Yet another Birthday present for Squad Unit 19, it took me so long to type this one up. But that's because it's eventually going to be a full blown story someday.

Hightened rating warning. Definitely PG-13. Just so ya know...

Enjoy!

They heard thunder from beyond the thick density of the trees, and both mice knew that it could start raining at any second. And when it rained in a jungle like the Amazon, it was always more than just little rain, it'd be more accurate to call it a monsoon.

So the mice tried to pitch up their tents, but only Minnie managed to get hers up successfully in time, before it started pouring out in a matter of seconds. She didn't want to put up with a very sick Mickey throughout the duration of their adventure, trailing through the Amazon, so she made Mickey ditch his tent and dragged him in her completed one with her. Even though he stuttered excuses as to why he should keep trying to pitch his own tent, even in the rain.

"But Minnie-!"

"No buts! I'm not going to let you get sick just because you couldn't get your tent set up before it started raining cats and dogs out there! Now here, dry yourself off," she retorted, handing him a towel harsher than she intended. Slowly and reluctantly he obeyed, facing the tent's only exit, with his back to her. He dried himself off until it was only his clothes that were damp, which was just his shorts since he already took off his explorer's shirt, shoes, and socks and left the latter two outside.

"Your turn, Min." With towel in hand, he reached that arm behind him to hand it to Minnie, making sure his back was to her completely. He knew she got pretty wet from having to drag him into her tent, so logically she'd have to take off most of her clothes as well. Which most likely left her in nothing but her panties, not that he fantasized about that mind you, it was simply a passing thought.

"Thanks, Mickey." Her tone was softer now, as she gently took the towel from him and dried herself off. She couldn't help but mentally chuckle when she glanced at his stiff form upon retrieving the towel. He was taking the situation too seriously, so she decided to try and coax him into relaxing. "You do know how long we've been together, right?"

Reasonable hesitance on his part, he was obviously trying to choose his words carefully. He didn't want to offend her since logically they shoulda-woulda-coulda been married by now and thus, marriage was always a touchy subject. "Uh, l-long e-enough ta not know exactly how long," he stuttered shyly. She giggled at him.

"Exactly, so what are you so nervous about, hm?" She said in a sly tone as she wrapped her arms around his torso from behind, and lightly traced the crevices of his abdominal muscles. "You know I'm perfectly comfortable with having you here with me, Mickey." He could feel something squish against his back. Two somethings actually, and he knew fully well what those two somethings were."And now that you're here, you can help keep me warm." She kissed his neck softly, and Mickey was pretty sure his heart just stopped. She could probably feel it too, but he was also wondering why his nose wasn't bleeding at the moment since he could feel the heat rapidly rising into his cheeks. "Especially since you forgot your backpack outside in your tent." Yep, Mickey should have died of heart failure right then and there. The reason being that his sleeping bag was in his backpack, and she could choose whether or not to even use her own sleeping bag, and knowing her - she wouldn't. "And since there's nothing we can do until the rain stops, we might as well get some sleep." She pulled away from him momentarily to get a dry blanket, then wrapped it around Mickey's front, and used it to pull him towards her, making his back press against her chest again."Come on and lay down with me."

So many implications could be made with that last sentence, yet he knew she would never really go "that far." Unless...well, the both of them grew up in a time when it was socially unacceptable to 'do it' out of wedlock. But times have changed and people, (of a respectable age) have been doing whatever they want with or without a wedding band on their fingers. Minnie might have picked up on that fact, but she wouldn't really go through with that would she?

No, no, calm down Mickster, you know she wouldn't. Unless she had a condom on her-! Stop thinking like that! Nothing is gonna happen. She just wants to keep warm...While the both of us are half naked. That ain't the point! Warmth is a part of survival! You're both cold and wet and in the middle of the Amazon! There's nothing and no one for miles! No one ta hear her scream and moan in pleasure. Get yer mind outta the gutter! This is not the time and place for that! Ya can fantasize about it later, just do what she says and keep yer back ta her at all times!

After that mental debate in his own subconscious, Mickey did lay down finally, sideways and stiffly to make sure that he still kept his back to her. And she made sure to keep herself pressed up against him...from behind and for warmth, of course. Plus, they had the blanket wrapped around both of them.

