Welcome to Fire and Ice! Short chapter one, then we'll get into it with two coming tomorrow.
Please read, review and enjoy!
Rose xx

Chapter Management

January 17th, 8:00pm. Wharton State Forest, Exact Location Unknown

Grace huddled beneath the pile of coats Steve had tucked around her, beginning to shiver.
"Its alright Gracie. We'll be okay. Everything is going to be fine, alright?" Steve moved around, hunched in to himself to ward off the cold from the roaring wind. First priority was getting some form of block from the howling wind and beginnings of snow. He piled up the large stones around the entrance to their little cave; the entranceway was only a metre or s high, but once inside opened to a taller, wide space. Steve worked to stack rocks and foliage cross the entrance, leaving only a small gap for smoke from the fire he had to get going. That done, he crouched by the firepit he'd set, bringing a match to it. Blowing gently beneath the tinder, the sparks caught and with a few minutes of care, the larger pieces had caught. Steve stacked some of the larger pieces around the edges, hoping to dry them so they'd sustain the through the night.

A small moan broke him out of his stupor. His eyes rocketed over to Danny, lying on the cave floor, tucked under the emergency blanket, Steve's own beanie jammed on his head. He crouched by his friend, running a hand over his head gently, wary of the headwound still there.
"Danny, can you hear me?" Another moan, then his eyes fluttered open, glazed with pain. Steve didn't have time to ask another question before Danny once again moaned, this time the sound sharp with agony as his hand fluttered towards his covered leg. Steve quickly caught the limb, placing it gently back under the blankets.
"Don't touch that Danny. Leave it for now. How are you feeling?" Danny moaned once more, before his eyes fluttered shut. Steve sighed, then heard quiet tears. Turning from his patient, he made his way to Grace.

"Scooch over kiddo." He sat himself down, leaning against the cave wall and pulled Grace in close, pulling the coats back over to cover her.
"Is Daddy going to die Uncle Steve?" Steve ran a hand down her back, pulled the woollen hat back down to cover her ears.
"Or course not Gracie. He's going to be just fine, and so are you. Get some sleep now, okay?" The small girl nodded, settling into his side. Within minutes, she was out. He waited for another fifteen minutes until he was sure she was deeply asleep, then slid out and gently lay her down, pushing his backpack under her head, smiling as she immediately cuddled up to it. He moved to stoke the fire, glad most of the smoke seemed to be leaving the cave.

Steve looked at Grace, now slumbering beneath the pile of coats, then to Danny. Motionless. And he wondered how the hell things had gone wrong so quickly.

January 15th, 8:00am, The palace, Hawaii…