Free To Catch A Warrior [Unearthly World Book 5] by C.L. Scholey

fingers were red and cold and wet.
    Titus was gazing off in the distance. “This is strange. Everywhere I look there’s beauty until I glance at that wall of snow and ice. What contains it? The planet and wall resembles the ice and fire from the sun we were in but with seasons.”
    “It took us a while to get used to all of the seasons coexisting side by side. It’s a small planet and each season is extreme in its own way. The summer season we’re in is full blown summer and stays that way, never changing. As does autumn with all of its vibrant colors and crisp scents. Winter is harsh and unforgiving, volatile and unpredictable. Spring is a little lazy. That season is quiet because everything is waking up, you can almost hear the plants yawn and stretch. Most of the animals stay away from winter, except one and, well, let’s hope we don’t run into it. It’s a hard creature to describe and loves the fall season best. It’s very furry. The winter season bogs its fur down and if it lies down it can get frozen to the ground. Summer is too hot for it. It’s a mammoth-sized black beast with fangs and snorts smoke.”
    “Sounds like a cyron,” Titus said. “Can you explain more of what happened and who attacked first?”
    Zabbie wished he hadn’t asked. The memories hurt when they came, as though the Gorgano were torturing her thoughts all over again. Titus’s gaze was sympathetic; he wasn’t trying to hurt her, only understand. He was leader after all. The warriors he commanded were his to care for. For him she would try.
    “We escaped into the winter weather when the Tonans came. They need the sunlight to maintain their shields. The winter season has very little sun, a blizzard blows mainly. We, meaning me and the other survivors, would come into the summer season to hunt and into the spring season to gather new edible shoots and race back underground in caverns we found. I doubt any humans are living in this area,” Zabbie said. “It was too dangerous to stay in a warm welcoming place.”
    “You were forced to abandon the luxury of heat for survival,” Titus said. Zabbie heard the pity in his tone.
    “This is close to where we sheltered. Off in the distance you can just make out spring. But remember the Gorgano attacked. We all fled. No one else was on the Gorgano space vessel that I saw. They might have separated us. If your monitors didn’t pick up life forms it means either no one is left, or some are hiding in the winter season far underground. I guess with all the frozen ice above us sensors didn’t pick us up. We spent most of our time cold, I guess that’s why I survived for so long, I was already used to intense frigid weather. I already had the clothes to keep me warm.”
    Titus walked up to the wall of snow cascading down, to stand next to Zabbie. She gazed at her limited clothing. Titus stuck his hand into the winter wall. He stepped through the sheet of snow and turned. Zabbie could see him frowning. In battle mode his hair whipped the large snowflakes away torpedo style. None came through the wall. Titus walked back through and stood next to her. Lifting his hand he brushed at the snow clinging to his fur.
    “You aren’t wearing suitable clothing for that weather,” Titus said.
    “Can your replicator make me something warm?”
    “I’m afraid not. This material is all we know, our bodies don’t require furs. Cold doesn’t normally bother us but even I felt the sting of some unusually cold snowflakes. It might get uncomfortable after a while but not to a degree where we will freeze. I’ve never encountered single stinging snowflakes before. We get biting cold in the northern Zargonnii area but not like that. My warriors and I can go in there, we would be fine, I’m sure we can adjust, but I can’t leave you here or on the ship.”
    “Your need to have me close every second is getting on my nerves,” Zabbie complained. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I guess I’ll