[WolfEx]

The snow was beautiful outside. Big has never felt so incredibly touched by the simplicity of a snow flake. One snow flake was beautiful enough, but when many sweetly blanket the land, it becomes moving art. Big raises a hand up catching a few snowflakes as they fall upon the bottom of the peak. Froggy was snuggled up on Big's shoulder with a swaddled insulated blanket decorated with a Lily Pad pattern all over. The frog companion of Big's looked like a Poke' Doll, but alive. He stared up at his best friend lovingly always thrilled to be by his side. "Oh Froggy, just look around us...it's a silent treasure. So much peace, and not anywhere near scary. I love it here, you know...I've never really seen snow. Ah..." Big tilts his head up while the snow falls and kisses his nose. He smiles causing his whiskers to tingle and lets out a small but adorable sneeze. This causes Froggy to jump a bit startled, but he quickly cozies back up on Big's shoulder bone. "I wonder what else is here, it's been a while since I've been on an adventure. Over there, what's that?" Big turns his eyes to a wide open hole that seemed to stretch inward for a ways. It was a cave of some sort dug into the bottom of the peak. It wasn't high up, and it couldn't be very dangerous so close to the area's access point. No sign of Infected, not yet anyway, and it seemed to intrigue Big progressively the more he stood there and stared at it. "Well then. Let's head in Froggy." Big takes slow steps as he crunches his way through the mounds of snow beneath his feet, still mesmerized by its white elegance and smooth texture.

Froggy croaks staying nuzzled next to Big's neck while he stomps onward into the depths of this unknown cavern. It was dark at the start of the place, but as Big kept going, the brightness of the atmosphere shined through the crevices of the cave lighting up the entire cave revealing stunning crystals littered everywhere in all different sizes, hard ice walls that were so clear and vivid it mimicked that of a freshly wiped mirror with shimmering amenities. The chemicals of the atmosphere and the glow of Orange's daytime light added such a glamorous flare to the place creating a rainbow spectrum of colors as they bounced off of eachother ricocheting from the crystals and the walls making the whole of the area turn into a paradise of warm and inviting shades and highlights. This was a sight to behold. "Froggy...it's unlike anything we've seen before! And it really beats the pond back home. If I could ice fish in here I would be set for all of my life." Big continues walking through the premises admiring the natural beauty of it all and spots a long strand of frozen water which leads into a new, further away path within the cavern that harnessed new discoveries for Big and clasped his curiosity with its mystery. He didn't know about being an ice skater or if his weight would be too much for the ice, but something about the slate of frozen water beckoned him, that path was alluring and he wanted to know what secrets it held. "Well Froggy, I guess I'm goin in. I gotta be creative, though. This will get tricky." Big began grasping the sides of the cave walls as he tried to lightly tip toe and tap his way through the ice flooring despite his large weight. The first couple steps had already cracked the ground, so he tried to go slower and slower, and make himself lighter with fleet feet and well timed steps. Froggy helped by hopping ahead and checking the safety of the ice himself before his pal went ahead. But the farther Big went, the more the ground cracked until finally it created one giant crevice in the ice and it caused Big to lose his balance, and he was about to take a tumble!

Big clings all of his fingers to two large sections of the wall to better balance himself with Froggy jumping back to him to make sure he was ok. Froggy shifted his weight upon returning to Big as to not further crack the already nearly broken ice beneath his cat friend and analyzed the situation. The frog companion croaked with a leap and jumped on the wall sticking himself to it with the suction of his webbed feet and slimy skin to get a better angle of what was happening. Froggy looked worried. Big saw his friend's panicked eyes and figured he wouldn't be able to move another inch without falling through the glaciers below. Big frowned. "Looks like I'm stuck buddy, gonna have to really think this one out." With a tighter grip, Big glues himself to the wall and hangs on until the two of them could think of a plan to move ahead further.

[Deleted]

Smithy was trudging through the ice, his heavy footsteps leaving deep prints as his metallic body weighed down on the fragile surface. He paid little heed to the beautiful colors of the reflected light all around him, as natural beauty held little interest to his machine mind. No, he was more concerned with matters of resources, strategic value, defensibility, and logistics. A massive impenetrable wall of steel, a well defended gate and portcullis, the deafening report of cannons and turrets, the sounds of metal and engines emanating from an efficient factory assembly line, the measured tread of a legion of machine soldiers marching in unison, these things is where TRUE beauty lies. The perfection of design and engineering would trump the haphazard piling of ice and snow any day. Though, Smithy had to be honest, there was something to be said for the intimidation value that the frozen landscape would add to a mighty factory fortress, and the bitter cold itself was a formidable defense all on its own against invasion.

