literature

Cold-Clutch

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Snow blanketed the ground, not much at first glance, but nearly to the breast of the average quail trying to plow through untraveled paths. Redcliff’s streets were a cold, slushy mess as most residents stayed inside, cozying up to the fire or stove and settled down to ride the cold out. Save for just a few.
“BO!” Jared snarled as a slushy snow ball splatted the back of his head, knocking off his hat and making him stand rigid. “AUGH! It went down my coat!” Jared spun around as Bo crowed a laugh and dove behind a porch pillar with another snowball in his gloved hand.
“You’re such a child!” Jared seethed and pawed together an icy slushball. “I’m gonna splatter your face in!” Jared charged the porch and Bo danced around, hitting Jared in the shoulder with another snowball. Jared swore under his breath and jumped up. “Charlie! Control your idiot!” he shouted at the dormouse, watching them with twitching whiskers from the street with his hands deep in his coat pockets for warmth.
“Charlie’s on my side!” Bo dashed and hid behind Charlie as his friend rolled his eyes.
“Just quit hitting me with snowballs! I’m already freezing!” Jared brushed snow from his coat and glared at the two of them.
“Awe no more fun… Charlie! You’re on your own!” Bo yanked Charlie’s hat of and gave him a snowy noogie.
Charlie bristled and flailed around to grab Bo, who danced out of range and took off down the street.
“Can’t catch me! You ol’ desert tortoise!” Bo grinned, skidding to a stop just long enough to scoop together another snowball. Charlie snatched up one of his own and splattered Bo on the side of the head. Bo threw his and caught Charlie’s leg before running off again and sprinting around the corner, almost plowing into Jacey Littledore on her way to the Post Office in front of her.
“Bo!” Jacey squealed as Bo sized her shoulders and hid behind her as Charlie rouded the corner with a snowball in each hand.
“Ah ah ah!” Bo panted behind a smug smile. “Truce! I have a shield!”
Charlie snorted and dropped his snowball before folding his arms. Not fair.
“Bo, that’s cheating!” Jacey wriggled from his grasp with a giggle and backed up to stand by Charlie.
“No rules in a snow war!” Bo tipped his hat just as a load of snow was pushed off the roof from above and knocked him down. Charlie and Jacey looked up to see Davey leaning out the window with a push broom, having swept the snow down onto their friend.
“Hey!” Bo sputtered. “No fair!”
“No rules in a snow war!” Davey called down smugly before retreating inside and shutting the window.
“Idiot.” Jared caught up to them. “Serves you right.” He scoffed at Bo.
“Lighten up, Jared, don’t tell me a little snowball fight bent you out of shape.” Jacey folded her arms.
“I don’t like snow-anything!” Jared snorted. “Its cold and wet and horrid.”
“Like your heart?” Bo teased, he laughed as Jared sent him a smoldering look.

“So what’s the news on the mail, Davey?” Bo asked as they stepped inside the toasty front room.
“The mail is stuck in Monty!” Lawrence called from where he was checking the wood stove near the front corner. “I swear its freezing in here!”
“Lawrence if it gets any hotter Dennis threatened to walk around stark naked, don’t you dare make anyone witness that!” Davey smirked.
“Lovely image.” Jacey made a face. “Where is Dennis anyways?” she looked around, normally Dennis manned the front desk and Davey was in the back.
“Dennis is out of town.” Davey sighed. “Left me and Lawrence here, but that’s not the worst part. Our wagon axel is broken. No one’s been out here to repair it since the snow came. Someone needs to ride out to Monty to get the mail since the coach can’t get through the road with this snow, and there’s more on the way. I can’t ride out in that blizzard, stupid leg.” Davey glared down at his right leg before looking up. “And Lawrence can’t even leave the building. Monty’s been wiring me for three days to get the mail, I have to wait for Dennis to come back.”
“Monty huh?” Bo scratched his chin-fur. “Well, what if we rode out and got it? Folks’ll be wanting their mail, Davey. I bet if we left now we could beat the storm and get back here in time.”
“What? I don’t know. You lot aren’t mail carriers.”
“How hard could it be?” Jacey shrugged. “I’ll do it. I was sent here with Isaac to get our mail, we’re expecting the updated paper on our ranch’s homestead, we have to get it filed as soon as we can.”
Bo nodded. “That seem important enough to let non-mail carriers have a go?” Bo shrugged.
“You wouldn’t want the job, and its freesing out there.” Davey shook his head. “I’d appreciate if you would. But I won’t ask it of you.” Davey winced and sat down on his stool behind the desk, rubbing his knee. “I oughtta just ride out there myself and get it…” he muttered.
“Does it hurt?” Jacey asked gently, peering over the oak desktop.
