Smajor stayed inside for the night.
It was surprisingly cold.
Instead, he sat flush against the kids.
Jack shivered and every few minutes tried slithering underneath somebody.

They were going to need a new way to keep the boy warm.

●●●●

"It's gonna snow soon," Luke commented his eyes closed as he faced up towards the sky.
Deo hummed in response eyeing below where Dan had rushed forward through the woods to someone.

Not that he cared what the adult did but...

"Where did Dan go?" Deo asked, Bitzel hummed his face buried in his arms as he laid stomach down on the roof.
"How are we supposed to know?" Bitzel asked with a soft grumble.

"Dunno, maybe you saw him leave," Deo huffed, "Or heard him say something."
Bitzel sighed and nodded, "I guess."

Luke chuckled and leaned against Deo's shoulder, trying to see what Deo was looking at.
"Should we tell them about the upcoming snow?" Luke asked.

"I'm sure they know," Deo responded easily.

●●●●

"Do you know how to sew?" Tommy asked.
Niki paused thinking it over. She knew how to stitch designs into clothing to make it look like an existing object, but knowing how to sew in particular wasn't a very common thing in the water.
So she told him as much.

Tommy paused before grinning and rushing away.

He returned 10 or so minutes later with 2 different thick chunks of tree trunk.
He carefully placed them down and turned to Niki.
"You make designs on existing clothes or designs on fabric?" Tommy asked cautiously.

"Fabric," Niki responded and Tommy grinned.
"If I got you the right colors and fabrics would you make a design with these guys?" Tommy asked pushing the unfamiliar trunks towards Niki.

She gently reached forward to touch them.
They felt weird.

Like mushrooms, they were slightly squishy, and they reminded Niki of raisins with the indents and folds and layers. Not to mention their oddly soft wood texture.

It was clear it was still wood from a tree but it was softer than normal and could probably crumble in her fingers.
Yet when she tried squeezing one of them it stayed surprisingly firm.

"Most likely, yeah," she replied and Tommy grinned.
"Then ill get you what you need!" Tommy announced joyously and hopped up.

He paused and returned before even getting a foot away.
"I'm going to need these to color match them," he said sheepishly taking the purple-red and teal trunks before leaving again.

●●●●

Tommy grumbled impatiently.
"What are you doing?" Tubbo asked with a yawn as Ranboo massaged his back.

"Trying to- d*mn it!" Tommy growled.
"Wanna swap?" Ranboo offered.
"Swap?" Tommy cocked his head.
A faint glowing blush crossed the Enderian's cheeks as the 2 made eye contact.

Ranboo quickly looked away, back to the slightly sticky ointment he was rubbing onto Tubbo's back.
"Yeah, you're trying to make fabric, right?" Ranboo rumbled.
Tommy nodded.

"I- we could swap and- well- I just thought-" Ranboo stuttered and looked anywhere but towards Tommy.
Oh g*d, he was making a fool of himself, wasn't he?

"Ok, but your hands are sticky?" Tommy hummed.
Ranboo perked up and hopped to his feet ready to trade places.

"I can rinse them off!" Ranboo assured as Tommy carefully traded places with Ranboo.
"Just massage his back and very gently break the shulk shell off," Ranboo instructed.
Tommy nodded eyeing Ranboo carefully as he pulled a chorus fruit from his bag and cracked it open.

He carefully poured it over his hands, letting it drip slowly over every crevice of his calloused hands till they were free of all honeydew.
He picked up Tommy's hard work and very carefully began adding to it.

Tommy squirted a glob of Honey Dew Ointment onto one of Tommy's hands.  He rubbed his handed together letting the ointment spread across his hands.
"Lay down on your stomach, will you?" Tommy chirped.

Tubbo glanced at Ranboo cautiously before getting off the seat and laying down on the grass below.
Tommy straddled Tubbo's legs and carefully placed his hands on his back, applying a bit more pressure than Ranboo did, less scared to hurt the smaller.

They both worked on their new respective tasks.
"Holy moly!" Tubbo gasped as Tommy worked across his back.
"What?" Ranboo asked looking up from the fabric he was creating.

"He's better at this than you are!" Tubbo chuffed with a sigh of relief as Tommy massaged a spot higher up on Tubbo's back.
"I knew I found the perfect ones," A low rumble escaped Tubbo's lips, confusing Ranboo.
Though Tommy didn't appear to hear it. Or, at the very least, he didn't mind the insinuation.

Eventually, Ranboo finished the first large strip of fabric and was moving on to the second as Tommy declared he was going to "pull a chiropractor move"!
Whatever that meant.