He had come here for a variety of reasons. First and foremost was to survey the locale to see if it was a suitable location for a new factory fortress, but it was not the only reason. In addition to that, he wanted to see if the Starvia had spread out this far. Unfortunately, it had. Smithy had to fight off a few of the infected creatures in the region. They would have to be purged from the area before he could start building in earnest. Plus, it meant that he would have to find out just how Life Sphere made it's shield, and figure out how to make one on his own. Lastly, he was exploring the caves of the frozen mountain for any useful ore he might be able to mine. Most of it would go to the Life Sphere's stockpiles, he did want to stay on their good side after all. But he doubted if anyone would notice or mind if he kept a little of his finds for his own side projects. So far, he had modest success, as he carried a large sack of various types of ore over one shoulder. It rankled him to have to give up most of his find, but he wasn't that mad. Even while he presided over a massive factory, he did enjoy working with his own hands. He could have easily automated the process of hammering out the drill bits, and did so, in fact, but still chose to hammer them out of the molten metal personally despite that.

Smithy was jolted from his own private thoughts, when he heard a loud crack of ice. He braced himself, preparing for an avalanche, but none came. Instead, he heard the sound of a voice in the distance. A particularly moronic sounding voice. Sighing at the distraction, but at the same time worried that whoever it was might cause more disturbances in the ice, Smithy began following the sound of the voice. Emerging from one passage, he came upon another tunnel, this one featuring a large sheet of ice over much of the floor. It was quite cracked, with a wide chasm opened up in the middle of it. And the owner of the voice, a large purple cat, clinging for dear life to avoid falling into said chasm. The story was clear in Smithy's mind. The cat had ignored the warning signs of the cracking ice, and had pressed on, until it had all but given away out under his feet. It wouldn't take much to complete the collapse and send the cat tumbling to his death. Normally, Smithy wouldn't care about such things, but saving this organic would help to convince Life Sphere of his benevolence.

"Hold still. Do not move." Smithy commanded in his deep, metallic voice. He dare not step out onto the ice himself, as his own metal body would no doubt cause it to collapse. Instead, one of his hands dropped to the ground. The hand 'stood' up on its fingers, and began scuttling forward like a spider over the ice, trailing behind it a stout chain that connected it to Smithy's body. The hand skittered over the ice, digging into it to keep itself from slipping. It eventually reached Big the Cat, and promptly latched onto one of his wrists with a steely vice like grip. "Grab hold of your frog pet, and I will pull you to safety," Smithy said, as he set aside his hammer and ore sack, and grabbed onto a large stalagmite. He began reeling back the chain with a rhythmic metallic clinking, dragging the large cat to safety, and holding onto him even if the ice did collapse further.

[Deleted]

Ludwig von Koopa crossed his arms close to his body and shivered as he made his way up to the peak. Of all the places the Koopaling could explore, why was he so foolish as to pick this one? He had been prone to foolishness lately, an unfortunate side effect of his missing his family. The koopa had taken to exploring when he had the time, holding onto the tiniest hope he might find any way to keep himself busy. Besides, if he was lucky, maybe he would find a Luma. That thought warmed his head, but no matter what he had this terrible environment to contend with at the moment.

A Koopa was a creature of fire, they made their homes in volcanoes, they relished in harsh sunlight, hot sands were a comfort. They could even breathe fire for goodness sake! Whenever one of his clan got to guard an Ice world, it was akin to drawing the short straw and doubtless they would blame their failure on the distraction of being cold. Though most everyone had some excuse for their failures, like tripping over a rock, a soldier calling out to them in he heat of battle, silly things. Cold was just one of the more believable ones. Of course, for all of his internal complaining, he had to remind himself that he came here willingly, and would have to brave whatever trouble came his way without complaint.

Puffs of orange flame left his mouth every time he exhaled, steaming against the cold air, it served as a rather effective way to warm himself. He was nearing a cave of some sort, some sweet refuge from the bitter wind. He eagerly rushed to the opening and went inside without a second thought. A refuge it was, and a beautiful one too. He admired the art of nature as it glimmered and gleamed here, a dazzling display that was almost overwhelming. He went deep into the system until the wind was barely felt and sat down, slowly but surely warming back up. The Koopa puffed little bursts of flame into his hands to stave off that numbness.

