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The well planned out trip does become way more troublesome when the tropical bird ends up without her thick wetsuit and the icy wind forces them underwater.\nLuckily the loving orca does have an idea or two to help her dearest make it through the freezing dive~\n\n----------\n\nThis was written for a kink challenge/contest: A story having to incorporate the niece but quite interesting idea of \"coldness\". I cannot even properly describe what this kink is yet, but it was fun to write about it >w<\n\nThe full artwork of the thumbnail by SafferSoft can be found here:\n", "description_bbcode_parsed": "The cockatiel Pali finally meets her long distance girlfriend Olaya up in the Arctic. The well planned out trip does become way more troublesome when the tropical bird ends up without her thick wetsuit and the icy wind forces them underwater.
Luckily the loving orca does have an idea or two to help her dearest make it through the freezing dive~

----------

This was written for a kink challenge/contest: A story having to incorporate the niece but quite interesting idea of "coldness". I cannot even properly describe what this kink is yet, but it was fun to write about it >w<

The full artwork of the thumbnail by SafferSoft can be found here:
", "writing": "A Cockatiel's Icy Dive\n\nWritten by Drarra Dragon-Tear aka VarraTheVap\n\n\n\n--- Chapter 1: Cold and Hot Arrival ---\n\n\"PALIii!!\"\nA certain voice traveled through the wind but did not quite reach the ears of the young cockatiel who it was addressed to. Instead, the girl twitched on the spot when the deafening roaring of a jet engine from the plane behind her flared up.\nShe looked slightly surprised that it was taking off already before she and the others had even gotten their luggage yet. Apparently it didn't want to stay here any longer than necessary or maybe there actually was hazard of getting frozen in place otherwise - Pali didn't know.\nShe sighed and watched her breath freeze in the air.\n\nDespite being one among several dozen passengers, it was not surprising that Pali had been spotted already. The avian girl was sticking out like a colored dog - or like a lightly clothed, yellow bird among mostly weather-proofed or arctic creatures. There were mostly cetaceans but even walruses and a few penguins heading down off the runway.\nWith the mass of people dispersing, wind was finally making its way across this flat, icy concrete she was standing on, making it clear that she was indeed in the arctic now!\nThat while wearing nothing but a dark green dress with pretty flowers and frills. Underneath she had opted for a blue one-piece swimsuit, loving those more than underwear.\nIt was a pretty outfit - after all she was wanting to impress who she was visiting, but it was certainly an outfit made for the weather of Australia where she came from!\n\nHer thoughts quickly wandered to her check-in luggage. On herself right now she only had a small carry-on, a waterproof bag strapped to her shoulder. It contained only some hygiene utilities, snacks, other stuff she needed in the plane. Additionally she had brought her 'pony bottle' scuba tank with it, because flight regulations didn't want to have that as check-in luggage when pressurized.\n\nHowever what she needed way more right now than an airtank was the neat, thick new wetsuit she had gotten specifically for this travel. That would keep her warm in these waters and surely out here as well.\n--I should have packed more clothes, but she said we'd be in water most of the time anyways..--, Pali thought while her eyes were searching through the groups of people again, but also for where they'd get their luggage.\n\n\"There you are!! I'm so happy you made it!\"\nBefore she could think more about the cold wind that was waving through her yellow feathers, the voice finally resumed. It was a familiar voice even if a notch different from what she knew - she had only heard her through voice-chats so far. A smile immediately grew on her beak and she felt her heart pounding when a particular orca girl was standing in front of her: Olaya!\n\nPali dropped her small bag - the metallic bottle inside making a noise - and jumped forward, rushing to hug her friend - or at least she tried to. Icy ground was unknown at her home and this runway edge that was overblown by wet sea air certainly had frozen. As a result even her talon-equipped feet slipped, sending the cockatiel girl towards the ground.\nIt was only thanks to Olaya's quick reaction that she did not hit the floor with full force and instead was caught in the warm orca's arms.\n\nPali immediately blushed when her beak ended up against Olaya's red swimsuit that was hugging her blue and white, soft body. Her heart was pounding.\nPali peeked up at her while struggling to get stable footing again. For a brief moment she held the position longer than necessary though, lounging to be close to this person she had been dreaming of for so long. That she was sharing some warmth was tempting too of course.\n\"S..sorry!\"\n\nOlaya couldn't help it but giggle lightly but she also used the opportunity to hug her friend tightly.\nIt had been two years since the two had met online for the first time - and since almost as long she had been looking forward to meet her in person.