Whatever it was it cause a lot of pops from Tubbo and it helped him a lot.
When they finished Tubbo stood up and stretched, feeling possibly the best he's felt in at least 3 years.
"Oh yeah, definitely the right ones!" Tubbo huffed rolling his shoulders and neck.

Tommy seemed incredibly proud of himself and looked over to Ranboo who had, surprisingly, color-matched the fabric with the logs and they just needed to hand them up to dry now.

"Jeez, how long did that take?!" Tommy asked, shocked.
"4 hours?" Ranboo answered thinking it over.
"So worth it," Tubbo sighed and fell slightly limp against Tommy.

"Ooo, if anyone ever hurts you, let me know, I'll pop their eyes out~" Tubbo yawned.
Tommy just laughed while Ranboo quickly turned to eye the Shulk.

●●●●

Tommy dropped down beside Niki, dyed cloth draped over his arms and logs in his hands.
"Think you can do it?" Tommy asked settling them down.
Niki nodded and took the supplies.

●●●●

Tommy looked up at the sky. It was whiter than usual and it smelled of rain. Either it would rain in the cold or it would snow.
Tommy kinda hoped neither happened.

●●●●

"It's gonna snow," Wilbur noted half pressed against his twin who was blowing into his hands to warm them.
"We're going to need to stock up, and quick," Techno decided.
Wilbur nodded and hopped up.

"I'll be back soon."

●●●●

"What are you doing?" Tubbo asked watching as both Phil and Wilbur stashed all sorts of food into barrels.
"It's not like we're hibernating," Tubbo chuckled.

Neither answered him.

●●●●

Niki grumbled and slid the box of patterned fabric to Wilbur.
"Do you know anyone that can sew?" Niki asked with a huff.
"For who?" Wilbur asked picking the box up and peering inside.
"Jack I'm guessing," Niki replied.

Wilbur nodded and left, leaving a slightly confused and very frustrated Niki.

●●●●

"Hey, Tech?" Wilbur called and froze seeing his brother quickly hiding his fingers.
"You ok?" Wilbur asked.
"Yeah, what's up?" Techno replied easily.
Were his lips more black?

Wilbur placed the crate on the cave floor and studied the man.
"Can you make Jack some warmer clothes?" Wilbur asked.

Techno agreed, barely registering what it is his brother asked.
"Thanks," Wilbur hummed and steadily backed out of the cave.
His eyes never leaving his twin.

●●●●

"Oh, welcome back Ely!" Phil welcomed the parrot eagerly taking the message wrapped around his ankle.

Phil read it over before writing his own message.
"Our correspondence will have to temporarily be put on hold, unfortunately. So you lot can get to warmer climates. Usually, I'd go with but-" Phil's eyes flitted to his children as they scampered about trying to prepare for winter.
"I'm a little preoccupied."

●●●●

Fundy slightly jumped when Sneeg settled himself into the fur of his collar.
His tiny cold body catching Fundy off guard.
It had been a while since Sneeg had taken residence in his fur. Usually, he was in his little house, in one of Schlatt's pockets, or curled up on one of Smajor's buttons.

"M' tired," Sneeg complained yawning as he snuggled into Fundy's fluff.
"Yeah?" Fundy asked as Sneeg burrowed under his shirt into the fluff underneath.
"Yeah," Sneeg yawned and he was asleep.

●●●●

"Hey, you ok?" Smajor asked shaking Schlatt who had been sleeping for at least 16 hours already.
Schlatt cracked an eye open, yawned, shifted out of the way, patted where he had been laying, and then went back to sleep.

"Fragrance Man?" Smajor asked.
"You smell like an early morning in fall," Schlatt commented, "I could extract that."
"Uuuuh..."

He didn't get an answer to his confusion because the man was already back into his slumber.

●●●●

Techno shoved the warm clothes into Jack's arms.
"This is from Niki and Tommy," Techno informed simply, leaving his involvement out of it entirely.
"Oh, thank you?" Jack hummed.

The material was warm. Like, so warm.
He had been cold for so long.

The outfit looked simple enough to put on.

Turns out, it was not.

How was he supposed to know there were 2 holes for his legs?! And that the 2 long tunnels with a hole in between was meant for his arms and head?!

Shut up!

"Uuuuh?" Phil paused looking over Jack's intense struggle.
"This is bullsh*t!" Jack declared desperately blinking away the tears that threatened to burn his cheeks.

Phil laughed and walked over.
"Need some help there, mate?" Phil asked.
Jack glared at his new offending clothes before grumbling and reluctantly agreeing to the help.

