Disrupting the Snowager's Sleep

     "I should have brought some sort of warm clothes or something... why did I not again?" I, a blue Kacheek named Dakota, ask myself. "I guess it's because I have adventured tons of places without needing special clothing..." I've never really worn anything special now that I think about it. But anyway, I'm supposed to meet a red Chia boy here at the entrance of the Ice Caves... and I think I just found him. He calls out to me.

     "Hey, is your name Dakota by any chance?" he asks me from an elevated stone platform at the mouth of the cave. I stop, and look up at the red Chia with a flat hand above my eyes. It's surprisingly bright today, and all the ice for the sun to reflect off of doesn't help me trying not to blind myself.

     "Yep. Chia that never told me his name?" I jokingly reply. He giggles.

     "Yep! And it's Andy," he tells me. He turns and starts to run into the Ice Cave, bursting with anticipation. "Now follow me!"

     I sigh, since I still have to get up there. With a flapping tail behind me, I run up a small stone slope leading up towards the shimmering blue cavern. I manage to fall and slip on a large, clearly visible patch of slippery ice that lays over the stone in a large sheet. I slide down to the where the patch meets the snow, and dash up the side of the patch, making sure not to slip. A bit irked about my more than common clumsiness, I make my way into the mouth of the giant cave. I catch up to Andy, who is awaiting at the start of the path, leading to the Snowager's lair. I shake wildly, brushing snow from my blue fur. It's snowing pretty much always out there after all!

     "Are you sure this is a good idea?" I ask, whipping my tail around to get the snow out of it.

     "Yes... well... no. But you are brave enough to do this, aren't you, Dakota?" Andy says, teasing me somewhat. "You are a brave adventurer after all, aren't you?" I growl at him, but let it roll off my back. His face shares an expression of somewhat regret for what he said, but I return a glare to let him know that it's fine.

     And just to fill you in, I got dragged into a dare, betting I could beat this guy here in a game of Wingoball... long story short, he demolished me. And the wager? The loser has to go into the Snowager's cave and try to take some treasure rather or not he is asleep... not my best agreement. Against everything my mind is screaming at me, I head towards the path leading to the Snowager's cavern. I stand tall, peering over the edge of the long fall surrounding both edges of the narrow slick path of ice. I gather my courage and trudge across the slippery bridge, managing to not loose my balance as I look down the dizzying drop. I reach a solid platform of it, and approach the icy cavern. I lay my back against the side of the doorway, my heart thumping. The thing is, I have always been sort of afraid of this thing, like, since my childhood. Okay... time to do something stupid. I inhale deeply, and peek through the doorway.

     "Please be asleep... please be asleep," I say to myself. I look inside and see the Snowager is!... asleep!

     "Well, that is a partial victory I suppose..." I say, "but this is only half the battle... maybe even a third..." I slowly creep my way into the frost bitten cave, my heart wrenching at the constant action. As soon as I truly step foot into the Snowager's domain, I get a horrible chill down my spine. Hundreds. No, thousands of thoughts swarm in my mind. Why am I doing this? Is it really worth it? Am I going to get shot at with ice? Yeah, probably. I slowly sneak my way further and further into the cave, closer and closer to the ancient ice worm.

     "Man, my fear is peaked right now..." I whisper to myself, dreading my decision to walk in here in the first place. I want to turn around, but I realize I am already half way between the worm and the exit. I sigh heavily, knowing there is no reason to turn back now. I fearfully approach the worm, caution in every step. I can see it's body move up and down slowly as it breathes in it's slumber. My heart stops as I hear it growl, and I am ready to haul tail out of there as fast as I can. But luckily for me, he quickly goes back into his deep snoring state. I exhale.

     "This thing is going to straight up blast me..." I whisper. I take one final step, and I am within grabbing range of any treasure from the pile that the worm slumbers on. I take another deep breath, and cringe as I reach out for a Really Big Chunk of Ice. There doesn't seem to really be any other valuable or unique things from where I am standing. This is the best I can get. I feel the chill of the ice against my hand, and prepare to grab it and run like there is no tomorrow.

     "Okay... 3. 2. 1. Go!" I whisper to myself. I wrap my fingers around the chunk of ice, and haul my way in the other direction. My heart thumps as I run away from the Snowager.

