Rushing into the woods, Mark drew his great sword and quickly cleared the way of any NPC animals that tried to take him on. Mark was even able to cover his tracks with his progressing hunting skills. While taking to the air, Sean lingered slightly behind him and scouted behind them to make sure they weren't being followed. They could hear magic spells activating and muffled yelling from the group. All of it made Sean feel tense and vulnerable. He didn't like being hunted. They didn't stop for what felt like hours and only stopped because they hadn't eaten, and it was causing their health to drain now. Landing from lack of stamina, Sean panted out to Mark in the dark forest. "What are going to do? We can't just keep running..." Dropping his sword from a lack of stamina to lift it, Mark dropped to his knee and panted out. "I don't know. But we're on our own now." Gesturing back, Sean blurted out quietly. "But the others... We can't just..." Raising a hand to stop him, Mark grimly told him. "They'll be watching them now. Waiting for us. They'll be safer away from us."

Biting his lower lip nervously, Sean asked him anxiously. "What if they hurt them to lure us back?" Mark swallowed, telling him without looking at him. "We just have to trust that they'll be ok. No one get into the house without permission. They'll be safe there." Shrugging, Sean retorted icily. "Then why didn't WE stay there!" Rummaging through his back, Mark removed some bread as he told him seriously. "Because Glade might be able to hack his way into the house. We'd be trapped in there. This way... this way keeps them safe. That's all we can do for them." Mark handed him half of the bread, telling him seriously. "Eat. We've got a long way yet to go." Accepting the bread with a heavy heart, Sean mumbled out. "But we don't know where to go..." Taking a swig from a waterskin that didn't contain water, Mark pointed toward the snow mountains in the far distance and answered coolly. "I wanna reach there before nightfall. By then... hopefully I'll have thought of something."

Nibbling on the bread, Sean scanned the area around them like a frightened deer. Every rustle of leaves was a potential threat. Gaining his bars back, Mark stood up and retrieved his sword. Sean tried to hide how scared he was by pretending to still be on the lookout, but Mark saw right through him. Moving up behind him, Mark wrapped a strong arm around his shoulders and pulled him close to his chest. For a long moment they just stood like that, until Mark whispered to him. "We have to keep moving. Come on." Reluctantly, Sean turned and followed him on foot this time. The closer they got to the mountains, the more a misty creepily extended out into the forest. The mist was cold and made them feel damp. It was so thick in some places that Sean almost walked into trees that were just out of arms reach. Behind him, Mark used his sword to part the mist at his feet to keep himself from tripping on roots and tree stumps. Before long the grass beneath them turned to frost that crunched under their every step.

Covering his mouth with his hands, Sean tried to warm his fingers with his breath, before stammering out to Mark. "A-a-are we close? I'm losing f-f-feeling in my limbs..." Mark's hand touched a spot between his wings, causing Sean to gasp. Mark felt so fucking warm still and he was wearing less then him! Draping a warm arm over Sean's shoulder, Mark told him sweetly. "Almost. I'll find us a covered spot when we get closer." Inhaling deeply, Sean forced himself to trudge on. His wings twitching uncontrollably as the cold made them heavy with a thin coating of frost. Mark eventually pulled away to scout ahead since Sean was slowing as the snow rose to his knees. His every step a struggle as his body trembled. Finally, he stopped completely and called out over the cold breeze. "Mark... I can't... I can't move..." Farther ahead, Mark told him with encouragement. "There is a nice spot just up here. Come on. You can make it." Shaking his head, Sean startled to huddle himself up. He was terrified to move. He could barely feet his legs and his wings were no longer twitching.

Stomping back through the snow, Mark plucked him up into his arms like he weighed nothing. Hugging him against his warm chest, he whispered to him lovingly. "I've got you, Jackaboy. Just hang on." Carrying him quickly through the snow, Mark moved under a large stone ledge that was nestled in the mountainside. Underneath it, there was no snow and the mountain protected it on both sides from the chilly wind. Kicking frosted dirt away from a spot deep inside, Mark sat down with him still huddled in his arms. It felt good to be out of the cold snow and wind. Giving the illusion that it was warmer under the ledge. Holding him close, Mark whispered to him softly. "I guess, Aesir undead are immune to the cold." Snuggling his face into the warm nook of Mark's body, he muffled out. "Why are you still so warm?" Mark's hand pressed to Sean's cold ear, telling him with a shrug. "Maybe it's the blood I've been drinking. Keeps me warm." Sean moaned, then pleaded with him. "I can't go any farther, Mark. Please... can we stop."

Kissing his temple, Mark whispered so beautifully to him. "Yes. We can stop. I'll make a fire when you stop shaking." Tugging a blanket free from his bag, Mark draped it over Sean and rubbed his body more to heat it up. The warmth that began to spread over him, brought Sean to the drink of exhaustion. He hadn't realized that shivering in the game counted as burning stamina. So, when the last sliver of his stamina ticked away. He gave in to sleep. There wasn't anything else he could do if he couldn't move. The soft tapping of something on an iron pot prompted him awake again. Allowing him to see Mark cooking something that smelled amazing over a crackling warm fire. Sitting up a little, he smirked at how Mark had tucked him in over a bed roll. Within the bedroll, he could feel warm washcloths against his exposed skin. Relaxing back down, he sighed out to Mark. "You didn't want to stay cuddled with me?" Smirking while he worked, Mark casually told him. "I wanted to. But your body wasn't recovering. You started to turn blue. So, I had to work pretty quickly."