He was glad he did because he was so much warmer with the new pants and sweater underneath his toga.

"Thanks, Phil," Jack thanked him with a heavy blush and Phil just laughed it off.
So gentle and sweet.

●●●●

"Snow!" Tubbo cheered rushing out into the white powder that had covered the ground during the night.
No wonder Smajor didn't go out that night, instead opting to keep everyone else warm.

"Snow?" Ranboo questioned eyeing the white substance before stepping out into it.
"Whoa! Ranboo!" Tommy quickly objected pulling the older out of the snow with too much fear for the thing not to be harmful to him.

Sure it was cold but it's not like it hurt.
"Careful!" Tommy scolded stiffly.
"Why?" Ranboo asked.
"What do you mean why?! It could burn you!" Tommy shrieked and then yelped when Jack jumped into the snow.

It was terribly cold, but it didn't hurt. Surprisingly.
"It doesn't burn us?" Ranboo informed getting back into the snow.

Why was Tommy so mad?

●●●●

Out of everyone, Tommy knew the most about snow.
Knew how to harvest in it. Knew how to live in it.
Knew how to shovel it.

He's also the only one who didn't need any of Techno's layers.

Speaking of Techno, no one had seen him yet. Though they doubted it was anything bad.

●●●●

"We told you it would snow!" Deo teased the Shulk who watched the 4 Avians with a fondness.
Luke shrieked as he tumbled down the side of their man-made snow mountain, much to Deo and Bitzel's dismay.

Though that dismay was quickly dismissed as Luke sat up with a new pile of snow on his head.
Instead, it was replaced by loud fits of laughter.

●●●●

"So... it's made from water?" Ranboo asked as Tubbo balled up a piece of snow with his hands.
"Yeah, it's probably gonna hurt when it melts, probably why Tommy was so worried," Tubbo snickered.

They had gone a good distance into the forest.
The sky at some point turned white once more and started dropping snowflakes like glitter.

Ranboo let out a small hum and stepped over a log. Tubbo stared offended at the far taller boy and the log that he would, no doubt, have to crawl over.
"Help."

Ranboo turned and snickered.
"Sorry," Ranboo hummed, hefting the Shulk up and over the log, "Forgot."

"Is the End cold?" Tubbo asked, taking note of Ranboo's lack of shivering.
"No, not really. It's a hard temperature to explain," Ranboo shrugged as they continued.

"Try?" Tubbo offered.
So he did.

●●●●

"Hey Techie? You in here?" Wilbur called phasing into Techno's little cave.
The fire roared in the center of the room and his brother sat curled up in a fluffy homemade blanket.

"Brother?" Wilbur asked walking up behind the younger.
Peering over his shoulder he noted the book in his hands and his glasses on his nose.
He usually never wears his glasses?!

"You're wearing your glasses!" The phantom proclaimed dropping down beside the human.
Said human seemed unphased by his twin's antics. Instead, he peaked the blanket open and let it drape over the older.
Wilbur was happy to settle in.

●●●●

Scanning the group Phil noticed rather quickly the severe lack of almost half his children.
Tommy and Fundy were making a snowman a foot away from the lake so Niki could help though she didn't stop to help for long periods of time, trying to stay warm in the freezing over water.
Sneeg was supposedly curled up in Fundy's fluff, Fundy kept reassuring him that this fact was indeed true.

Jack, Smajor, and Fragrance Man were all curled up in the Pub, trying to stay warm. After Jack had let a piece of snow melt on him he decided he didn't like the "*sshole white sh*t" and instead decided to stay in the pub where Phil had made hot chocolate.

Notably, Charlie, Techno, Wilbur, Ranboo, and Tubbo were all missing.
"Guys, have you seen Charlie, Techno, Wil, Ranboo, or Tubbo?" Phil asked.
Tommy perked up and pointed to a point in the woods, away from the human city and more towards where Grian and Joe left.
"Ranboo and Tubbo went to see if they could collect ice spears," Tommy informed.

"Ice spears?" Fundy asked with a small chuckle.
"Shut up, what would you call them?" Tommy shot back.
"An icicle?" Fundy replied.
Tommy blinked dully at the fox.
"Now that's just stupid," Tommy declared.

Then he pointed off towards Techno's cave.
"Will went to hang out with Techno," Tommy informed.
Phil nodded his thanks.
"And Charlie?" Phil asked.
Tommy shrugged.

"He's probably in blob form, I'd ask Smajor," Fundy offered.
Phil huffed and nodded before leaving to go inside the pub.

