[Chr24] Avalanche! Watch Out!

Ryker shudders as he pauses, looking around to take in the rest of the group- all he sees when he looks around is grey and white. The snow isn't esp bad at the moment, thankfully, so he can still see everyone- Draven leads ahead, slow but steady with Ozias right behind. Malachi is beside him, and pays Ryker no mind as Ryker stops. To add to the troubles, their companions have grown tired and must be carried- Ryker had May in his pack, her little nose just barely peeking out, Ozias had Ditzy in his arms, and Draven had Achilles on his shoulder. It's still such a long way to the top... though according to Draven, there's a cabin not too terribly far ahead. Something made for people like them to take shelter in. Shaking his head, Ryker struggles onward. They had all agreed to take this trip to investigate something gone wrong at the top a while ago, hopefully discovering the truth of the matter in the process. They had been paid to find out the fates of the missing hikers and they wouldn't turn down such a pretty penny.

The relief of seeing the cabin could not be understated- though it was still a good walk ahead, it was at least within an acceptable amount of time given their exhaustion. Malachi whooped, seemingly getting a surge of energy, "Oh thank fucking god!! I thought for sure Draven was going senile for a second there." Draven didn't reply except with a noise of disapproval, but Ozias turned to give him a look. "I know Draven knows this mountain better than most scientists even- you'd do well to put your trust more firmly in him." Ryker spoke next, voice quiet and coarse, "I think we know that, it's just... ugh, this hike sucks." His voice was drowned out by the wind for the most part, but Malachi heard and barked a little laugh. "I can agree with that."

It was within a mile now, the promise of safety, when Draven paused. His head snapped up and they all heard a odd sound echoing in the wind. With bated breath they looked to Draven, who suddenly turned to them and spoke as silently as he could to still be heard, "Find shelter now- as quickly as possible and as close to the cabin as possible. Get to the sides as soon as you see it coming, hold on as tightly as you can-" Before he could say anything else, there was a thunderous sound and then- "AVALANCHE!!!" Malachi provided, a bit unhelpfully, and Ryker felt his blood turn even colder. They all scurried through the thick snow, but the avalanche was quicker than they could ever be. There were only small boulders to grab and have cover with but up closer to the house were metal posts. Draven and Ozias appeared to make it to them, the cabin making good break way for the avalanche for them, but Malachi and Ryker weren't quite so lucky.

It was upon them before they could even pray if they wished. It was deafening and freezing and it nearly ripped Ryker away from the rock. He felt the snow settling on top of him and he tried to shake it off, keep it moving off of him with minimal success. It still grew heavier, and he tried to punch through the blanket before it settled too heavily. The speed had slowed, which meant the snow would settle soon. His bag moved on his back and he heard May squeak as she dug through the snow. Ryker couldn't even tell if she had made it out, but he became aware that he couldn't move shortly after. Thankfully his punch had secured a hole to breathe, but the pressure was still uncomfortable and would turn painful soon enough.

Malachi, on the other hand, cursed as he became totally buried. He had been swept away, last second thank God, but was lodged in the snow. He felt pressure at every angle and knew he would run out of oxygen soon. He had no idea how anyone else was- there was a good chance he would die here. He tried to thrash but it just lead to him sinking in further and running out of breath. The cold was just as suffocating and he felt himself shivering. He felt angry and frustrated- how was this fair? He was so skilled as so many things, he'd done more dangerous things than this, and now some snow would kill him? He sat, petulant, for an unknown amount of time- it wasn't too long, though, before there was muffled sounds running through the snow. He opened his eyes, breathing shallow, and watched as snow began disappearing from his view. Hands accidentally brushed over his face, the rough plastic from the mits making him gasp and sputter as he got fresh air. Soon his limbs were pulled free and he was hoisted up. He glanced around and saw that Draven was helping him up, and it seemed Ozias was grabbing Ryker as Draven spoke to him.

"Are you still with us?" It seemed like such a stupid question that Malachi gave a little laugh at first, but then he coughed and nodded, "Yeah yeah yeah, I'm doing great- fuck. Uhm. Thanks." Draven merely nodded, and they regrouped with Ozias and Ryker. It seemed like May had helped find him, and he promised her a good treat later. Ditzy was running circles around them and Achilles was worriedly checking up on all of them. Ryker gave him a little scratch on his head and cuddled with May in his arms as they final ly made way towards the cabin again. Being on pillars meant that the avalanche had only covered the stairs, and they clamored up and over to reach the door.

Once inside, they stripped off their outer layers, quickly turning on the wood stove inside and unpacking to eat. It'd been hours since their last meal and with the added adrenaline rush from the scare they just had, they were all starving. Their pets also needed their energy to help guide them later, and it seemed as if the night was setting in regardless. They got comfortable, chatting with each other and devising which route would be best for them to take once they set back out. They laughed a little about the avalanche, and pondered what could've happened to make it happen. They then wondered if perhaps the answer to what they were looking for at the end of this trail was related. Regardless, that was an issue for the next day, and they all settled in to have a deep sleep in the warmth and safety of the cabin.