Pouring some warm liquid into a cup, Mark sipped it, then carried it over to him. Coaxing him to drink it, Mark told him sweetly. "Getting warm water into you helped. So, this soup should bring your stats back up." Finishing the soup, Sean gripped Mark's wrist and kissed his fingers tenderly. Running his free hand through Sean's bangs, Mark told him blissfully. "I told you that I'd take care of you." Smiling, Sean reached up to wrap his arms around Mark's neck. Pulling him down into a loving kiss. Reluctantly pulling away after a time, Mark whispered to him. "I'll get you some more. But you're looking much better." Snuggling under the warm blanket, Sean muffled out to him as he peered over the edge of the blanket. "Anything happen while I was asleep?" Refilling the cup, Mark chuckled out. "It's been quiet here. I'm glad I saved the meat from all those kills earlier. This soup wouldn't be as good without rabbit." Rolling his eyes, Sean muffled back. "You make it seem like we're merely camping."

Glancing out at the blinding white snow, Mark shrugged out. "Kind of feels like it. So, why not enjoy it." Bringing the soup back over, Sean sat up and chuckled back. "I'm glad you can see it that way." Giving him a brief kiss, Mark encouraged him to drink more soup as he sighed out calmly. "I've also been trying something... new. Just don't laugh." Getting up, Mark moved to pick up what looked like a bear skin blanket, but it wasn't. It was a cloak that had the dark fur turned inward and the tanned pale skin exposed to the elements. The thick stitches that held pieces together looked awful, but they held. Despite how it looked rough and shabby... it looked insanely warm and cozy to wear. Flashing Mark a grin, he told him genuinely. "I love it, Mark." Rolling his eyes, Mark huffed out. "It looks bad, I know... but I have these animal skins in my inventory and... after seeing you so... I just thought I'd try my hand at leatherworking something."

Reaching out for it, Sean playfully asked him. "Let me try it." Nervously, Mark handed it over and Sean slowly got up to slip it on. The cloak felt huge on him, but the fur was so soft and warm that he felt like he could hide within its warm depths. Putting his arms up, Sean asked him with a giggle. "How do I look?" Snorting, Mark stated teasingly. "You look like an eskimo baby. All fur stuffed with only a visible cute face." Crossing his arms, Sean chuckled out. "Hey, at least it is warm. I'll take it." Mark chuckled to himself, then sat down to tell him more casually. "I thought we'd stay here for the night, but in the morning... we try and see if we can get over the mountains." Lowering his arms down, Sean shrugged out. "Why over them? We can try to go around them." Mark nodded but pulled out his map to tell him confidently. "I was thinking about that. If anyone has a high enough tracking skill, they could follow us here. However, if we go over the mountain... we could lose them. The snow will shift up there. They won't be prepared to travel in the snow. They'll think we found a way into the mountain."

Raising an eyebrow, Sean asked curiously. "Why would they think that?" Closing the map, Mark told him innocently. "Because I found a way in. And I'm going to make anyone tailing us think we took it." Scoffing his foot in the dirt, Sean playfully corrected. "Or... we take the path into the mountain and let them think we went over it. Just a thought." Mark smirked, then got up and moved to the wall. Pushing it open, Mark gestured to him to come closer. Waddling over in the big fur cloak, Sean jerked to a stop as a warning popped up in front of him. The warning stated aloud to him in a calm tone of voice. "Warning. Tight spaces ahead. If you suffer from claustrophobia or fear of deep dark places, turn back. Must be able to swim and use a weapon in close combat. The mountain's labyrinth awaits." Leaning against the doorframe, Mark chuckled out. "It's a literal dungeon crawler. You wanna go in?" Taking a step back, Sean exhaled out. "No..."

Closing the door, Mark moved closer to him to push the fluffy hood back. Lifting his chin with a finger, Mark whispered to him. "We go over the mountain. It will be cold... but I'll keep you warm. When we reach the abandoned mountain inn on the other side... I make it up to you." Narrowing his eyes on him, Sean asked curiously. "How do you know there is an abandoned mountain inn on the other side?" Smirking, Mark whispered inches over his lips. "Because it has a natural hot spring according to the game guide I briefly skimmed over. Doesn't that sound like our kind of camping?" Blushing, Sean mumbled out. "Well... Sure. I've never been but... won't the tunnel go in that direction too?" Shaking his head, he licked Sean's lips teasingly before answering. "No. It follows the mountain's spine to the town with Grendel." Kissing Mark's lips timidly, Sean leaned back to ask breathlessly. "Wait... You always planned to take me to the hot spring?" Mark grinned, capturing his lips in another kiss.

When they finally stopped kissing, Sean lightly swatted Mark's chest and playfully mumbled out. "You could have just told me that at the start." Blushing, Mark chuckled out honestly. "True... but I was worried that someone might hear us. I wanted to be cautious. Plus... it was supposed to be a surprise during our... 'vacation.' I wasn't going to come this way at first, but there is nothing really over the mountains. So, the little abandoned inn is perfect to just... lay low together." Smiling warmly, Sean shrugged out excitedly. "Fuck it. Let's leave now. We'll sleep on the mountain." Mark chuckled, but gestured for him to pack if he was serious. So, he did. Which spurred Mark to set up the bait with dirt tracks leading into the wall. Then, taking Mark's hand, they ventured off into the falling snow to find a place to start climbing. To Be Continued...