●●●●

"Charlie, you in here buddy?" Phil called out stepping into the room Smajor had groggily told him Charlie would be.

In the center of the room laying curled up was a blob of green half frozen.
"Charlie?!" Phil chirped frightened.
2 wobbly eyes opened amongst the blob.

"Hi, dad!" The thing, Charlie, greeted.
"What on Earth- are you alright?" Phil asked.
Charlie hummed.
"My fire went out," Charlie whined glancing at the previously lit fireplace.

"Why don't I bring you out to the common so that doesn't happen?" Phil offered.
2 half goopy half-frozen solid makeshift arms sprouted from the blob-like a toddler asking their parent for upsies.

Phil would gladly deliver.

He hoisted the cold green blob up and moved into the common room.
Gently he placed the half-frozen blob beside a sleeping Fragrance Man whose nose scrunched up in annoyance and murmured something about Vaseline.
How the supposed human could smell that when he couldn't he had no idea.

He hadn't even put him that close!
Still, he's learned not to question the man's nose or knowledge and instead just go with the flow.

Still, it was funny to leave Charlie there while Fragrance Man tried subtlety inching away. Probably to not hurt the happy slime's feelings.

●●●●

Was this Micheal's intention? No.
Did Micheal think any of this through? No.
Did Micheal have a plan? No.
He's 3 you weirdos, what was he gonna do?!

The man had promised him candy and warmth in exchange for him following him for a little bit! It seemed like a fair enough trade!

How was he supposed to know that the people were gonna try and take him into the underworld or that the moment they touched him they'd be sent flying due to his fear?!

He didn't mean to!
Nor did he mean for the crater he can't get out if to appear under his feet. Nor did he mean to get stuck or to stay down there until it got cold enough to snow.

Really, Micheal didn't have a plan for anything and currently just going off the knowledge that he was freezing, he can't get out, and he didn't have his mommy.

Though he does vaguely remember not having his mommy for a while before the people came.

Really, Micheal only had like, 3 options here.
Stay put and stay silent, try and get out and warm up, or scream.
Now the first 2 might have been ok decisions but let's be honest, Micheal's 3.
Of course, his response is to scream and wail.

He didn't know if it'd get anyone's attention, especially considering where he was, but it had always made Mommy run to him when she was around.

Maybe she would come again!

And for a while, he didn't get anyone's attention. He just sat sobbing on the ground in a crater he didn't know he made.

●●●●

"Uuuuh, Tubbo?" Ranboo's voice shook with fear as he stared back the way they came.
Their footprints left them a clear path to return home.
Unfortunately for them, something else had also followed their path.

The thing was tall, a bit over Tommy's height. Taller than Tubbo, shorter than Ranboo. Its face was pulled and contorted into an odd awful frown. It had 4 short stubby legs and was covered in a very thin layer of matted green fur as if it had been painted.

"What?" Tubbo asked Turning around to look at the intruder.
He too froze his body, shaking in fear.

"W-what is that?" Tubbo asked.
"I don't know..." Ranboo hissed back.
The thing let out a soft sizzle.
Suddenly an invading and loud scream echoed through both of their skulls as a woman's voice screamed, "RUN!"

Both boys stumbled back and began running as best they could through the snow, somehow the thing was much faster than it looked. Easily managing to keep up with them through the snow even with its short stubby legs and awkward long torso.

Ranboo grabbed Tubbo's torso and teleported.
Oh, what the h*ll?! That didn't do much of anything! G*d he keeps forgetting how bad he was at teleporting with other people!
Thankfully though it got them at least a city block or so away from the creature.

Not enough away that it stopped pursuing but enough away that they had the advantage.

"G*d, I forgot how exhausting teleporting 2 people could be," Ranboo wheezed.
If he had had more time he probably could have teleported them both back home. But he hadn't had enough time and he needed to wait a little longer to even consider doing it again.

"Ranboo? Ranboo?!" Tubbo asked.
He took a deep breath.
They had enough time, he could push himself.
Ranboo closed his eyes and imagined home. The area he wanted to teleport to, wanting to be in Phil's arms, wanting to play with Tommy.
"Ranboo! Ranboo!" Tubbo began trying to get his attention.

One moment.
Just a little longer!

"RANBOO LOOK OUT!" Tubbo screamed shoving Ranboo out of the way as best he could with Ranboo gripping him.

Ranboo's grip slipped off the younger and a white-hot pain erupted across his back.
⚠️gore⚠️
Shrapnel of bone pierced into Ranboo's leg. There was so much red. Ranboo was almost completely covered in it. He hadn't realized he was screaming at first. All he noticed was pain and- Oh God the thing exploded!
This thing's guts were all over him!

