I don't own Max Ride, Gazzy, Angel, Iggy, Total, Nudge, Mom, or Jeb. I hate Fang and am glad i don't own him...on the other hand if i did he would be forced to tell Max he loves her but whatever.

Anyway I do own my characters, the plot, and the ideas. NO COPYING! please. Anyway i hope you like it...

I hate cold places. That's all I can think about know in the freezing cold of Alaska. After our little trip to Antarctica, Jeb and Mom wanted us to look at Alaska in comparison. I started feeling like this was just a big school (not that kind) field trip.

Angel shivered in me lap. I hugged her tighter as I asked, "Why do we have to sit here in the cold anyway?"

"Cold? Are you kidding this is warm!" Hale answered as she put another piece of wood on the fire. Hale was the daughter of one of the scientists, Kay Black, we met. She had black, waist-length hair, green eyes, and looked like she could have been Fang's younger sister (she was 13) if he were normal. She was wearing blue jeans and a sky blue sweatshirt with a dove on it. She said the dove was their family symbol.

"Right. That's why we are all freezing." Hale just grinned and gave me a hot chocolate. Trust me, if there was a prize for the world's best hot chocolate, she would win.

"Oh, it's OK; I don't need any hot choco…" Total started but got cut of when Hale put a bowl of hot chocolate in front of him. He stared at it then to her. She smiled as he started drinking or whatever it was talking, mutant dogs do.

"So why do we have to stay here?" I asked again. I was very annoyed because I had seen Fang chatting with Hale's cousin, Tally. She didn't flirt with him and she was nice but I still was annoyed…. and had no idea why.

"Because Aunt Kay wants you to meet some of the animals here at the shelter." Tally answered as she walked in from the kitchen. Tally had her cousin's green eyes but she, unlike her cousin, had perfectly straight, shoulder-length, brownish-red hair. She was wearing a short, dark green skirt with candy-cane-like-strip leggings and a red turtle-neck sweater with a dove on it too. I had no idea how she was not freezing.

"Max. I am getting tired." Angel said looking up at me.

"Ok Angel," I said. I turned to Hale, "where are we sleeping?"

"We have three rooms left but one has a queen bed not two singles." She said as she gave the forth to last key to a couple and their young boy. Did I say anything about owning a hotel? NO? Well now I did.

"Ok, that sounds fine." I said in reply.

We were all sitting in the lobby of the hotel. I was sitting as close to the fire as possible with Angel in my lap. Nudge and Gazzy were playing chess (Hale taught them) while Iggy was helping get the animal chow ready. Tally had sat next to me and had started playing with Angel. Fang was….

"Where's Fang?" I asked. I was worried because he could only blend into dark back rounds and nothing in this lobby was dark.

Tally looked ready to say something but Hale was too fast. "He said something about going to look at the animals…" Their whole family owns a shelter for big cats and bears AND a charity for kids in Africa. How they do it I, along with many, have NO idea.

"OK. Who wants to sleep in which rooms?" I asked. I already knew though, Gazzy and Iggy always were in a room together, then Angel and Nudge; finally Fang and I got stuck in the last one with one bed making one of us on the floor. Usually, Fang but with it so cold….UGH!

"Max," I looked down at Angel who probably just read my mind.

"Yeah?"

"Nudge and I can take the room with one bed. Right Nudge?" Angel turned to Nudge who nodded but was grinning as she put the Gasman in Check Mate.

"Thanks," I said knowing she knew that was what I wanted. Confusing? You get used to it when you live with a mind reader.

Hale gave us each a key to our rooms. "Here is a key that I made so you can get into the others when you want," she whispered to me as she handed me a second key.

"Wow, thanks," I was always surprised at Hale. It was like SHE was a mind reader. Angel grinned at me as she and Nudge got up to go to their room. I looked at Hale but she had gone to the kitchen to tell Iggy what room he was in.

"Max, you should go and tell Fang what room you're in," Tally said as she got up. "I'll see you in the morning," she said as she went through a door that said Employees Only.

I sighed. It was to warm to get up but I had to. I soon was bundled up in a big winter coat, boots, gloves, a scarf, and a hat ALL of which were black not that I cared. I walked outside and started looking for Fang. Luckily he was heading in so I found him walking up the path between empty (I guess the animal were inside their little house like igloos) cages. These cages were big but they still reminded me of the School.

All of a sudden a felt the back of my neck heat up. I spun on my heel only to bump into the cage fence now behind me and landed perfectly in someone's arms. Guess who? That's right Fang.

"I told you never to do that." I said even though it was a waste of my breath. I looked up hating the fact he was taller then I was.

"I don't think I will," he said. He still had not let go and even though it was comfo…. No bad Max. I told myself. We are just friends. Just then I did an involuntary shiver.

"Let's go inside. I have our room key in my coat pocket." I was about to get it when Fang pulled out both his, mine, and the one that opened all of the flock's doors. I, still in his arms, took mine and the max one back. Yes I am calling the one that opens all the doors the max one. "That one is yours. We are in the same room as usual."

He looked at me. "Am I on the floor?" he asked just as I thought he would.

"No. Angel, being an angel, signed her and Nudge up for the queen bed room. We have two beds." I said. He nodded and looked ahead.

"Max," he said still looking forward.

"What?"

"Look."

So I turned around, STILL IN HIS ARMS, and saw two snow leopards had come out of their little house. I looked closer and saw that there was a third, littler one just coming out.

Angel will have to see these later. I thought as I looked as the baby started to play in the snow. The baby was rolling around on a small hill when it rolled a little too much and went all the way down, covering itself in snow.

I laughed as it got up and jumped to go back up. Then I realized I was not cold anymore. It wasn't because I was so cold I was numb, but I saw that Fang was holding me still. I guess I had forgotten that small fact. I looked back at the baby leopard; it found what looked like a rubber ball and was trying to pounce onto it.

I sighed. We had to go in. Kay said tomorrow was a big day because she wanted us to help her feed the animals.

Fang must have been thinking the same thing because he had started letting go of me. I almost stopped him but I knew that would ruin the moment so I just had one more glance at the baby snow leopard.

"Let's go inside," I said. And with that, Fang and I silently went to our room.

Ooooooo...... did i leave a little secret in there? anyone who can find out what it is gets their name put up for the world to see.

if you see any mistakes please tell me so i can fix them.

Anyway please Review.... and if you don't well i have my ways.......