“Aches something fierce when it gets cold. Then stiffens up, almost can’t move when I wake up in the morning.” Davey’s pink and red eyes narrowed. “I feel like an old dud.”
“You’re not a dud.” Bo countered. “And we’ll go get the mail, wire Monty, tell them you got riders on the way.”
“And who all is going on this delightful little quest?” Lawrence shivered by the stove.
“All of us!” Bo wrapped his arms around Jacey, Charlie and Jared’s shoulders where hey stood.
“ME??” Jared wriggled loose. “I don’t want any part in this!”
“Fine then, I can get the job done faster without you.” Bo shrugged.
“What’s that supposed to mean!” Jared bristled.
“You’re a slow rider, and Grit probably couldn’t carry back a mail sack anyways.”
“Grit could carry ten mail sacks and your sorry Scaled Quail strapped on his back!” Jared lashed his tail.
“Prove it?” Bo smirked.
“I will!” Jared crammed his hat down over his ears and stomped out the door.
Jacey turned to Bo with her hands on her hips. “Did you really have to encourage him to come?”
“What? Now he can carry all the mail!” Bo teased, flipping Jacey’s whiskers playfully and turning for the door. “Lets ride!”
“Do be careful, Jacey.” Lawrence frowned. “Its frightfully wretched out there, I’d much rather you stay here in town but do as you must…” Lawrence looked down at the ground.
“I’ll be as careful as you are.” Jacey beamed and rested her hand on Lawrence’s head to assure him. “Don’t you worry about me.”
Charlie waited for Jacey by the door. He glanced at her then looked around before looking questionably at her shoulder bag. It wasn’t hers, it was Isaac’s.  Where was Isaac?
Jacey blinked, fathoming his question. “Oh! Isaac got a touch of the cold-clutch on the way over, he’s resting in the chair in front of the fire in the tavern.”
Charlie blinked worriedly.
“Oh he’s alright.” Jacey assured him. “And I’ll be fine too! I’ve got my coat and scarf. I haven’t been cold-clutched since I was little.” She saw Charlie still looking concerned as his eyes traveled skyward to the white and gray smudge heavens. It would snow again soon.
“C’mon! Lets beat the storm!”  Jacey turned and dashed out the door, leaving Charlie to catch up.
The ride to Monty started out as fun but as soon as they left the worn paths of down, breaking the snow trail became grueling work for the quail, and the group formed a line, each taking ten minute turns to be at the front of the breaking path. They were nearly to Monty as the sky grew thick and dark with snow-laden clouds that started to fall in fat flakes. Charlie shook his hat free of snow and suppressed a shiver at the wind blew in his face. Like all dormice, Charlie wasn’t fond of the cold. It made him sluggish and tired. And, if exposed too long, he would collapse entirely from a tricky condition known to dormice as the cold-clutch. The cold seeped into their system, chilling their blood, locking them down until they couldn’t move, couldn’t stay awake. They would fall into a hibernation-like state and if they didn’t find warmth to bring them back, they could freeze to death. Charlie knew lizards were affected similarly, so taverns and saloons during the winter were the best place for a cold-clutched dormouse like Isaac to be recovering. He caught himself checking Jacey every few minutes to make sure she was all right, he couldn’t help but be worried, and now he was starting to feel the tug of the cold himself, but he fought to remain absolutely alert.
Bo spotted a dark smudge riding towards them and pulled the quail to a stop, peering through the flakes. “Rider!” he called. “Monty?”
“This is Monty! Yes!” A rat rode out on a large Bobwhite Quail and grinned down at the group. “Didn’t realize Redcliff was sendin’ a regular posse out to get mail!” he tugged two large bags off his shoulders and passed them to Bo, who passed them down the line. “These four are yer basic letters n’ paper-type mail. Most light, even if they are heavy. These;” he twisted to undo the backs lashed to his saddle. “Are yer packaged goods, boxes, usually goodies, trinkets, all wrapped up for the travel. This last one is yer breakables, we packed the loose spots with paper so they won’t break but try not to knock ‘em so much. Got yer medical viles, perfumes, fish oils. All sortsa goo you don’t want breakin’!”
“Gotcha.” Bo tipped his hat as he handed bag out to everyone and they all tied the sacks securely to their saddles.
“Have a safe trip back, hope ya’ll beat the snow before it gets thick!” The rat turned and spurred off as the group gave their fair-wells.
The ride back was fairly easy since the trail was pre-broke for them already, but the snowflakes were falling faster and thicker, soon the falling snow blurred the boundries between the horizon snd the sky, the group was just blindly following the disappearing tracks before them.
“Well, this is just great!” Jared snapped at long last. “I’m freezing my whiskers off! The storm is here! Our trail is filling up and we’re gonna get lost!”