Looking behind him he found that he had the best of it. Only a foot away, Ranboo was met with a large unwanted crater.
In the center of it was the shadow outline of the creature. Its guts painted the walls of the crater pink, mixing with the snow that now piled around it. If he looked closely enough he could make out the matted green fur and the bits of its skin mixed with its guts and blood.

Near the center of the crater was a moving ball of dark green.
Tubbo!
Frantically Ranboo scurried into the disgusting array and scooped the red-covered green ball up.

He almost dropped him when he felt his hand squish on a chunk of the creature's skin.
He pulled himself and Boxed Tubbo out of the hole and dropped the ball in the snow trying desperately to get all the gunk and blood off the ball.
⚠️gore done⚠️

"Tubbo!" Ranboo sobbed brushing off the excess snow from Tubbo's ball.
Looks like icicles are going to have to wait.
He looked around.

His mind was jumbled and he can't remember where they came from. He didn't want to look back at the crater so instead, he picked Tubbo up and moved to make a large U-turn.

Somehow that made him even more lost.
Where were their tracks?
"Phil? Dad! Dad!" Ranboo called.

He stopped when he heard a distant sob. Instinctively Ranboo rushed to go help.

Ranboo was not ready to see another creeper hole. Luckily this one seemed to have less gore in it.
There was a bit of blood and the familiar shadow but luckily there was nothing as awful as their creeper hole.

What was surely awful was the tiny baby sitting in the center of the hole sobbing.
A section around his eye looked like it had been slightly blown off and the snow made it too slippery for the small baby to crawl out without sliding back into the gore.

Ranboo dropped Tubbo back into the snow and then slid into the hole beside the baby.

"Hey, shhhh, hey it's ok," Ranboo assured.
He must look like a serial killer. G*d this wasn't a good idea!

"I'm Ranboo! I'm 15, can you tell me your name?" Ranboo offered.
The baby sniffled and grunted but didn't answer.
"Ok ok, that's ok. Do you know how old you are?" Ranboo asked, eyeing the large wound on the baby's head.

The baby held up 3 fingers.
"3 years old?! Why, you're practically a grown-up!" Ranboo gasped.
The small child squealed with glee.
"Ok, I'm gonna put something of your boo-boo ok?" Ranboo eased.
The baby cocked his head and Ranboo pulled off his EndShawl.

They didn't exactly have a first aid kit on hand. They weren't exactly expecting to need it.
Ranboo wrapped the kid's head with the endshawl. It was long enough to go over his face at least 5 times.

"Can I pick you up?" Ranboo asked.
The baby nodded. Ranboo hoisted the child up and carefully climbed out of the crater.
Ranboo shifted the baby in his arms and picked Tubbo up.

"This is Tubbo, he's a shulk," Ranboo explained.
The baby waved.
"He's hurt right now, so he's in his box, but he'll come out to play when we get home, ok?" Ranboo offered.
The baby happily nodded.
Ranboo took and deep breath and focused.

Home.
Home.
Phil's arms.
Warm Pub.
Tommy's blue eyes, soft laugh, bright personality.
Smajor's soft words, sounds of protest, and teasing remarks, Wilbur's fluffy hair, soft voice.
Niki and Wilbur's soft singing.
Jack's funny dancing and warm, no, hot embrace.
Phil's soft kinda prickly wings.
Fundy's soft fur and the way he squeaks when someone touches his ears.
All of it was home.
It's home he needs to get to right
.
.
.
.
Now!

●●●●

"Mrrrrrooooowww!"
Bitzel froze in place, his hands deep in the pockets of his dark blue, patagium matching, coat.
His eyes flitted across the white wasteland that made up the world around him.

"Meeeeeerrrooooww!"
Something moved amongst the white.
"Bitzel?" Dan called turning around from his spot at least 40 feet away.
"Uh, you can keep going I think I dropped something, I'll catch up!" Bitzel assured.

"Are you sure? I can help-" Dan began.
"No no, you and Luke should get inside, I'm made for this, remember?" Bitzel offered a dull reassuring smile on his face. They were far enough away that they could see him smiling and not the anxious lines on his face.

"Ok, if you're sure," Dan sighed and the 2 shorter patagiumed guys continued back to the house.
Bitzel sighed.
Deo was back at the house. Thank goodness because he would not approve of what Bitzel was about to do.

Or, let me rephrase that, he wouldn't approve of it anymore.
He's been a lot more protective recently. Like he knows something the 2 of them don't. And it was really getting on Bitzel's nerves.