\nFinally Pali could return the hug properly and sighed with a bit of relief.\n\"This has been such a long travel. And it got colder and colder!\", she added a tad nervously but was still smiling upon looking into Olaya's eyes.\nDespite knowing this was her most typical attire since other clothing was just a hindrance to her, Pali couldn't help it but find her swimsuit-clad friend oh so hot.\n\n\"Hey, the temps are just perfect here\", the orca said and giggled loudly. \"But I admit you look like you have as little warming blubber as you explained...\"\nPali shook her head. \"I told you, pengus may be very distant relatives of ours, but my kind has near none of that fat to stay warm. Anyways I will be fine!\"\nPali quickly added the second sentence. The last thing she wanted was to worry her friend. The two of them had spend whole nights making plans of what they'd do together. Some just classic fun, some certainly naughty. In every case there was no time to loose on this vacation of hers.\n\n\"This windy, boring plate out here is luckily not my home, don't you worry.\"\nPali nodded upon hearing that and excitement returned in her voice. \"Yes! The underwater city!! I'm looking forward to it so much.\"\nThat was not solely because it was Olaya's home of course. In fact it had been through reading on fascinating places underwater - among which was Arcticeya - how the two had met!\nEven at home while on land, Pali had always felt a bit out of place. Maybe not comparable to how it was now with her on an icy pier, but she usually felt an urge to leave the dry, boring land behind and plunge into the aquatic depths which luckily were not that far from her home. Hence why swimwear was part of her usual attire.\n\nOlaya loved this fascination with the water which her friend has. The two had spent endless nights fantasizing about what they would do underwater or simply while holding their breath. Of course they also brought a fair bit to reality, challenging each other to breathless contests, taking pictures and videos while freediving - as well as do even more intense or naughty things. Of course they had to be careful regarding their limits as neither of them had a partner in real life to rescue them if they would push themselves too far.\nThe orca girl had also noticed the sparkle in Pali's eyes during video chats whenever she mentioned her underwater home.\nHence why she finally invited her over!\n\nJust when Pali was about to ask where their luggage would be, a grumpy looking snow owl driving a motorized baggage cart audibly drove close. An unpleasant feeling spread in Pali's guts when she realized that the cart was otherwise empty. A murmur went through the small cloud surrounding them and before the owl could even speak up, some others questioned him. That didn't seem to confuse him though.\n\"Dear ladies and gentlemen. It is with deepest regret that I have to inform you regarding a minor miscoordination on our side.\nThe luggage of flight AA331 has been loaded in a machine that headed towards the canary islands.\"\n\"W..wha?!\" Pali gasped audibly and her big eyes stared between the owl and Olaya who was facepalming but also chuckling lightly. Whatever sound they would make was quickly swallowed by the angry other passengers.\n\n\"We are assuring you that your airline is doing anything possible to rectify this problem. Your luggage is expected to arrive here in the next two to four days! We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and are thankful for your patience and cooper..\", \"That's OUTRAGEOUS!\", a busty walrus loudly interrupting him with a rolling voice.\n\nBoth the owl as well as Pali quickly had the thought to retreat before the situation would get heated. Even if heat was certainly something Pali was looking for now.\n\"What do I do now?..\" The young avian said, trying her best not to sound defeated. She clutched her small carry-on which she had picked up again and looked inside.\n\"I packed aquatic underwear and such stuff as you suggested, but the wetsuit did not fit in here!\"\n\"Oh you did get a wetsuit after all?! Yay!\", the orca girl squeaked happily. She was clearly less concerned than her friend was though.\n\"Pali nodded. I wanted to surprise you with how it looks, but of course I did. The waters here are icy!\"\n\n\"Aww, I am very curious now. And hey, it isn't that bad!\", she responded with a confident smile.\n\"Oh well, what do I do now?... Look for a hotel up here?\"\nPali sighed saying this and they were slowly walking towards the edge of the airfield. Pali's tail was twitching on every wind gust that was hitting the two and she was looking forward to a warm inside already.\n\n\"What? Don't be silly, you come with me of course. The less we wait, the more we have of your vacation. And you really don't need much in our city.\"\nPali gulped and looked in her friends green and yellow eyes and then shook her head.\n\"I know we have planned for the lovely dive to even get there and that's why I pre-filled this tank, but... Olaya, I'll freeze without the wetsuit!\"\n\nThe orca girl's smile turned more reassuring now and she came closer, reaching with a rubbery hand, not to say flipper, for Pali's cheek.\nThe birdie felt almost like she was melting into that touch and instinctively leaned in closer. Despite Olaya wearing just that skimpy swimsuit, she felt so warm to the touch. Her kind truly was adapted to this environment...