Sorry I've been gone for so long I've been sick in bed with the flu since Tuesday. Hopefully y'll will like this!
I don't own Ice Age! (I wish!)
Raz was no stranger to cold. She'd been splashed countless times by the freezing ocean waves, and had spent many a–nights shivering in her bed on those negative who-knew-how-many degrees below zero. She didn't know what it was- maybe the magic of this island making the water colder, or the warm feeling she'd been experiencing before hand, but something made this water seem much much colder than anything she'd ever felt before.
By the time she managed to claw her way back up to the surface, she couldn't feel anything and was shivering violently, coughing and spitting out water. Zalim appeared beside her a moment later, shaking just as bad. She could see his skin turning a nice shade of cobalt beneath his pale white fur. They both were quick to scramble out, hurrying to the shore. She was embarrassed to admit what she did next. The doe couldn't stop herself from latching onto her company, desperately seeking warmth. Zalim didn't argue, and in a moment she was wrapped in his arms. They were both shaking terribly in the chilly night air, teeth chattering, ice crystals forming in their fur.
Sneezing, she bit her lip and gripped him tighter. She could already feel frostbite setting in. "Raz." He spoke in a low voice. "W-We ought to go home. W-We'll catch-"
"Pn-pn-pneumonia." She lamented miserably through chattering teeth. "Y-Yeah. L-L-Les' go."
The walk back to the palace was slow and painful; pulsing pains in their frostbitten limbs made moving painful, and the coughing from their waterlogged lungs forced them to stop every now and again. Honestly, Raz would be surprised if they didn't catch pneumonia.
So, of course, they did.
By the time they reached the palace they were both stiff and numb and coughing painfully. The servants, both in fear and worry, rushed to draw them each a hot bath and serve them hot tea. Opal shrieked in worry and panicked when she saw them, lips blue and ears red, shaking terribly. They were whisked to the infirmary for inspection, wrapped up in fur blankets as the healers looked them over. They all seemed monumentally nervous at the thought of checking their cruel overlord for illness, but at Raz's weak assurance they proceeded.
"H-How are they?" Opal asked worriedly, wringing her hands with Lela on her shoulder, watching her Lord and Lady be lain down on a bed, covered in blankets.
"They're ill." The bushbaby informed her in a monotone voice that made her a bit uncomfortable. "A severe case of pneumonia- falling into a freezing lake and making one's way back on foot can cause that."
"Are they gonna be ok?" Lela sobbed out, long since having been set into tears.
"Hard to say." She droned on. "It could completely overtake her body and kill her- our Lord Zalim will be fine due to his immortality, but Lady Raz could very easily be killed."
Lela wailed, and Opal snatched her up protectively in her paws, patting the blubbering mouse sprite with one finger. "What is the matter with you?!" she hissed. "She's four years old!"
"I don't sugarcoat stuff, kid."
With a shriek, Lela shot into the air and, after a moment, she disappeared into Raz's blankets with a tiny 'thunk'. "Lela! Come back!"
Just as she'd leapt up onto the bed, she met Raz's eyes. The sleepy golden orbs flitted to her hand, and Opal saw little Lela, curled up in her palm, hugging her finger and sobbing, begging "Don' die Raz! Pwease don't die!"
"Oh, Ah'm fine." She muttered, stroking her with her thumb. The mouse sniffled, looking up at her with wet aqua orbs. "This ain't th' firs' time" she coughed violently, and a nearby nurse offered her a bowl. She sat up, clearing her throat, spitting out something thick and green, tinged with red. Opal really hoped it wasn't blood. She pounded a fist to her chest, right above her heart, clearing her throat. "Ain't th' first time Ah go' pneumonia. It'll clear up in a coup'l days." She fell back on the bed, a nurse gently massaging her temples with ice to ease her feverish headache.
"B- But she said-!"
"Forge' wot she said." She grumbled irritably, raising a cupped fist, coughing into it. "Iss' justa chest cold gone nasty. I'll be fine."
"Ok…" Lela watched as a 'miniature' bear walked up to her. A single fang was bigger than she was, but in reality she was only about a foot and a half tall.
"Excuse me, Mildy?"
Raz turned on her side, shaking in sudden chills. She was still cold, and her fur had not yet dried. Her ears and fingers were still numb. "Aye?"
"Your bath is ready, Mistress. Would you like it now?"
"Mm… why no'?" she coughed a final time and sat up, holding her head. Slightly woozy, her vision swam for a moment, but she shook her head vigorously and stood up. "Ain't no chest cold keepin me down." She muttered, determined. While her family always kept her strictly bedridden for even the mildest case of the sniffles, she was sure she could handle it. But alas, she was admittedly dizzy with fever. Thankfully the rock tub was only two hops away.
She gripped the edge, squeezing her eyes shut. Nurses surrounded her, ready to catch her should she fall. However, she just straightened herself, shaking slightly, and slid into the hot water. She hissed, sucking in through her teeth at the scalding liquid. The fancy bath had been adorned with oils, made evident at the slipperiness of the smooth, sanded stone. Cherry and peach blossom petals floated in the water. As she slid in up to her neck, something cool and slippery hit her shoulders, and two pairs of hands began lathering lavender scented bubbles in her fur. "Ah…"
"Feels nice, doesn't it?"
She jumped. Looking to her left, she found Zalim, being equally pampered with sweet scented soaps. Coughing, she shrugged. "Yeh."
He frowned, ruby eyes boring into her gold ones. "Are you alright?"
She waved him off, clearing her throat. "Ah'm fine." She suddenly shivered, and his frown increed.
"Get her warmer water." He commanded. "My Lady is chilled.'
"No, reall'eh, I'm fi-" a large vat of boiling water was poured into her bath. She went rigid, tensing at the sudden change in temperature, the water growing about twenty degrees warmer. She squirmed, and, sensing her discomfort, Zalim ordered the room be cleared. He reached over and took her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. Raz smiled, feeling warm.
And she was pretty sure it wasn't from the hot water.
Well there ya go folks! Please review! Well, poor Razzie and Zalim are both sick, but it gives me an excuse for fluffiness! Beware! XD Review!