With a sigh and a crunch of snow, Bitzel was off the beaten path.
"Mrow?"
A pair of big glossy yellow eyes poked out from the brush of the forest.
"Here kitty kitty kitty~" Bitz cooed kneeling down with his hand out to try and coax the cat to come to him.

He wondered if this kitty and Stampy would get along. Though, the Feline seemed to be more of a dog person than a cat person.
Which is weird as f*ck to him but it probably feels wrong for a Feline to own a cat. He wouldn't know.

The cat hissed venomously at the boy, daring him to come closer so he could bite his hand off.
Bitzel decided he wouldn't mind that fate and moved closer ever so slowly.

"Hi, kitty," Bitzel cooed.
"Mreeeooow!" The white cat hissed and lunged at Bitzel's arm.
Her teeth caught the sleeve of Bitzel's coat.

Carefully Bitzel's other hand dug into his coat pocket. He fidgeted anxiously with the tiny toy he had stolen from the market.
Shut up, he's never been caught before, he's not caught now! Not like it matters.

It does matter, but Bitzel and Tommy used to do it all the time. They used to make it into a game. How much could you get before Deo called for you 2 to stop being idiots.

It made him smile. The toy itself wasn't anything special. Not really.
It was just small enough it could fit into his pocket but it had a bell so it would've been a challenge. Bitzel always liked the challenging ones.

The cat perked up from his arm to look at his most pocket. The bell must have caught their attention.
Testingly Bitzel jingled the toy again and the cat scampered up curiously.
Bitzel pulled the toy out, a few small brown treats that Tommy had given him almost a year or so back fell out.

He doesn't remember why Tommy had given them to him. Just remembers that Tommy told him to try them, see if he liked them.
Bitzel doesn't think he ever actually tried them.

Would the cat like them?
He dangled the toy in front of the cat letting it swat the jingling ball dangling on a string.
He scooped up the now covered in snow treats and shoved them back into his pocket.
He pulled one back out, wiping off the snow. Then he held the treat out to the cat.
Its attention wasn't drawn to the treat immediately, too distracted by the toy.

Bitz sat there for what felt like forever waiting patiently for the cat and he was starting to get cold. Even if his patagium helped block the cold and keep him warm it didn't stop the skin of the patagium itself from getting cold.

He must have been out there for a while then, considering he was the more insulated of the group.

Finally, the cat's eyes darted to the treat in Bitzel's other open hand. It stared at it for a moment before happily darting to it and began snacking. Carefully Bitzel placed the toy down and began petting the kitten.

The kitty arched under his touch and an echoey purr fueled on more pets and more treats. Three treats in, Bitzel carefully picked the cat up. He hoped he was holding him properly. Almost like carrying a baby. The cat didn't seem to mind, as long as the toy stayed within its paws.

Bitzel's smile was wider than it had been for so long.
Cat!
Cat!
Cat!
Cat!

●●●●

To say Fundy was startled would be an absolute understatement.

Tommy had gotten cold and had gone inside the Pub. When Fundy had commented on the fact that he was made for the cold Tommy replied by saying, "My patagium may protect me from the elements but it's still made of skin."

Fundy on the other hand had enough fur he could probably last for a little while longer. So he went for a light stroll, eyeing any holes with the temptation of burrowing into them and occasionally stopping in a particularly warm spot in the sun.

Fundy's stroll led him under the pub. And that is when Ranboo appeared.
It was almost a foot or so in front of him suddenly, making Fundy step back in surprise.

⚠️gore⚠️
His back and legs were covered in blood, one of his legs was pierced by a bone fracture, though he didn't appear to notice it. He was holding a blood-covered boxed Tubbo that squirmed and pushed unnaturally. In his other arm holding on tightly was a small toddler with short, soft pink hair. Ranboo's Endshawl was wrapped around his head and his right eye. Though due to its see-through nature you could still see what had happened.
It looks like the kid lost a huge chunk of his face.
⚠️Gore over⚠️

So what does Fundy do? Well, he screams of course!

●●●●

An ear-piercing scream caught everyone off guard. It woke Smajor and Schlatt, Tommy and Phil let out loud worried Chirps, Wilbur and Techno got up and rushed out into the snow within seconds, Niki launched herself from the water to see the commotion, and Jack launched himself from the floating building, catching the ladder to save from any injuries.

Phil followed Jack's lead and flew off the pub circling the area to see what was wrong. He found it quick.

Fundy was hunched over Ranboo who was in the snow laying in something red.
How hadn't he noticed him before?