\nEven when other people had walked by, leaving them alone against the wind, this moment was still filling Pali with warmth and confidence.\n\n\"I see you do wear swimwear already anyways.\"\nSuddenly a grin crossed Olaya's face and she reached with a hand to the shoulder strap of Pali's dress where the blue fabric of a swimsuit was visible underneath.\n\"You know I usually do. Feels comfy. But this one does not keep me warm.\"\n\"You'll have to rely on your gorgeous feathers then, sweetheart.\n\nKnow what? Normally people swim through the long 'main road' that's suited for large ferals too. But I know a shortcut! It'll be just fifteen minutes underwater with your skill to my home, promised.\"\n\nThe prospect of diving like this in those ice-covered waters for quarter an hour minutes made Pali loosen the hug even if reluctantly. Before she could say anything however, Olaya interrupted:\n\"Hey, who's a strong, brave bird who crossed half the world to visit their aquatic lover?\"\nThis made Pali giggle nervously before she replied softly. \"I am.\"\n\"No, not like you are writing this in an essay. Say it like you mean it!\"\n\"I AM!\" Pali snapped in return, crossing her arms. This made Olaya smile.\n\"There you are, my sweetheart. That's the spirit that will keep you warm down there. And if all else fails, I'm there for you!\"\n\nAfter several seconds of just staring at her friend and internally refusing to believe that she was about to agree to this, she finally nodded.\n\n\n--- Chapter 2: Shaky ---\n\n\"I have no choice, do I?\"\nOlaya laughed at that and leaned in again. This time pressing her face into Pali's neck.\n\"Come, we should loose no time!\"\n\nIndeed it was best for Pali to spend as little time as possible in the cold wind and get over with it. --In the city I can finally rest.--, she thought to herself. \nSo the two hurried off the airfield area, crossed a little driven road that was carved into the ice. There were a few igloos in the distance as well as huts made from wood imported from far away.\nA street signs were indicating towards \"Arcticeya\" and that was where most people from the plane had gone. However Olaya guided the birdie down a different route.\nBy the time they arrived there, Pali was occasionally rubbing her arms as the cold was more and more creeping up on her and she felt her beak shaking lightly every time she'd open it. Yet she pressed on but made sure to stay as close to her friend as possible.\n\nRight behind two of those simple and apparently uninhabited huts was a small valley down into the ice.\n\"Think the people here use this for fishing when they take a vacation outside of water.\"\nOlaya said nonchalantly while they descended towards a square, metal reinforced hole in the massive ice. Pali gulped, looking down there at the ice.\n\"Don't worry, enough sunlight is shining through the ice to see ahead of us.\"\n\nPali felt a bit relieved, albeit less because of what her friend said but rather because the wind was finally weaker down here in the valley. Nevertheless she was restlessly moving her talons. She did not have much feeling in them normally anyways but currently she was certainly feeling the cold of the ice and thin layer of snow she was stepping on.\n\nThat relief faded quickly however when Olaya encouraged her to get ready. That meant she had to remove the second-only cloth protecting her off the cold which was her frilly dress.\nPali sighed out a cloud of visibly freezing steam but then started pulling the shoulder straps down.\nShe decided to hurry. Everything would be better than to spend time out here, so she thought.\nIn no time she revealed the dark-blue swimsuit that hugged her body smoothly. Her chest was small so there was only a slight curve noticeable. More obvious was her butt and if one were to look closely, her crotch as well. It certainly was a suit that didn't leave much to the imagination.\nWithout her dress she felt the cold air way stronger on her torso and especially her legs now.\nNevertheless she couldn't resist to take a quick spin on the ice, showing herself to Olaya with a smile.\n\nNow it was certainly the orca's turn to blush deeply.\n\"You look absolutely gorgeous, my dear. It's so wonderful to finally see you in person!\"\nPali smiled warmly in return and tugged lightly at her swimsuit before she bent down to fold and put the dress inside of her bag after she had taken out the airtank.\n\"Thank you, my suit contrasts nicely with yours!\" She replied with a chuckle and bumped her hips against the orca's. Pali's arms went back to hug herself though when a wind gust waved over them.\n\"A..admittedly I had planned to show this suit only at your home, privately, but guess it will have to do now instead of the wetsuit.\"\n\nOlaya nodded quickly and nuzzled the avian.\n\"Hey, just think of the warmth at my home. You will love it!\", she said calmly but then picked up the air tank. It was a small, yellow cylinder of about 3 inches in diameter and 10 in length. At the end, angled by 90° was a rubbery mouthpiece in a v-shape so it would work for a beak.\nOn one side was a purge button and on the other, a small air gauge.\n\"You said you tried this out and it gave you thirty minutes of breath if you are careful, right?