The sky had grown from a pastel blue to a deep, dreary grey. The dense forest was damp and cold from the constant bad weather. A thick sheet of snow over the earth crunched loudly under the company's cold feet. "How much longer?" the ninja of lightning complained. His shivering arms were wrapped tightly around his midsection, and his face held a grim expression. "It's getting colder."

"We are going to have to stop for the night." Sensei Wu declared.

The ninja of ice, who was having barely any trouble in the hostile weather, began to look worried. "It is obvious a blizzard is coming. Should we at least attempt to make it to the village?"

The wise, elderly man shook his head. "We will wear out what little energy we have left if we continue. We must rest and bear the storm. Yuki Village is too far."

Kai sat down on a rotten log. He exhaled slowly and rubbed his hands together, then tossed off his backpack. "G-good. Let's just stop here." he was obviously faring the worst out of the five. His tan skin had turned pale, almost as if he were dead.

Cole looked around hastily. "What if skeletons attack us? They've been seen a lot in this territory."

"Not in this weather." Jay said quickly. He sat down beside the ninja of fire.

Sensei nodded. "Let us rest then. The sky is getting darker."

-

Jay woke suddenly, shivering violently. Snow was falling all around - and he could see nothing in the deep dark of night. He felt numb. His sleeping bag had been soaked by snow. He stood up shakily, and looked around. All of the sudden, someone touched his shoulder.

He yelled in shock. But upon rapidly turned around, he made out the face of Kai.

"Jay!" the spiky-haired boy said in a raspy voice. "It's too cold. This isn't good."

"We'll be okay." Jay replied. "There is literally nothing else we can do."

"We are gonna get hypothermia. Help me wake the others."

The ninja of lightning bit his lip. It felt like pins and needles. At this, he knew his friend was right. He felt around the ground until he found his backpack. He rummaged around and pulled out a flashlight, flicking it on.

Sensei Wu and Zane woke easily. Cole wouldn't stir. They shook him awake hastily, until he thankfully opened his bleary eyes. He groaned. "Let me sleep."

Zane seemed extremely concerned. "Stay awake, Cole." He put his hand on the blank-faced young man's shoulder.

Cole stood slowly. "This is bad, this is bad."

"What do we do?" Jay whimpered, then ran his hand through his mussy hair.

Sensei Wu shook his head. "I.." his face, only barely lit by the dull flashlight, seemed full of confusion. "We must try to walk to the village. Sitting here will get us killed."

No one argued.

-

After several minutes of aimlessly walking through the densening blizzard, Jay felt himself beginning to stumble. Don't fall behind! He told himself. His feet started feeling numb. No, no, no! We're almost at the village! His legs faltered before each other. The ninja of lightning suddenly felt extremely tired.

He fell to his knees. The snow was now falling like a severe storm, penetrating through the clothes on the young ninja's back as if they weren't there. and everything was black. The coldness was going away.

"No!" he cried, standing up. "Guys?"

But no one was near enough to hear him.

And he leaned against a tree, and immediately fell asleep.

-

A blinding white light shone from the sky: rays of sun shining down upon the woodlands. The young, red-haired man blinked awake. His vision was blurry and breathing was painful. He had barely any feeling sensation - but something told him to get up.

Wearily, he took in his state. His body had been almost completely covered with snow, though his head had managed to stay surfaced above the icy sheets of it. He pulled his left arm up first...it felt like it weighed as much as his entire body. "A-at least I can feel." he stammered. He moved every inch of himself until he was on his feet, clutching the tree for support. "...guys?"

Jay took several steps in a tired yet integrity-full state. He dragged his feet through the layer of cold, white powder on the earth. "I hope everyone made it to Yuki Village." He paced himself carefully. His feelings were nearly gone.

After two hours of dully forcing himself through the cold, he turned his head to see the color red. Against the white forest, it was extremely visible. Excitement made him walk more quickly to where he was certain he'd seen his friend. "Kai?" he exclaimed as loudly as he could in his bitterly sore voice. "Is that you?"

He gathered all his strength and ran toward the red blur he'd seen. His joy faded when he spotted the culprit: a piece of ruby fabric sticking out from under the snow.

Jay, for the first time that day, felt a shiver. He began to dig his gloved hands into the slushy-like melting snow. Eventually, he had exposed what he wished he wouldn't see.

Kai had been buried by the blizzard.

Jay stared down at Kai's peaceful and grey face.

The ninja of fire's lips were blue as the clearing sky.

Jay stared dimly at his sight. "Please, Kai. Be alive. I know I'm just dreaming."

But in his heart, he knew Kai was truly dead.

Slowly, he tried to lift his dear friend from the snow. He tugged at the red ninja garb, to no prevail. Jay had no strength left in him. "Why him?" the ninja of lightning whimpered softly. "Why did he die and not me?" He searched for tears, but none came. After trying to lift Kai for some time, he realized he would not possibly be successful. He stood back up. He felt stinging inside his body.

He felt the sun on his back.

But he didn't feel warmth.

-

Jay had only been numbly stumbling through the woods for only a few minutes more before he spotted the village. "Kai was so close."

The blue ninja walked over to the first building. He had no strength to knock. As he lifted his arm, he utterly passed out.

-

The blurring versions of Cole, Zane, and Sensei Wu were painted in dizziness before Jay. He felt warm, and realized he had many blankets atop him. He was laying in a soft -yet unfamiliar- bed. "...wh..."

"Thank God you're safe." Cole said.

Jay sat up. "mm" He was having a difficult time gathering his thoughts.

Cole had a blanket around him as well, along with dry clothes. Jay realized his clothing had been changed as well.

Zane announce about an important point everyone was aware of. "I hope Kai is alright."

Jay felt as if he'd been stabbed. Then, he began to sob. The hot tears stung his cheeks. But he just cried harder. A village man, who was a doctor, looked around uneasily at the action.

"...Jay?" Cole said worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Kai is...dead!" Jay yelled. He grasped the blanket in his hands. "I...I think...I saw him..."

A blank expression had consumed the ninja of earth.

Zane softly spoke for the team leader. "Jay...what did you see?"

Jay kept weeping miserably. He could barely breathe, as it hurt just to raise his voice like so. "I was walking...and I saw his sleeve...I saw him...dead...I couldn't carry him."

Sensei Wu hung his head. His rice hat brim hung over his eyes. "This is my fault. What have I done?"

"No!" Jay declared. "It's not your fault at all!"

Sensei shook his head without a word.

Cole stood before Sensei and bowed in remorse. But he overcame his steely attitude and hugged the old man tightly. "It's no one's fault."

Zane nodded. His breathing faltered - he was really crying.

But it was no one's fault, and nothing could be done.

The sun was out, but it wasn't warm.

Fin