It wasn't long after Ludwig had rested back up that he realized he wasn't alone anymore. An unfamiliar voice echoed through the cave, one that conveyed both wonder and a bumbling nature. The turtle listened, then moved closer to the voice, figuring that if he had some company he might be better off in this place. As he neared the source, a cracking also echoed off the walls, a foreboding noise. He followed a path until he came upon a large patch of ice, upon which was a large purple creature who looked vaguely like a cat. He had assuredly gotten himself stuck on the ice, and for a moment Ludwig was going to turn right back around. But then he heard a new voice, a familiar one. Was that...? He laughed in disbelief as he peered further around the corner to confirm his suspicions.

"Well if it isn't the old metal-head!" He watched the hand make its way to the cat and again let out a small laugh. "And offering a hand to some damsel in distress? Well, I must say this hardly seems like you." Ludwig and his Koopalings hadn't really had the chance to meet Smithy- they were away at the time, on a vacation-, but he was a memorable figure in the Koopa Kingdom's history. Being one of the few to force the King to work with his nemesis, that a was an infamous dishonor in the history books. Remembering that little fact, it made Ludwig happy to think of the misery it likely caused his uncle.

[WolfEx]

On the brink of complete submersion, Big feels a hand of life grab him from the clutches of imminent doom and reel him back into the safety net of hard ground. Froggy leaps onto Big as he is reeled back to safety and the two fall into a thump in front of their savior; a large metal bearded creature of some kind. He kind of looked like one of Robotnik's mechanical inventions, but anyone, or anything, that can save someone's life was definitely good in Big's eyes. Although the purple cat would have loved to see what was beyond the ice through the path that lay ahead, he knew another route would have to be found. The ice continued to crack even after Big and Froggy were pulled from its wake, the crack stretched out across the entire ice slate that Big and his frog friend once occupied and cut the entire ice floor in two until naturally it broke into pieces and shattered revealing freezing cold water which now blocked the entire entrance to the path beyond. Big sighed, upset about his lack of planning after walking on that ice and looked sheepishly up at the machine who saved him. "Thank you sir. I...I guess I got a little excited going on ahead like that. I'm not one that's really around the snow alot...and a cave like this...it just takes your breath away. I had to explore you know?" Big was holding on to the chance that the metal man would see his point and agree, but Big was never a creature of convincing taste or almighty intellect, he was just a nice and friendly sub human species that just enjoyed whatever life had to offer and making friends. In fact, he may have just made a new friend right now. Maybe.

"I think there's alot more to discover in this cave, I bet there's some nifty things we can bring back to the Life Sphere further in don't you think?" Big stands up from his sitting position after being rescued and starts walking around the cave trying to find an alternate route to a deeper area. As he looks he notices someone else besides the metal man, a little turtle with funny hair. He stares a few moments, almost impolitely, and after finally realizing he was being rude he walks over to the little guy and pats him on the head. "Hello little fella, I'm Big! This is my buddy Froggy." Big points to Froggy on his shoulder as the frog croaks in a greeting and the two do their best to introduce themselves as friendly and non threatening as possible. "And that guy over there...." Big points to Smithy with a warm grin. "Well I don't quite know his name but he saved my life. What...WAS your name again metal friend?" Big looks over at Smithy doing his best to continue to try not to be an incredibly rude imbecile but he keeps making the mistake of doing so somehow. He never really could say his words right or present himself as an upstanding, well mannered Samaritan. Maybe they could forgive him for his behavior, one could only assume when meeting strangers and not making the best impression that forgiveness can be afoot and all can be well in the end by some miracle. Big was about to find out that's for sure.

[Deleted]

Smithy's expression immediately soured upon hearing the mocking tones of Ludwig's voice. His brow furrowed, his mouth grimaced, and a soft growl of supreme annoyance emanated from him. He recognized it as the eldest of the koopalings. While Smithy or his troops hadn't encountered the koopalings during their takeover of Bowser's keep, he had learned all about them from captured records. “Ludwig Von Koopa. Don't you have anything better to do?” Smithy grumbled. “Or perhaps you don't, after all. Losing your position of Bowser's favored whelp to Bowser Jr. must have left you with a lot of idle time on your hands.” Despite his annoyance, he refrained from further action against the impudent koopaling. He was busy with hauling the large cat to safety after all. Reeling Big in, he dropped him onto the safe stone that Smithy had anchored himself to.