But to her, he was super warm. Her own personal little furnace. Minnie always cherished the moments when she could appreciate his immense body heat, and this moment wasn't much different...with the exception that they were both half naked. Which made things a little awkward...for him at least. She didn't mind it because it was essential for survival, and for them to not catch a cold. Plus, she was spending quality time with him in a slightly romantic way. However, she could tell that he was nervous about all of this, as he was still stiff under her touch. She mentally sighed figuring that when she tried to coax him into relaxing earlier, she made it worse by sounding so suggestive. Might as well be straight forward with him about it this time in order to get him to relax.

"Mickey, relax. We're not going to do anything scandalous." She felt him lax almost immediately, and he even had the gall to let out a huge sigh of relief. She didn't know why it offended her into irrational anger at first, but it just did. "Mickey Mouse!" She pulled away from him and smacked his arm one notch harder than playfulness. "You didn't honestly think I would lure you into doing that did you?!"

"Uh, well I, uh..." Her anger was so sudden, that he had no idea why she was angry or how to answer her.

"Ugh! You, y-you PIG! You of all people KNOW I'm not that kind of girl!" She screeched at him as she sat up and scooted away from him, taking the blanket with her to stay decent in front of him.

"Well o' course I know that, Minnie! It's not you it's me! If I were a lesser mouse, I woulda done ya faster than a radioactive jackrabbit on Valentine's day, with or without a condom!" Then Mickey inwardly gasped at what he just said. Minnie was understandably shocked into silence and wide eyed like a deer in headlights. He zipped his way out of the tent knowing that she would have ordered him out if he just stayed sitting there anyway.

Mickey then ran all the way to his own tent, which was still just a big tarp with poles in it at this point, in the rain and tried to drag it further away than the mere ten feet it already was from Minnie's tent. The key word was 'tried' as he couldn't even drag it an inch. Something heavy was keeping it down, and he had a feeling he knew what it was as he now noticed the rather large lump in the middle. He dared a peek in what would be the inside and found that his hunch was sitting there glaring, and now growling at him was that darn saber tooth tiger that had been stalking them throughout the Amazon since day one. And it's been a few weeks...Don't know why or how there was a saber tooth tiger out in the Amazon but that's what this rather large critter was.

"Get outta my tent, Fluffy! I ain't in the mood ta fight with ya!" Mickey yelled at the white beast with its beady yellow eyes. Mickey wasn't having it today and that was a fact.

Even "Fluffy," as the mice came to affectionately nicknamed the saber tooth, was surprised that his unusual prey wasn't running in fear like he usually did. Out of respect for his worthy opponent, Fluffy completely surrendered himself by rolling onto his back, even going as far as exposing his neck (a sign of utmost submission). Mickey recognized this act of submission, and saw it as Fluffy's way of saying that he wouldn't attack as long as he could stay dry in this here tent. Mickey sighed as he relented, since if he were in this beast's paws, he wouldn't want to be stranded in the rain either.

"Alright ya over grown kitten. Ya can stay until the rain stops. But no eatin' me in the middle of the night! That's cheating and I think ya know it. Lemme just get this tent set up," Mickey grumbled loudly. It was raining hard enough that he was sure Minnie couldn't hear him. It'd be best if she didn't anyway, knowing how she'd react if she knew Fluffy was even in the vicinity. Within a few minutes the tent finally had a roof, instead of being a measly tarp with poles sticking out of it.

Now there were only two problems left, one was the fact that Fluffy was guarding Mickey's backpack, and the other was that the tent's opening was facing Minnie's tent. So Mickey, who now sat at the entrance of the tent for easy access, would have to keep a very cautious eye on Fluffy and try to wake up earlier than him in the morning should Minnie try to look for Mickey to apologize. Fluffy could easily end the temporary truce and go after her.