●●●●

Ranboo collapsed, a sharp pain shooting through his leg as Fundy rushed to catch him.
"Ranboo, don't try and stand! You're hurt," Fundy tried calming the 15-year-old down rubbing his white-clothed arm soothingly.

"I'm gonna check your leg, ok? Can you tell me what happened?" Fundy tried asking though he was hyperventilating.
He had to help!

"T-Tubbo? Is-is he-is he still- is he- is he hurt?" A new voice cut in.
Tommy.
"I don't know, Tommy," Fundy answered.
More snow crunched and Phil now crouched over them too.
"What's going on? Who screamed?" Wilbur asked Techno in toe.

"I was just. And then he just. Hurt and child and- Blood. Oh, g*d so much blood," Fundy tried to explain, it was as if a wave of relization hit him.
He was no longer calm.
Niki pulled Fundy away from the injured teen and into her arms.
"Shh, it's ok," Niki coerced.
"Breath Fundy, breath," Jack joined, getting in front of Fundy, 2 pairs of stable arms there to ground him.

"What happened?" Smajor asked glancing around. Schlatt must have stayed with Charlie and Sneeg as a precaution.

"I was just walking and they appeared! I don't know! I don't know!" Fundy frantically explained.
"Who was the kid?! Dad, who's the kid?!" Fundy cried.
This caught everyone's attention.
Especially considering no one saw a kid.

Phil glanced over Ranboo's body. He was hunched in on himself with Tubbo's ball just a few inches from his fingertips. Close enough he could extend his arm and pull him into his clutches. But in his position he could have easily had Tubbo in his arms and protected by his body, instead it was almost as if he had something else there.

Phil went to move Ranboo and what he got in response was a loud staticy scream that no one had heard before. Sure most people knew the grunts, hisses, and garbled screams that usually come from Enderman and Enderians, heck they even know the scream they let out when you look them in the eyes.
But this scream, this scream was different. It even startled Ranboo that it escaped from him.

It was the kind of scream that often erupted from Enderian parents when their kids were in danger or it was their birthday. It's the kind of scream he remembers an old friend of his, his babysitter at the time, who had had a human mother and Enderian father had let out when he was playing with Ranboo and Ranboo got too close to the edge, the Void practically tugging at the 4-year-old's clothes.
It was the kind of scream no one wanted to hear from a guardian.

It meant they would do anything to protect one of their own and Ranboo was 100% ready to do just that.

"Hey, hey, Ranboo, it's just us," Phil tried to assure but Ranboo didn't let up.
In fact the little b*tch slapped his father's hand away.

"Ranboo, mate, you're hurt!" Phil tried to reason.
Ranboo shrieked back curling further over the child he was holding.

"Oh, you little sh*t. Ranboo, we need to protect your nestling, can you get to the Pub?" Phil attempted again.
This time Ranboo glanced up and then shifted to try and pick Tubbo up as well.

Suddenly, Tommy was squatting on the other side of Tubbo.
"I'll get him," Tommy said simply and picked the blood-covered shifting ball up.

The shifting immediately stopped once in the warmth of Tommy's arms. Slightly to Ranboo's dismay cause, why didn't he stop wiggling in his arms?!

Bullish*t.

●●●●

It was warm, cozy.
He could stay here all day.
He knew he shouldn't but... He could.

It was odd this time. He could feel everything on his shell. Maybe it was because he had done it so quickly before an explosion? Maybe it was because he hadn't finished the process? Tubbo wasn't sure.
All he knew was that he couldn't see anything but different amounts of lights and he could feel everything.

He could feel the cold snow against his side and he tried to break free, he could feel the odd clumpy liquid drip down his sides and back and even face, he could feel the tiny soft hands from whatever Ranboo had picked up.
Faintly he could hear a child's sob and he so desperately wanted to pull the kid into his shell, protect him.

But it wouldn't do anything here.
He heard a loud scream moments after his stomach did a weird flop.

Then came the soft warmth he never wants to leave.
Somehow, even in the thin shell, the warmth reminded him of Tommy.

Like that one time, he couldn't fall asleep so Tommy draped his patagium over him, the underside is incredibly soft and he felt so special.
Or when Tommy had complained about being cold and pulled Tubbo to his chest for the warmth. He will forever resent Wilbur for commenting on the fact that it was mid-summer and 95°F.

It's a warmth that Tubbo would rather die than give up.

●●●●

"Is that a f*cking cat?" Was the first thing out of Deo's mouth as Bitzel rushed into the warmth of the Captain's home.