The cat, at least, was suitably grateful, in his own bumbling way, blurting out his thanks to Smithy. He rambled on about snow and organic reactions to beauty, though the talk of finding more resources for the life sphere seemed much more sensible to Smithy. “Perhaps it is pretty. But one cannot enjoy the aesthetics of the cave if one is dead. Show more care in the future,” Smithy admonished, grabbing his hammer and sack of ore again. Though he softened his tone as he continued, he didn't want to scare the simple cat off. “As for finding 'nifty things', that is why I am here. Bauxite, Wolframite, Hematite, Magnetitie, Chalcopyrite, malachite, Rutile crystals, raw diamond, and more. There is a wealth of minerals in the caverns beneath the ice itself. And perhaps you might find some of the minerals aesthetically pleasing too. I'm not sure, but I suspect you would approve of this one's looks.” He reached into his sack and pulled out a small quartz crystal that had golden lines of Rutile threads criss-crossing inside of it. He gave it to Big the Cat. It was a very impure source of Rutile anyway, he would get very little titanium from it if he tried to extract the metal. A small price to pay for ensuring the story of the rescue would get spread by the cat.

“Anyway, you may call me Smithy. I plan on heading deeper into the caverns, in search of more minerals. The Starvia infected here are less prevalent than in other areas, but they tend to be much tougher creatures to survive here. No doubt they will become even more dangerous as one gets deeper into the mountains. You may come with me if you wish, Big. Perhaps you will see other breathtaking sights.” Smithy said, slinging the sack of ore over one shoulder again. No doubt the brawny cat would be useful in a fight too. “You as well 'little fella', Gufaw haw haw!” Smithy added with a chuckle. Ludwig was by no means small or short, but Smithy found Big's nickname for the large koopaling very amusing. And Smithy did want to keep an eye on him while he was here. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, after all.

[Deleted]

Ludwig growled at the mention of his cousin. Of everyone he’s ever met, Junior was still his most hated being. But that anyone could think he was jealous, it made him let out a humored chuckle. “I think my uncle has every right to love his own son, let them fester in their own foolishness. You’re quite right that I had more time to myself, it was welcome as my hobbies needed more attention.” Your daggers do nothing to me, Scrap… He listened idly to Smithy, wondering just what game was being played here.

He sighed when Big called him small, but it was forgivable as the cat really was bigger than himself. Then Smithy had to chime in, reusing the term as an insult. Ludwig glared at the metal man and only shook his head in feigned defeat. “Even when I’m as big as Bowser everyone will still call me ‘little’. Maybe I should look into changing the whole ‘Koopaling’ thing, it insinuates that we will forever stay as small as hatchlings.” He was as tall as Princess Toadstool at this point, but the curse of that adjective would always follow him, he feared.

The crystals had a captivating beauty about them, reminding the koopa of star clusters and galaxies on the canvas of space. A spectacle to behold, Ludwig could appreciate their natural beauty, but wondered why the metallurgist was collecting so many of them. Perhaps, he considered, I could grab some gems and make something of them.

The koopa wasn’t about to let Smithy out of his sights, though it unsettled him that the metal man did not dismiss him from the caves. “… yes, I would enjoy exploring with some company, so lead on, adventurers. The beauty of these findings, they could make excellent gifts, I would like to find some for myself. And Smithy, it seems peculiar that you’re collecting such wonderful gems. What do you plan on using your treasures for, anyway?”

[WolfEx]

Big appeared blank faced and at a loss for words at Smithy's explanation of jewels and such. Big never really went to school, he was taught and raised by creatures of his coastal habitat and Froggy along with his amphibious relatives have adopted Big and have always been around to grow and learn with the purple feline. He was a true blue cat of the wild who naturally found his way into society being forced to blend with others as to not be mistaken as a threat or of any danger. Through more social interaction with humanoid creatures like himself, mainly Sonic and the gang, Big has learned speech development along with some sweet fighting skills and great talents in which he uncovered within himself that he didn't know he even had in him. He will forever be thankful for what Sonic and his friends have taught him, but regardless, Big will always be a huge softie and a lovable friend to all at heart. All the jewel talking didn't really do anything to help Big understand what the metal guy was saying, but when Smithy pulled out a gleaming beaut of a gem and offered it as a gift to the cat, Big became quickly overjoyed and smiled in awe at the presentation of it. His ears perked straight up and whiskers tingled at its sight, the color and coat of the gem shimmered and flashed as a reflection in Big's large innocent eyes. Since he was part cat, and since cats generally loved shiny things, Big had to accept the gift and grasp its glory. He wrapped his hands around it with a gasp and held it close to his heart nuzzling it and petting it affectionately and with great admiration. Froggy even got in on some of the nuzzling action as he rubbed his smooth cheeks against it closing his eyes and partaking fully in the moment.

