(I Died and got Reincarnated) My New Life as a Saltwater Crocodile Begins

CH•28 - "A Snowy Mountain is Full of Snow"

So anyway, now that the gang is complete, we resumed our search for the exit by following the river downstream. As always, everyone else is just riding on my back like I'm some scaly raft. The only difference since last time is that the bat is sticking close to the falcon now. Too close in fact, I wonder when they started getting along. I feel like I missed an episode...

"Heads up. Incoming rapids"

Huh?

Before I realized it, we were already in fast waters. Actually, no, it's just me. The fliers already flew to safety and they even carried baby snake with them, leaving me to fend for myself against the rushing cold waters with sharp ice debris floating all around me.

Aaargh!! What I'd give to be able to fly right now!! Is what I'd like to say but compared to the last time, this is nothing! The current isn't that fast, there's few to no pillars to crash into and now I don't have to worry about covering baby snake. That said, I'm still not gonna let my guard down until we get to safe waters, and...

"Waterfall up ahead"

I spoke too soon.

"The basin is full of spikes too. If you plummet, you'll die for sure"

Kick me while I'm down, why don't you... Guess this leaves me with no choice.

"What choice do you even have...?"

...... Without answering, I swim towards the surface, crawl out of the water and into land.

"Oh. So you don't mind walking then?"

... I do mind. But like I said; no choice. Since the water path leads to impending doom, the obvious (and only) option left is the land path. After all, that bear from before must've come from somewhere, and I'm pretty sure it didn't use the water path. This should still lead us to the exit. I hope...

"We'll scout on ahead. Try to keep up"

And just like that, bat and falcon flew onwards where I'm left walking on all fours. I didn't even get a say in this. We've only been apart not that long ago and he already seems like a different person. Well, at least I got baby snake with me for company. ...... That doesn't really change much.

As I followed the two fliers who went ahead, I felt a breeze. The exit... is near. It's cold though. With icy crystals inside this cave, that only means one thing...

"Snow!!"

The bat says while screaming in my head and crashing into my face. I can see a light just behind him. That must be the way out.

I walk further and take a peek outside. The light... so bright. Come to think of it, how long have we been stuck in this cave? My concept of day and night must've wavered after spending a long time in a dark cave. From the looks of it, it's still high noon? I should be having lunch by that time.

Then, another gentle breeze passes me by. Brrr— it's freezing out here. I walk back inside the cave.

"Huh? Hey, where are you going?"

I can't go outside, it's full of snow out there. I'll freeze myself. Until the season gets warmer soon, I'm staying right here.

"But... you can't"

You can't make me.

"No, I mean, you literally can't. We're on a snowy mountain."

...... Hah?

"The snow isn't gonna stop anytime soon. There's no waiting out of anything. This snowy weather is permanent."

But, but that's... that's just...

(*inaudible angry crocodile noises*)

"...... —What?"

Grrrr. Nothing. It's nothing. Let's just get down from this mountain and get to warmer waters.

"Uhh, sure... (waters?)"

And so, our slow descent down a snow-covered mountain began. However, not long after our departure....

"W-What's with you all of a sudden...?"

I can't... I can't go on any further. Feeling... sleepy...

"It hasn't even been one minute yet! Come on! This is the perfect chance now that the wind has calmed down"

J-Just go on without me... I'll catch up... soon... after I... sleep...

"Don't fall asleep! You can sleep all you want after we get out of this mountain! So get your feet moving already!"

Guh... I want to... but, I just can't seem to find the energy to move... I mean, look. Even baby snake already went to sleep.

"Aaaah! Wake up! (This is crazy. I know that the cold can make you sleepy, but that can't have been enough to make them this weak. Maybe... this was a bad idea?)"

Ughh... I feel wobbly... I'm going back inside the cave...

"W-Wait a min..-!"

And suddenly, the ground underneath shattered and the next thing I knew, I was falling down the mountain. The instant I turned around and tried to go back to the cave, my feet sank under the snow and I immediately started falling. Don't tell me... we were standing on an unstable ledge?

I try to tilt my body and reach to baby snake, but he's not there. Turning my gaze at the falcon, it looks like he already caught him just in time. That's a relief.... wait, no. I still have my own problems to deal with. What about me?!

AAaaaarghh!!! *poof*

Huh... I was expecting something a lot worse than just my face being shoved under a pile of snow. Guess nature is on my... side....

"Don't sleep!!"

Wah! I'm up! I'm up! I'm... up...

"Look out!"

What is it... this... time...?

Just as I asked that, something moved in the snow and headed towards me, but the falcon swooped in and covered me with his talons, driving it away. What... was that? As I muster what little energy I can gather just to look around my surroundings, there it was. Under a rocky roof covered in snow just meters away from me... was a pack of white-furred wolves. I fell into their territory.

This is the first time I've ever seen a wolf before. Granted, the ones I faced against Australia's beaches were actually wild dogs instead of wolves, so... yeah, this makes it my first official encounter with an actual wolf. And... of all the times to meet one, it had to be when I'm in my most weakened state. What to do... Can't... think straight... Maybe I should take a step back first..

"Don't move! You'll fall!"

Oop! That was close. Wait, a cliff?! Dang it, who in their right mind lives on a cliff anyway! Angry wolves in front of me, a supposed 1000 meter vertical drop right behind me. Maybe higher. As of this moment, I now find myself stuck between a rock and a hard place. How will I get myself out of here this time...