“We’re no gonna get lost!” Bo argued. “Calm down, we know the way back. Monty and Redcliff are close enough together.”
“I still blame you!” Jared pulled up his collar.
“When do you not?” Bo flicked numb ears.
Charlie let it a shaky breath, he tried to quell the shivers that were stirring through him. He kept flexing his hands to keep the blood moving. He was freezing. He was moving the slowest since he was carrying the breakables, but he could feel the cold stealing into him. He just wished they could hurry back faster to the warmth of a fire. Just the thought of a cozy fire made his head fuzz over in a sleepy sensation, and he shook his head roughly to clear it. He glanced to Jacey in front of him, she seemed alright, head waggling with motion of her quail’s gait. She seemed fine, unitl—whump! Jacey slid sideways and fell off her bird into the snow. Charlie gasped and pulled up short, he slid off the saddle and waded through the snow to her side as Bo and Jared turned around at the noise.
“Jacey!” Bo startled. “You alright??”
“Mm fine.” Jacey mumbled, eyes drooping, she was shivering all over as Charlie knelt down and propped her up against him.
“Can you stand?” Bo turned Cotton around as Charlie tried to help her to her feet.
“’Course I can st…” Jacey’s legs wobbled out from under her and Charlie caught her up and held her close. “My legs are ju-just cold.” She chattered.
“Awe no…” Bo winced and looked around. “Hold on Jacey.” He twisted in his saddle to scan through the snow.
“What’s going on?” Jared frowned.
“Cold-clutch, we gotta get Jacey out of here and some place warm.” Bo rode off the trail a little ways.
“Wouldn’t we ALL like to be some place warm!” Jared called in annoyance.
“She needs it now!” Bo called back pointedly.
Charlie shivered and rubbed Jacey’s shoulder, trying to help her stay awake even though he wanted nothing more than the curl up in the snow beside her and surrender to the chill piercing him. He looked up as Bo rode back.
“There’s those small bluffs out this way, think you can hold onto Jacey?” Bo looked down at Charlie, who nodded and strained to get up, lifting Jacey in his arms.
“Mm fine, really!” Jacey squirmed slightly but then settled his Charlie’s arms, eyes drooping. Charlie looked up at Bandit, Jacey’s protective Tennessee Red Quail, who was eyeing him suspiciously. Charlie reached out cautiously for his reins and slipped them around Jacey’s sleepy arm. Bandit thought Jacey was holding the reins, so he settled as Charlie reached behind and held Clyde’s reins as well, he couldn’t lift Jacey up into his saddle; he was too shaky for that. He started to trudge after Bo and the Jared off the trail, following in their quail’s tracks. They got about halfway to the little bluffs when Charlie started to really falter. His eyes were closing and his head lolling. His breath was coming in exhausted, shivering gasps and he could feel Jacey slipping in his numb arms.
Jacey stirred and looked sluggishly up at Charlie then winced as Charlie stumbled down to one knee in the snow, he tried to stand but he couldn’t.
“N-not you too.” Jacey shivered. “Ch-Charlie?”
Clyde came over and nudged Charlie’s shoulder with a peep of concern but Charlie didn’t respond, he was fighting to keep his eyes open, but they were closing on their own.
“Charlie! Bo rode back and slid off his quail. “Come on, buddy, not you too.” He rubbed his shoulders and gave him a shake.  “Jared!” Bo called as Charlie slumped to the side, almost completely cold-clutched . “Jared, get Jacey!” Bo ordered. Jacey saw Jared hurry over and scoop her up, then everything faded to blissful blackness.
Jacey wiggled slightly and let out a soft murmur of content. She was warmer now, she blinked open exhausted eyes and saw stone walls dancing with flickering fire-cast shadows, and right before her a shoulder that tapered to an arm curled around her and holding her close. Jacey blinked again to adjust her eyes and realized she was cradled close to Charlie, his arms were wrapped around her, keeping a saddle blanket secure around her shoulders. She saw he was still shivering a little, trapped in the dreamy cold-clutch state no doubt. She noticed he wasn’t wearing his jacket, and she examined her sleeve to see she was wearing it. She heard footsteps and peered up to see Bo smiling down at her.
“Feel better?” He asked, stooping down on one knee.
“Yeah.” Jacey murmured, feeling her cheeks blush realizing how close she was to Charlie, both were bundled up in saddle blankets, and Charlie was holding her so cozily that she’d felt as warm and safe as if she’d awakened in her bed back home. “He’s cold…” she murmured worriedly, seeing Charlie shiver again. Bo reached over and tugged the blanket back up over his shoulder.
“He was more worried about you.” He explained. “He told us to get you up and about first, gave me his jacket then he dropped like a stone. You’ve both been asleep almost two hours.”