On the other hand, though Fluffy has been sneaky enough to do just that, there is a chance that he won't as he's also shown respect for Mickey for defending his mate, (for the lack of a better term in the eyes of a saber tooth), throughout the wilds of the Amazon. It was signs of respect such as that and using body language alone to form a truce because of the rain, that made Mickey constantly do a double take on Fluffy's intelligence. After all, Fluffy was a mysterious beast anyway. He's a pure white saber tooth tiger in the middle of the Amazon. Saber tooth tigers were known to be extinct since cave man times, and what in Sam Hill was one doing out in the Amazon anyway? This combined with the signs of respect left Mickey with the sneaking suspicion that maybe, just maybe, Fluffy was once a person who somehow got transformed into a saber tooth tiger.

If Fluffy was once a person, Mickey couldn't think of anyone he knew to possibly be this big beastie. He'd have to ask Minnie if she knew anyone Fluffy could possibly be. After he apologized to her of course. She had to know someone, Fluffy usually went after her first whenever the close encounters got a little too close for comfort.

Anyway, Mickey decided to trust the tiger for now and slowly eased himself sideways on the floor of the tent, still facing Fluffy. The beastie growled at the movement, not quite trusting the mouse in case he had something up his sleeve.

"I won't do nothin' if you won't," Mickey said calmly. It started getting dark out really quickly, so Mickey couldn't entirely see his adversary even with his own natural night vision, but he could still hear. Fluffy seemed to agree with a small huff of a growl and sounded like he made himself more comfortable, though still kept a cautious eye on Mickey. "It ain't like I got anything ta defend myself with anyway. Ya've got all yer weapons attached ta ya, and yer guarding mine!" Fluffy glanced at the backpack beside him, and with a paw, pulled it behind him and well out of Mickey's reach if he even dared. Mickey heard the movement and guessed what Fluffy did. "Tch, Jackass." Mickey grimaced but slowly closed his eyes trying to get the mental image of Fluffy smirking for his devious deed of playing Keep Away.

Meanwhile, Minnie was mentally beating herself up over that little tiff with Mickey. Granted it was mostly one sided, as usual, and yet she's the one who got mad at him over nothing! She told him to relax, and when he did, she blew up at him! She was currently debating whether or not to follow him, as he did leave on his own accord, and most likely regretted what he said. Which was actually flattering in its own weird way. Well, it was nice to know that he thought of her in that manner of attractiveness on occasion, it was just that he had the stupidity to voice it in such a vulgar manner. However, the way she saw it, he wouldn't have said it so vulgarly if it weren't for her uncalled for, yet understandable outburst. She'd have to apologize to him in the morning. After all, he probably finished pitching up his tent, and he has his own supplies in his backpack. Though she no longer had her personal furnace, she still had her sleeping bag and then noticed that Mickey had left his shirt in the corner of the tent by the tent's opening, it had longed since dried, and she couldn't help picking it up and sniffing it. It smelled just like him. She couldn't return it to him yet, it was still raining buckets out. Reluctantly, Minnie decided to turn in for the night, letting Mickey's scent from his shirt lull her to sleep.

Back at the other tent, and at a much later hour when the rain was now just spitting, Mickey forgot that he left his explorer's shirt with Minnie, and was exposed to the elements yet again because he had to finish what he had started with his tent. Thus, he was shivering in the middle of the night, and unfortunately it was loud enough to wake up both himself and Fluffy.

"I ain't gonna stop shakin' 'till ya gimme back my backpack. It's either that or I snuggle up with ya, Fluff ball," Mickey said threateningly through chattering teeth. Fluffy grumbled, obviously he didn't like the idea of that, so he reluctantly complied and batted back the backpack to the mouse with his paw.

"Thanks Big Guy. Glad ya can understand-!" It dawned on Mickey then that his little theory had to be true. Unless Fluffy was a highly trained animal that escaped from a circus, which was as likely as it was unlikely, then there was no other explanation as to how Fluffy could understand him, except that he must have once been a person. "-me...Say Fluffy, ya weren't always a saber tooth tiger were ya?" Fluffy gurgled, as if to say, 'Gee, how could you tell?' So Mickey continued,"If you were a normal big cat, ya wouldn't hesitate ta eat me, even if it were ta keep yerself outta the rain. An' well, ya haven't eaten me yet now have ya?" Fluffy made an annoyed sound, since Mickey was pointing out the obvious.

