sense. What else was he going to do with all those fish he caught?

"Wait," Tails interjected. "Tuna? Where are you gonna get tha–"

That was when Big, cutting Tails short, pulled out a giant tuna fish from seemingly nowhere, showing it off to Tails before putting it onto the counter. As much as Tails wanted to ask where the fish had come from, though, he wasn't sure exactly what question to ask first, so he made no mention of it.

"You really have this under control, huh?" Tails asked, leaning against the kitchen counter as Big finally located the cabinet he'd been looking for. "Thanks for doing all this."

"It's no problem," Big replied warmly, pulling out bottles of sriracha sauce and sesame oil Tails hadn't remembered he even had. They must have been bought for one of Sonic's exotic recipes he brought back from some foreign country, Tails figured.

"I really don't know what I would've done without you," Tails admitted, his twin tails curling around his legs. "I…don't know if I would have been able to rescue Knuckles on my own."

"You did good too."

"No I didn't."

Big let out a surprised hum. Tails' shoulders stiffened.

"I only made things worse," Tails continued, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes once more. "If it were just you, Knuckles would have been a lot better off. All I did was stress him out."

"I wouldn't 'a been there without you."

Tails perked up, meeting Big's gaze directly.

"You did your best," Big declared. "It's okay to be scared. I get scared a lot too."

"But you were so calm!"

"I was scared too."

Tails' eyes widened.

"Huh?"

"I was scared about Knuckles," Big admitted, taking a knife out of the knife block and starting to filet the tuna on the counter, "but I did my best for him. You did too."

"I…"

The fox relaxed a bit. Big was right. Tails didn't have to do things perfectly. He just had to do everything he could do. Tails had been there for Knuckles when he needed it most and helped in the best way he knew how. That was enough.

He smiled, wiping away his tears.

"Thank you," he said, staring back up at Big. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Big said, grinning back.

Just then, the front door slammed open, the sound resounding down the hall and eliciting a yelp from a startled Tails.

"Guess who's back?!" the familiar voice rang out.

"Sonic!"

Tails quickly turned on his heel, bolting down the hall and immediately catching Sonic in a hug. Sonic was shocked for a moment, but chuckled, ruffling the fur on Tails' head playfully.

"Sorry I was out of commission for a bit," the hedgehog apologized. "You get that thing with Knuckles worked out?"

"Y-yeah," Tails replied. "We did."

"We?"

"Hi, Sonic!" Big called from down the hall. The hedgehog jumped, only just noticing Big peeking out from the kitchen.

"Do you want some spicy tuna too?" the cat asked. Sonic paused for a moment, likely contemplating what Big was doing at Tails' house, before grinning widely.

"Sure!" he replied with a thumbs-up. Big smiled before heading back into the kitchen.

"You're gonna have to tell me the story behind this one, buddy," Sonic laughed. Tails broke away from Sonic, glancing back at the living room before turning back to his best friend.

"It was definitely a wild one…"


A/N: Hey all! This one was another entry for the monthly writing contest over on the Sonic Fanfiction Discord server! This one was a lot of fun to write and I had a great time with it! Thanks for reading!