“What??” Jacey squeaked and carefully sat up, setting Charlie’s arms down and pulling the blanket up to his chin. “Isaac’s going to be so worried!”
“Don’t worry, I sent Jared back to Redcliff to explain what was wrong.”
“Jared? Great, suddenly I’m full of confidence…”  Jacey groaned. “He’s gonna get himself lost.”
“Nah, we’re nearly home, about a twenty minute ride.” Bo assured her. “Just keep warm.” Bo turned and edged back towards the small fire he’d built, Jacey looked around the small cave, the Quail were in the back, Clyde and Bandit, who knew each other, were settled together dozing, While Cotton was on Clyde’s other side as close as he dared, one eye open from his wing-tucked head.
“Ugh… sorry Bo. Stupid cold-clutch.” Jacey folded her arms up in Charlie’s oversized coat and glared at the floor. “It’s not fair.”
“Don’t worry about it, at least I knew what it was this time.” Bo assured her as he stoked the fire with a broken cactus spine.
“What? What do you mean?” Jacey arched a brow and turned to make sure Charlie was well bundled before inching closer to the flames and rolling back the large sleeves to warm her hands.
“Well, you remember Charlie and I came to Redcliff a few years ago in the winter looking for work? That’s when we met you.”
“Right.” Jacey nodded for him to go on.
“Well, Charlie and I got lost, we were between towns and were couldn’t get out bearings. It was cold and windy and we were trapped out in the flatlands, it was the middle of nowhere. We had to stop for the night. Charlie was kinda sluggish and I thought it was just the rotten luck we were in and he was feeling kinda glum and mopey. But after a cold night outside, the next morning I couldn’t wake him up.” Bo frowned. “Scared the hell out of me…” he set his poker down and stared into the flames. “I honestly thought he was gone… you know?” Bo’s voice cracked slightly and he cleared his throat. “I was so scared, I was shaking him, screaming at him, hitting his face; anything to try and wake him up. And when he didn’t… I never felt so empty in my life. I stoked up a big fire… the ground was so cold and hard… I’d never be able to dig a proper… well…” Bo’s ears went back.
Jacey’s eyes widened. “You were going to BURN him??”
“I wasn’t going to leave him out there to get scavenged… I couldn’t, but anyway, the fire got bigger and bigger, and hotter.  And then I looked over cause I saw movement. He was rubbing his ear and shivering. So I made the fire even bigger and helped sit him up next to it, just talking to him and praying he’d be ok. Then when he finally woke up, I was happy I flat-out cried.” Bo smiled weakly. “Like a school girl.” He tacked on. “Bawled, Jacey, I was… it was a mess.”
Jacey smiled weakly and rested a hand on his shoulder, Bo was trying to make it light hearted for her but she could tell it hurt to explain such a frightening experience.
“I told him what I almost did, he told me about the cold-clutch, and ever since, if I can help it, I always find us a sheltered place for the night. I never wanted to seem him like that again. And yeah, its happened a few times since, he’s gotten close but never shut down like last time, ‘til now.” He looked over where he was curled up tight under the blankets.
“You seem so calm though.” Jacey shivered.
“He told me not to worry.” Bo ran his fingers through his headfur. “That was the last thing he said after he made me give you his jacket. Not to worry, that it was gonna be ok. I trust him, he’ll be fine.” Bo said determinedly.
Jacey looked back at Charlie, it seemed he did a lot of fast-talking in his nearly unconscious state. She hugged his jacket around her more snugly then scooched backwards to settle beside him once more. “I’ll keep him warm.” She promised Bo.
“Alright.” Bo smiled sheepishly. “Be nice to him.” He teased.
Jacey rolled her eyes then settled closer to Charlie under the saddle blankets. She pulled his arm over her again and smiled as he winced in his sleep and curled it around her once more like a teddy bear. She snuggled her head under his chin and he ear brushed his chest. His slow heartbeat was slowly, ever so slowly, returning to normal. He would wake up soon. She smiled and rubbed his shoulder gently. “Thank you.” She murmured.
Cold Cuddles <3
Thought this up with :iconmoshypants: yesterday and etched out the WIP picture: [link] before finally writing this out.
Hopefully gonna get the picture colored after I finish the comic tomorrow. BUT I work tomorrow too, so its gonna be a rocky art day... (week late comic page I KNOW but I had a jobbbbb noooow. Sorry!)
I must admit, this is my favorite writing snippety thing I've done since the Tucson Collab I think :B
C'mon, who doesn't love cuddly, snugly Charlie and Jacey-boos!? (unashamedly ships ships characters... even though they NEVER flirt or anything... (at least not noticeably so...))
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moSHypants's avatar
sdalfkjasldkf ffff THOSE CUTIES