Then Fluffy got a wonderful and hopeful idea, maybe the mouse and his beloved would be nice enough to help him return to normal. Knowing the mouse couldn't see him very well at this point, gave a small yip of excitement. Mickey took the hint thankfully. "Hey, maybe Minnie and I can help ya get back ta normal somehow. Ya've been following us this far, chances are we're heading ta the same ancient ruins, an' whatever's there might help ya transform back inta whoever ya originally were!" Fluffy forgot for a moment that he was a big cat and as he tried to voice his excitement, it came out as a roar, albeit a very small roar, but it was loud enough to wake up the only other person in the area.

"Mickey!" Came Minnie's worried cry through rain and darkness. "Mickey are you alright?! I think I heard Fluffy from somewhere beyond your tent!"

"I'm okay, Min! Fluffy's actually tame fer once! He just wants ta get outta the rain! Go on back ta sleep, I'll explain it ta ya in the morning!" Mickey then heard rapid splashing footsteps heading towards his tent. He knew it was her, even in the darkness.

"What do you mean he's tame?!" she shrilled in the tents doorway and felt around for Mickey. He reached out so she could feel for his hand, once she felt it, she felt her way up his arm so she could find and wrap herself in his warm embrace.

"Fluffy, don't ya do anything now," Mickey warned. The big cat merely grumbled in annoyance, since it was already discussed that he wouldn't do anything since they would help him. "Tame as a kitten, Minnie. Apparently he wasn't always a saber tooth tiger, he was a person! So first thing tomorrow, he's coming with us, okay?"

"And how, pray tell, do you know he won't eat us in the middle of the night?" Minnie asked skeptically. Mickey almost retorted that it was the middle of the night, but stilled his snarky tongue and explained everything that happened between him and Fluffy this night, after he left her tent in embarrassment, instead. Minnie took it all in as open mindedly as possible, though still skeptical of Fluffy's primal instincts, understood Mickey's plea of wanting to help the beastie regain his original form. "Alright, I guess he can come with us to those ancient ruins. As long as he doesn't try anything funny and eats us anyway," she said calmly, though hesitance was still clear in her voice.

"Aw, don't worry, Minnie. Fluffy promises, right buddy?" Fluffy grunted, it was the best response he could muster since he was so sleepy now. "Ah, he's tired, but I'm sure that was a yes, 'cause he knows I'd skin him otherwise." Fluffy made no response because he was already asleep. Mickey then noticed that Minnie not only brought her blanket with her, but also his explorer's shirt, and he couldn't help but assume something else. "Yer still half naked aren't ya?"

"Silly Mickey, how did you know?" She asked playfully with a giggle as she leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"Lucky guess actually. But then, knowing you, if I were in any actual danger with Fluffy or anything else, ya wouldn't even think about puttin' clothes on if ya honestly thought ya'd never see me alive again." Actually that would be a pretty good last thing he saw before he died, but he didn't dare voice it, lest they get into another one sided argument. Minnie tossed his shirt aside and shifted the blanket around, so they would be bare chest to bare chest.

"True I probably would do that, but then I'm glad it's just you and me out here," she cooed sweetly. Then they heard Fluffy snore and she added,"Sort of..." They both chuckled softly, not wanting to disturb the big cat at the other end of the tent.

"I'm sorry about earlier Minnie, I shouldn't have been so vulgar," Mickey said sincerely.

"No, I'm the one who's more sorry, Mickey. I shouldn't have yelled at you so suddenly. Besides, I'm not entirely mad about that last 'vulgar' sentence of yours." She could feel his head suddenly jerk into facing the direction of her voice.

"Yer not? How come?" He was completely baffled.

"It's nice to know you find me attractive in that way." She then yawned and kissed his cheek. Then used her kisses to feel her way to his lips for one last goodnight kiss that lasted for several seconds. "Goodnight, Mickey," She whispered softly once she finally pulled away from the kiss.

"G'night, Min. See ya in the mornin'," Mickey replied dazedly. Her kisses were really overpowering, no matter what the circumstances, and no matter how many times she kissed him, the effects were always the same. A hint of ecstasy.

At least they didn't have to worry about Fluffy anymore...or did they?