A bit after such appreciation of a grand object, Big looked up at Smithy and with an explosion of thanks grinned to him and eventually moved in for a hug. Which in turn was like hugging a rigid wall or a cold tank engine, but Big didn't care, he was so thankful and appreciative he had to do it. "Thank you kind Smithy, for your gift!" Big hugged him as tight as he could and after a few moments of pouring his friendship into the metal creature's cold mechanical soul he let go. Froggy even snuck a hug in on the metal dude absolutely grateful for making Big happy and being so kind to them both in saving their life. "I do have to agree with you friend, that it is a good thing the Starvia doesn't seem to be around this place. If it were, I believe we would be encountering them by now. But I did read somewhere in the Li Paper recently that we've been clearing them out rather well. Trust me I've had my fair share of encounters with those diseased monsters, one of which includes me and Froggy being tortured and our blood being extracted to make clones of us, Infected clones. It was real scary. But thankfully Shadow and his pals saved us from our doom and we beat those baddies up. I'd say let's go ahead and explore further, but just cause we don't see those Infected guys right now, doesn't mean we won't find them somewhere else in here. So let's be quick in gathering resources, and quiet too." Big was trying to be as serious as possible with his wording, but he knew he was lying to himself in a sense, for he was never a quick or quiet kind of cat at all. He was just the opposite, clumsy, and noisy even when he tries not to be or doesn't mean to be. Froggy knew this too, which is why he was shaking his head and judging Big secretly.

From all the hubbub, Big had almost forgotten a third friend on his adventure, the one known as Ludwig, who was just the cutest little thing to Big. Big turned to Ludwig after hearing his willingness to adventure with him and Smithy and happily acknowledged his determination. "Well Ludwig, it is great to have you along with us. And I really respect you for being so willing to put the right foot forward and be so nice to me and Smithy to join in on our adventure! I get the feeling you have a good heart, and I know you'll be a great help in this cave as we march ahead. I'm honored to have you here fella." Big walked over to Ludwig and gave him a quick hug, pricking his hands and arms slightly on his spiny shell but hugged him regardless. Froggy gave Ludwig a lick on the cheek, a safe lick though for the frog knew how to hide his poison and such when he needed to from his pores. Afterwards Big felt confident and ready to search out an alternate route and explore the rest of the cave. As he began walking around the cavern looking for some way forward, he could hear the voice of a child crying out for help through a crack in a wall just to the right of the now decimated ice that he once occupied. There was a shallow pathway next to the freezing water that was once solid glacier that introduced the crack in the wall to Big and the direction the pleading voice was in. Being part cat, Big tended to have better hearing than most being able to pick up faint noises and sensitive vibrations. His ears wiggled at the cry and Froggy seemed to hear it too through the small holes in its head, he leaped at the sound anxious to find the source and help. Big walked to the direction of the noise and gestured to the others. "There's something over here friends, follow me." He walked carefully to the source ready and eager to break through the wall somehow and answer the call for help.

[Deleted]

“You don't need to thank me. It's merely a...” Smithy began, but abruptly trailed off as Big grabbed him. At first he thought he was being attacked, but he soon saw it wasn't a grappling attempt. Rather, Big seemed to be expressing friendship and gratitude in a rather strange, organic way by clinging to him. A 'hug', Smithy believed they called it. In all his years of being a warlord, since the first day he was manufactured, he had never been hugged before. Feared, respected, hated, worshiped, cursed, obeyed, begged, revered, but never hugged. He found himself at a loss of what to do, just looking at Big the Cat with a rather surprised, dumfounded look, his toothy jaw hanging slightly agape. It took his systems a moment to process the suitable response for this unprecedented situation. It didn't help any that he was distracted by the feel of the slimy amphibian skin as Froggy joined in on the hugging. “Uhhh... you are welcome?” Smithy said eventually, but Big had already let go and was talking on about his past experiences. Smithy just shook his head, knowing that Ludwig was going to have a field day with this one. “I'm going to be removing cat hairs from my gears for days now,” Smithy muttered silently to himself.