     "Please! Leave me alo-!" I yell, before realizing... I am running from nothing. Confused, I stupidly turn my head to see the Snowager still sleeping. Lucky break I guess. I go to exit the cave, but my feet won't let me forward. "Do I want to... no, I am not being greedy; this is a very good chance I could still get blasted... but on the other hand..." I say. I place the ice near the exit, and for some reason, head back over to the pile, and not to mention, the Snowager. I stare at it.

     "Is it in really that deep a sleep?" I ask myself, some reason not feeling any fear despite what I am looking at. I shrug in confusion, and take another item, this time a Blue Negg just to be safe. Its stem unintentionally rubs against the Snowager's belly, causing a strange noise to emit from the Snowager.

     "Wait... did the Snowager just?... nah," I say to myself, grabbing another Negg and placing them by the exit. I take more things: A Snowager Pull Along, a Snowager Cupcake, and even a Platinum Negg. Having so many things in my hands, I drop the Platinum Negg. I turn to pick it up, but nearly have a heart attack as I feel my tail brush against the Snowager. Its body vibrates, and it emits that same strange noise again. At this point, my suspicions are piqued.

     "Hang on a minute... could the Snowager really be?" I ask myself. I rush forward and back to deliver my loot to the exit before getting back to the deeply slumbering Snowager to experiment something. It hits me how gutsy this is going to be if he wakes up, which with what I am about to do, there is a very good chance of that happening! I take a normal Negg, and hold it firmly in my hands. And taking a dumb move, I wave its stem along the Snowager's underbelly. The Snowager in reaction twitches slightly, and makes the same rumbling noise.

     "No way, this can't be real," I say, a stupid grin slowly growing across my face. I toss the Negg aside, and start rubbing my tail along the length of its body, causing small spasms and rumbles to come from it. I keep the motion going, its bodies motions becoming a bit more lively, and its rumbles slowly turning into undeniable snorts and giggles.

     "This is unreal!" I whisper to myself. "The Snowager is ticklish! The Snowager! One of the most feared monsters in all of Neopia! Who knew?" I wiggle my fingers on its belly, causing it to wake up fully not much to my surprise, but cause it to break into explosive, earthshaking laughter as well. The Snowager rolls onto its back, squirming about. It tries to shoot ice at me as it begins to be enraged, but I have no fear in my chest, knowing its laughing fit is going to keep it from firing any icy blast of the sort. It flings its tail around like crazy, scattering treasure around. I notice I start bringing it to tears as it tries its best to kick me off of it.

     "Wait until my friends hear about this!" I exclaim in disbelief. The laughing worm, in an odd mix of hysterics and anger, manages to fire off an icy blast at the ceiling. The blasts bounces of a large icicle, causing its base to crack. I look up, and see it start to fall.

     "And this is my signal to run!" I say, leaping off the Snowager and making a mad dash for the exit. The Snowager is livid at this point, trying to blast me with everything it has.

     "And THIS is what I feared! Why did I put myself into this mess!?" I say. "I could have just left!" A giant icicle falls in front of me, fallen by the Snowager's rage induced roars. After my initial shock, I run around it, and make it the the exit. I scoop up all my loot, avoiding the icy blasts the worm shoots all the while. The closest I get to being hit is one grazing off the top of my head. I dive out the door, knowing I am safe now. I breathe heavily, and walk back across the path in a daze. The young Chia is shocked, staring at the large sum of treasure I collected.

     "Whoa! You really are good! Look at all that!" he says. "How did you get all that!?" I shrug, putting it in my travel pack that I left here with him.

     "Let's just say I have my ways..." I smile.

     "Do you think I should go there? You got tons of stuff, and I bet that means this time is a honey hole for treasure!"

     I shake my head. "Nah, I wouldn't risk it," I say, staring at the Snowager's cave with a silly grin, "Going into the Snowager's lair is no laughing matter." I head out, wondering where I will go next.

     "Well, maybe we can hang out sometime, Dakota!" Andy says as I leave. I give a thumbs up behind me as I leave the Ice Caves, back into the chilly outside of Terror Mountain. And for the rest of that day, chatter ran about the town about what those loud noises that were coming from the caves could have been.

The End