Bitz nodded his eyes sparkling like the sun.
"Can I pet it?" Deo asked.
Bitzel nodded once again, happy the attention was on the cat and not his stiff patagium, shivering body, or clattering teeth.

Deo reached forward and began scratching behind the white kitten's ears.
"We need to warm you both up," Deo commented, focused mostly on the cat still.

Bitzel blushed and nodded.
He wasn't going to deny that.
He was cold.

●●●●

Micheal eyed Techno. The fire's heat licked everyone's cheeks as they sat around it. Smajor and Schlatt had returned to their slumber and Fundy was distracted by trying to catch the embers.

Jack sat in the center of the flame glad to get out of the cold. Niki was curled up at the bottom of a heated pool. Phil simply called it a hot tub. I suppose it is a very accurate descriptor as to what it is.

"We should make you a sauna or something, Jack," Phil chuckled.
"A what?" Jack cocked his head, peering through the smoke to look at the oldest man.

"A sauna," Phil repeated, "they use fire rocks to heat up a small room. Least, that's the best way I can describe it."
Jack hummed, interested. Micheal shifted in Ranboo lap, trying to climb up.
"What's wrong?" Ranboo asked, still not knowing the toddler's name.

Michael pointed at his mouth.
Ranboo pointed at Phil, almost angrily.
"Make us food!" Ranboo demanded, startling the group.
He had never been so demanding before.

Still, Phil climbed up, pulled his long haori on, having to fold his wings weirdly to fit through the slits in its back.
"I'll be back in a minute then," Phil nodded, figuring he was just stressed.

Ranboo had only let Tommy work on his leg, much to Phil's dismay. He hissed and screamed at anyone who came too close, even Tommy, and wouldn't let the child out of his sight. A weird protectiveness overtaking him.

(Technically he would have let Fundy close, he was the one to alert him of the possible danger after all. That's why he screamed, obviously!
I mean, that's how Ranboo took it. However, Fundy was keeping his distance just as everyone else was. So he wouldn't know that.)

The time Phil was away was almost agonizing. It was tense and confusing. Ranboo didn't dare comment on what happened, who the kid was, or how he got the kid. And answers were really what the group needed right about now.

When Phil returned almost an hour later with food everyone was glad to take it and eat. Even Ranboo let Phil get close enough to hand both him and the boy food.

How did this day go downhill so quickly?

●●●●

"What in End are you doing?" Doc asked.
One of his eyes, like Ranboo, was red. Huge chunks of his skin had changed color to be more human. At least that's what Doc had told him.

After Doc came home everyone had told warning stories that anyone who went to the overworld would turn out like Doc. Doc always reminded Ranboo that that was quite impossible. You see, Doc was of Human and Enderian descent. A "mutation that shouldn't exist" as Doc's father reminded them both constantly. Still, Ranboo liked him. They had the same skin!

Doc would always poke Ranboo's nose and remind him that, no, they did not in fact have the same skin.
You see, Ranboo was born with pure white skin but over time the normal black of an Enderian began to creep up over his skin. Much how Doc's did.

"Just because we're the same type of Enderian does not mean we have the same skin," Doc would always say.
"Oh come on, look at yourselves, you have the same skin!" A teenager, who only shared the trait on his arms and legs, and whose name escapes Ranboo, teased.

In return, Doc would always flick the boy's forehead for "leading the prince on". Though it was very obviously just playful banter. Even if Doc was oddly cruel to everyone else.

"Playing!" Ranboo informed jumping haphazardly to a floating piece of Endstone.
It wobbled under the baby's weight, though the toddler didn't seem to notice.

"Ranboo-" Doc warned stepping closer to the child.
"Look!" Ranboo chirped and jumped to the next one.

A loud scream burst through the empty void of the End as the next floating stone flipped over with the baby on top of it.
The next thing he knows, Ranboo is cradled in the lap of his babysitter in his room, his ears ringing.
Doc had stayed cradled over Ranboo for nearly a month after that, shaking in fear and screeching at anybody but Ranboo's parents and the teen who came close.

Ranboo never understood what had happened.
I think, maybe now he understands.

------
Notes:

Doc, Beef, and Etho Character Design/Hight
In case you were curious.
Doc has
"⎅⍜☊" and "⊑⟒⍀⋔⟟⏁" on his Endshawl but I got lazy so I didn't out it, oops.
Enjoy! Hope this chapter wasn't too bad.

Might publish a Hermits age chapter as I did before so you understand their timeline without too much confusion. Still considering, definitely making it though.

Good Day, siblings!

(Something weird happened with the pic so I replaced it? If a comment you left is gone, that's why.)