He glanced to Ludwig to see what verbal barb or jab he had prepared, just in time to see Big hugging the koopaling as well. Smithy couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, even if he probably appeared just as silly a moment ago, he imagined. “Gufaw haw haw! An affectionate one, isn't he? Very well, let's not press our luck, and proceed.” Smithy said, as he trudged after Big the Cat, leaving heavy tracks in the snow. “As for why I gather these crystals, it would make more sense to you with a little knowledge in metallurgy and geology. For example, the crystal I gave the cat is called Rutile. Rutile is an ore containing Titanium, a most useful metal, as strong as steel, yet much lighter as well. And so many alloys that can be made with it too. Many of these stones and crystals I've collected have useful metals in them. Though the diamonds don't, they have numerous applications in industry. More than just their appearance, diamonds have a remarkable hardness, and many uses because of that. Diamond tipped drill bits for example. They also make great heat sinks.”

Busy as Smithy was showing off his knowledge of metals and such, he didn't notice the cry for help until Big the Cat pointed it out. Of course the cat promptly went to investigate, he did seem like one of the hero types after all. Rather annoying, but this was another opportunity to further build, or rather rebuild, his reputation among the Life sphere. Rolling his eyes behind Big's back, Smithy followed after Big, making sure the ground he walked on was sturdy. After the collapse of the ice from Big's earlier misadventure, he had no desire to cause further collapses. “Hmm. A human minor from the sounds of it,” Smithy said, zeroing on the crack the calls of help were coming from, and trying to see if it could be widened safely without causing further instability in the cave. “Be careful. You'll save no one by causing another cave in. Before you go punching any walls, let me make sure they are not bearing weight in this cavern.”

[Deleted]

Ludwig laughed slightly at the show of Big hugging Smithy. He was sure it was probably driving the metal man nuts, internal screaming abound. “What a touching display, maybe your steely heart really has changed, Metal-head.” He laughed again, until Big turned his attention to the koopa. It was rather awkward hearing these things, complements, his ‘right foot forward’? ‘Good heart’? The only ounce of kindness Ludwig had in his spirit was reserved for seven others in this plane of existence. These two fools here were definitely not among them.

Ludwig made a disdainful smile at Big. “Honestly, I don’t there’s a ‘good’ bone in my body. My heart is co-“ he went silent in the middle of his sentence at the hug. Though it wasn’t too overdone an embrace- thank goodness his species had natural spikes-, it still made the turtle very uncomfortable. Ludwig was not a huge fan of physical contact, affectionate or otherwise, it was barely tolerable from even his siblings. And then when the frog licked his beak, he forced himself away from the cat and wiped his cheek with disgust. “Ugh!” He glared at the little thing but said nothing. If it happened again, however, there might be some frog-be-que on the menu today…

Ludwig listened well to Smithy’s lesson. He enjoyed learning new things and had a higher measure of patience for teachings and educational matters than other forms of conversation. It was natural to him, no matter who was giving the lesson. But Smithy's words here gave him more things to suspect. “So, is this technology that you plan on sharing with the Life-Sphere? I couldn’t imagine any reasons for you to keep this to yourself, considering your obvious change of heart, Smithy.” His expression was stern. Of course he could suspect the worst from this old foe. He didn’t believe this façade for a moment, and he made sure his suspicion was very obvious.

His attention shifted when he too heard the cry. Then a sad sigh left his lungs, his expression dour. “Another damsel, huh? What is it with people and going into dangerous places alone?” He watched Big and Smithy move to the crack in the wall to trifle with it, offering no assistance (though he likely would come over if they asked, seeing as he was now supposed to be a member of this quaint team). If they botch this, it would be their own fault.

[WolfEx]

Big sneaks forward motioning to the crack in the wall. He reels a fist back about to break it open as best he could, but he is stopped by Smithy and relaxes his arm before he barges in. "You sure? I think I can easily just bust through..." Thinking about it more though, Smithy was correct, Big didn't want to make the wrong move in such a delicate place so he took the advice in good faith and slowly backed away from the wall. He kept his ears perked to its surface though continuing to listen for the cry, and the more he listened the more he could hear and the better he could anticipate what to expect beyond the wall. The cry for help turned into literal crying, it sounded like a large and quite noisy amount of crying too, so much so, that Big started wondering if maybe there were TWO in need of help on the other side. He still determined that it was a child, no, children at this rate, both crying, desperately needing some kind of aid for what reason was unknown. Big became more anxious at the sound of the crying and the thought of children in need he really did just want to bust down that wall right this second and make his way through. "We need to hurry guys, I think it's more than one person...they sound really upset, and that makes me upset!" Froggy jumped up at Big's statement ready to bust through as well agreeing.

