Chapter 4
“For the last time Peter, no one knows what Hoth means!” Gamora shouted over the torrent of wind and snow, pulling her blanket snug.
“Hoth! You know, the ice planet from Star Wars?!” Drax, Gamora, Groot and Rocket only met him with blank stares. Quill gave an exasperated sigh, looking at them through the holes in his mask. “We watched it a few days ago!”
“Whatever Quill,” Rocket snarled “we gotta make camp Groot’s gonna freeze to death!” Gamora spared a glance at the two of them, Rocket clothed in no more than his usual utilitarian suit and a heavy blanket. Groot was strapped facing inward to his chest with two small blankets of his own. Even still snow was piling up atop his tiny wooden head. The Collector had failed to mention their latest heist would involve trekking to a remote weapons storage facility on Rahot, an uninhabited snow storm of a planet. Quill nodded, and they began scrambling to make camp under the partial shelter of some boulders. They sat huddled together, Gamora staring into the flames of the fire which took no short amount of time to start thanks to the winds.
“Only thing that’s warm is my heart,” Quill whispered after a time. Gamora glanced up, he only nodded his head over to the left next to Drax. Gamora’s eyes went soft at the sight. Groot slept in his tiny pot, his little blanket covering his slim torso and all but his eyes. He was additionally by Rocket’s own blanket which he had discarded and rigged into an impromptu shelter. The wind howled, sending their fire to shiver and Gamora peered through her fingers. She started at the raccoonoid who had expertly positioned himself around Groot’s pot to add another layer of warmth. The fur on his arms, head and tail no longer blew in the stormy chill but remained stiff, frozen.
“Rocket!” Gamora stood,
“What is it?” Quill grumbled from where he sat.
“It’s Rocket, he’s freezing.” She answered shortly going over and examining him.
“Freezing? He’s covered in fur! He’s more protected then the rest of us!” Gamora knelt over the raccoonoid, who now it was revealed, was clearly trembling ceaselessly.
“Not all of him,” she snapped, and Quill stared in confusion for a moment, only to recall the sight of Rocket’s shaven back from years ago in the Kyln. He nodded but huddled closer to Drax and cursed as another heavy gust burst through. Gamora took a deep breath, bracing herself and removed her blanket, tucking it snuggly around Rocket.
“There you go.” She sat then, ever so slowly moving both the raccoonoid and the sapling in to her lap, her hands picking out the clusters of snow and ice that had frozen to Rocket’s fur. In a moment ice cold pricked her fingertips. “Oh no,” Gamora head shook with disgust. The metal panel in his back, she realized, it was cold to the touch. More freezing then his body and undoubtedly effecting the flesh around it. “Quill, Drax, give me your blankets. Any covering you can spare.”
“Why?” The Destroyer demanded, Gamora only rolled her eyes and continued to rub Rocket’s sides, his tail and shoulders.
“Just give me your blankets or get over here yourself.” Drax glared but obeyed with Peter following suit.
“At least smaller Groot seems warm,” the destroyer jabbed in a hint of jealousy. Gamora ignored him but gave Quill an appreciative look as he wrapped his own blanket around her and scooted close.
“C’mon Drax, we got to huddle,” the human explained. “Use our body heat,” another icy gust blasted their faces and Gamora leaned down, hunkering over Rocket and Groot. With that Drax shared his own blanket and pressed himself on Gamora’s other side. Slowly, she stopped her rubbing and patting, Rocket no longer trembling.
“What is that noise?” Quill asked, sometime later after the winds had left an unearthly quiet across the snow scape. All that remained was the darkness and the snow and the dim glow of their pathetic fire. Gamora looked down at the odd high-pitched whispering sound and then laughed,
“It’s Rocket,” she explained, one hand going protectively over his side and patted him softly. “I think he’s snoring.”