@smcker
It was meant to be survival training in winter island conditions, limited rations, and no safety net. They were only allowed one fire starter, a small supply of food and water, and a basic medical kit. Everything else had to be earned through judgment, timing, and endurance. Most of the trainees paired off quickly, and Leigh didn’t hesitate. He stepped in beside the grey-haired male to pair up, then the training started. They pushed inland and found a narrow stretch at the foot of a mountain ridge, at least partially shielded from the worst of the wind. Together, they started stacking ice blocks into a makeshift shelter. It held for a few minutes at best before groaning under its own weight and collapsing into a scattered heap.
Leigh exhaled sharply through his nose as the sun was already sinking and the temperature followed it down fast. The trainee decided they needed to work quickly, so their body shifted. Bone, muscle, and shadowed instinct pulled him into his vampire-bat hybrid form as the transformation gave him speed and strength at the cost of temperature resistance. Leigh felt the cold bite deeper immediately, but ignored it. Without hesitation, he moved to the frozen ground and began striking it continuously.
Cracks spidered outward beneath his fists as he worked the ice and packed snow loose, digging with brute force instead of tools. The idea formed quickly that if they couldn’t build shelter above ground, they would survive below it. Snow insulates, and the depth would trap heat. It was crude, but effective as minutes stretched. His knuckles split open, skin tearing against frozen earth, but he didn’t slow down. By the time the hollow was deep enough to fit them both, his breathing was heavy and controlled. The transformation faded, and he returned to his human form with a quiet exhale. Pain flared immediately through his hands as Leigh flexed his fingers once, grimacing at the raw, exposed skin. Still, he turned toward Smoker and jerked his head toward the hollowed-out snow pit. “Let’s move and bury ourselves before the temperature drops any further.”