"I don't know what danger is ahead over there, but it must be pretty bad for those two to be crying and calling out to us! Smithy, what did you have in mind to get us over there and what weight do you speak of? And will it take long? What was supposed to be an easy simple trip for resources is turning into much more!" Big was ready to tear out his hair from the cries he was hearing and he didn't want to act on rash decision or instinct alone, he was trying quite hard to prevent himself from rushing head first into the situation. As Big was waiting impatiently for a way through the wall, he heard Ludwig speak up about people and going into places alone. "And turtle fella, these are crazy times, people do crazy things. Especially desperate ones that try so hard to find food and water and supplies lately. I don't blame them for goin solo, but having a team is always the best. There's two of them over there by the sounds of it, but it seems they just underestimated the danger I think, and whatever danger they got themselves into, we are about to find out and get a dose of it ourselves I'm sure!" Big likes to think logically whenever he can, and all he did at the moment was put two and two together to see the big picture, and it could be quite the surprise what they were all gonna get into next.

"And I don't think it's a trap or anything, those voices sound truly distressed." Froggy nods in agreement to this, and Big stares at the wall in a worried gaze, he then looks over at Smithy putting belief in him fully that he had a better plan than Big did. "Well Smithy, let's get in there. I trust your approach will be better than my clumsy, forceful one. Guess that's just who I am, so lets try your way." Big keeps his stare on the wall ready for anything, tense with anticipation, and awaiting Smithy's method of breaking the wall to go into action. "We're comin to help soon!" Big shouted this loud enough so those behind the wall could hear it and brace for a rescue. It was time to be heroes!

[Deleted]

By the Forge, this cat loved to talk. What he said made sense, even if there was no immediate danger, hypothermia was still a lethal risk, but at the moment it was just a distraction. Smithy grimaced as he tried to tune out Big's rambling as he studied the crack and the wall it was embedded in. Though his expertise was more in factory construction, he still knew a thing or two about weight and support that could be applied to ice. He analyzed it's thickness, estimated the weight each part of the wall was bearing, and such on. After just a moment, he moved to the side a few paces, and used a metal finger to etch a large X on one of the nearby sections of wall. This part looked like having an extra hole in it wouldn't affect the overall structure, the ice formations above it forming a natural arch of sorts and redirected most of the weight above to the sides.

"Whoever is behind there, move back if you can! We will break through this wall and rescue you," Smithy called out, as he hefted his hammer. Aiming carefully, he smashed it directly in the center of the X. He was made to pound metals into the shape he desired, and his hammer was designed to withstand the constant beating against the anvil. The ice wall stood no chance. It crumbled into a heap of freezing chunks, which Smithy quickly clawed out of the way. A few bits of ice fell from above, but everything still seemed sturdy enough. Nodding in satisfaction, Smithy ducked through the gap in the wall and strode into the chamber beyond. "We'll continue our conversation later, Ludwig. After we find the humans," Smithy said, giving a bit of emphasis to 'we' as Ludwig's hanging back was not lost on Smithy. Though he had to agree with the koopaling's assessment. Some humans had a faulty sense of self preservation. " As it turns out, not long, Big. Let's find them now. Perhaps you can sniff out their location." Smithy said. Even as he looked for the sources of the crying, he kept his guard up. There might be other threats present aside from the environment itself.

[Deleted]

Ludwig shook his head at the cat’s excuse, but said no more. Children, out here, alone? There were no good excuses for such foolishness. Why hadn’t anyone been watching them? Without proper supervision, it was so dangerous for young ones who likely know so little about the ways of the world! They were probably so scared, so lost…. He was getting lost in his own thoughts when the bang from Smithy’s hammer jolted him back into the present. Alas, he’d managed to guilt himself into feeling pity for the lost ones’ cries. He puffed some flame at his hands and moved ahead of the other two through the fresh hole, the claws on his feet making echoing clicks on the ground that would be almost pretty, if not for the dire circumstances. He stopped and peered down into the maze of sparkling ice, only the slightest hint of worry in his expression.

“How I wish we didn’t have to interrupt our time, but I’m feeling a growing sympathy for these souls that needs to be quelled, preferably with the childrens' safety.” He turned to Big with a determined look, something in the koopa’s head trusting the large oaf. “Please tell us that nose of yours works better than your judgement of terrain. I’d like to find these brats and live to tell the tale, thank you.”

[WolfEx]

Finally the wall that separated the helpless from the helpers was torn down and Big was able to go in for the long overdue rescue. Upon barging through, Big and company had stumbled upon a more unique part of this mysterious cave. Steam instantly filled all of their nostrils as they bust through that wall and of all things, just a few feet in front of their faces was a hot spring! A decently sized hot spring tucked away at the far side of this new cavern location. Big looked down and saw small wet foot prints on the floor that began from the hot spring and lead further through the cave. This alerted Big that the hot spring was recently used, and although there were no signs of anybody around in need of help, Big had a feeling those footsteps would lead the group right where they needed to go. "A hot spring in an ice cave? Weird! And it's not even melting the ice at all." Big analyzed the ice crystals and the natural sculpting of the cavern, none of them were giving off any moisture and all of them remained frozen solid despite the steam and the hot spring being present, this was very strange to Big. Froggy even looked a bit unsettled by it all. "If you all look down, you'll see footsteps. Someone has just used those hot springs, and they've ran off somewhere. We should follow them." Though Big saw no sign of a trap and felt no uneasiness about his findings so far, he saw no reason to no longer continue the pursuit. He wasn't sure why anyone in danger would decide to suddenly bathe in a hot spring and take off, away from the rescuing party, unless it was a criminal or naysayer of some sort. Could it be that someone or something had moved the strangers crying for help to somewhere else when they heard Big and the others coming? That was a possibility.

"Okay guys, I know this looks fishy, and trust me, I know all about fish....but you gotta believe me, we have to-" Big hears a cry for help once more, this time very clearly audible and very near by. "Now I know you both must have heard THAT!" Big hurries forward going as fast as his hefty frame would allow with Froggy bouncing along with him to the source of the plea. It couldn't be far now, the gang had to be just about there. Sadly however enticing the hot springs must have looked to everyone, there was no time to waste soaking in hot water, that had to be reserved for a later time. As long as Big wasn't alone in his pursuit, and not braving a potentially very dangerous situation with just him and Froggy in case something goes wrong, he had no fear. Alone, he would be hesitant, but with a team, he would be ready. What or who could be the kidnapper? A giant ice beast? A cave monster? Or perhaps It was a trap after all, the group had to find out one way or the other whether they would like what they find or not. "We have to make haste guys!" Big tries to speed up his slow running motion to reach the troubled voice in time, and counted on the group to follow and get his back for the worst case scenario. What would await on what was supposed to be a simple adventure and quick search for resources, may be more than they all bargained for.

[Deleted]

Chase was exploring Icicle Peak. It was best to familiarize himself with the Planet's many locations. He also wanted to get his mind off of a few things. His steps were careful as to avoid any slipping. Soon he discovered a cave. Deciding to look for hidden areas, he ventured inside. As traversed the cave, he began to hear voices. He picked up the pace, curious to see if their owners were anything like Shizuka or inhabitants of Life Sphere. Not long after, he heard what sounded like... a cry for help? Chase sighed. "I swear every outing I go on that isn't a mission turns into a rescue mission," he said mostly to himself. To be fair, it only happened once before, but that would not keep it from happening again in the future.

[Deleted]

Smithy had to admit he agreed with Big's insight. The hotspring was quite odd. The heat radiating from it should have melted the surrounding ice cavern, and flooded the area. Instead, ice and steam coexisted paradoxically peacefully side by side. Curious as it was, Smithy wasn't inclined to ponder it too much anyway, he didn't care for even regular hot springs. He, while water resistant, wasn't fully waterproof. If submerged, water would slowly leak into his chassis, and after a while, the volume would get large enough to start interfering with his inner workings.

The footprints, however, were of greater interest to him. Some one was here quite recently, there wasn't even enough time for the wet footprints to freeze on the ice. There was just the one set though. No signs of struggle or battle, no different set belonging to the hypothetical kidnapper, as far as Smithy could see at least. If he was honest with himself though, he knew he wasn't all that skilled in tracking or such, he could easily be misreading what he saw. The point was soon moot though, as another cry for help echoed nearby, much closer this time.

“I get the feeling we're being led,” Smithy muttered quietly to himself. He would not be surprised if the cry for help echoed a bit farther away each time they reached it. He felt it was a very real possibility that whoever was calling out was using Big's heroic tendencies to draw them into a trap. Still, Big was predictably on his way. Well, either way, Smithy decided he would get to the bottom of it. Either whoever was troubling the source of the cries would be found and stopped, or Smithy would smash whatever fool thought that trying to lure him into a trap was a good idea. He hurried along after Big the Cat, though his design was one that favored strength and sturdiness over quickness. The best he could manage was a moderately quick trundle.