\"\n\"Mhm, albeit I was really focusing on my breath that time. Not sure I'll be able to do that in those waters. But you said it'll only take fifteen minutes anyways, right?\"\n\nOlaya places a warm hand on Pali's shoulder. \"Yes, but you know, you are not the only air breather.\" She said with a chuckle before she continued.\n\"I can last up to fifteen minutes as you know and I made this swim alone many times, but way faster thanks to my fluke of course.\"\n\"Right, I did not think of that.. There are none of those 'breathing points' down there which are common in Arcticeya from what I heard?\"\nOlaya shook her head.\n\"Not until we are practically at the city.\"\n\"I'll share the tank of course, but please be careful...\"\n\"Of course, of course. Worst case I gasp some water. Would not be the first time.\"\n\"Olaya, don't say that! You are scaring me!\", Pali said quickly but the orca girl only grinned and gave Pali's cheek a loving kiss.\nFor a second or two, they stared at each other until a shudder went through Pali's body.\n\"B..brr! We gotta go or I turn into an icicle out here already!\"\n\nIf she were honest with herself, Pali had no clue how she would make it through this dive. Nevertheless she quickly pulled a blue face mask from her bag. It was a slightly vintage looking diving mask with just an over window safe for where her beak was. A rubber lip in that indentation ensured that her nostrils would be sealed, thus serving as a nose clip as well. She wished she'd have her fins from the luggage as well, but those were now thousands of miles away.\nSo she zipped the bag back shut and then took the airtank from Olaya.\nIt was now or never!\n\nPali wasn't one to show her weakness too easily but she was well aware that she was getting herself into an extreme situation now - and in fact already was in one from standing here in the ice and snow just clad in her swimsuit.\nSo she looked at her friend and reached for her hand. Olaya spoke first however.\n\"I will be with you every moment. Promised!\"\n\nPali nodded calmly and watched how the orca girl was taking long, deep breaths. Her chest was rising up and down in that typical rhythm she did to prepare her lungs. Her mouth was shut however. She was an orca after all, meaning that was not where she was breathing from.\nPali could not resist to peek behind her friend, chuckling softly when she saw slight puffs of steam condensing in the air and originating from the upper end of Olaya's neck. That's where her blowhole was - a well rounded orifice with a muscle flap which moved lightly on every breath.\n\nNoticing her friend's curiosity, Olaya flexed that muscle, distending her blowhole lightly with her breaths.\n\"It is c..cute to see this a..action in person!\", the birdie said but also realizing that she could not keep her beak from shivering anymore when speaking.\n\"And it is oddly cute.. to see you shiver, my dear sweetheart.\", her friend replied, making them both blush while Pali wrapped her arms around herself to brace the cold.\n\"Come!\", Olaya finally gave the cue and she inhaled a deep, final breath.\n\nPali had taken a few breaths in the meantime too, but she would surely rely on her tank. No way she was ready for actual breathhold challenges without her wetsuit. Or at least she hoped for no breathhold challenges right now...\n\nThe grip of their hands grew stronger when they face the hole in front of them. The water surface was about half a foot beneath as that's how thick the ice was.\nPali held the small airtank in her other hand while she counted: \"3..2..1..\"\n\n\n--- Chapter 3: Down into the Water ---\n\nIf she were alone, Pali would probably not have dared to do this but with Olaya's warm hand in hers, she felt a confidence. --I can do this!--\nTogether they leapt down into the hole and slid right through the surface.\n\nPali's eyes widened immediately when the water near freezing point hit her with all its intensity. Despite having been in the cold for this long, the water was a whole other level.\nHer body felt like cramping, making her wince and double over. This reflexive action also affected her diaphragm, forcing a large cloud of air from her beak.\n\n\"M..WMGRGBLBL!!\"\nAs she had feared, her feathers only provided a thin level of protection, not able to keep as much air and fluffiness like it did for some aquatic birds. She was immediately soaked to the bone, as one would say. And a result, she almost fell into shock from the abrupt change she had not even deemed possible after freezing at the surface.\n\"N..n..nhh..\" The one good thing of the cramping was that her beak was not opening either or she would likely have gasped on water.\nEven worse, the young avian was close to drop the air bottle as her mind could only think of how the cold water hurt and not yet about any need for air.\n\nOlaya reacted quickly though. She let go of her hand but pressed her body first up against her friend to make sure she would feel her presence firmly. Then she would stroke down along Pali's chest. She gave her friend effectively a bit of a massage - including sensitive spots as she knew she had to help her make it through this instinct-driven freeze. Only if she became calm she could pull through this and stand a chance.\n\nThrough her mask the avian was blinking frantically. Her eyes looking in all directions as she found herself in this dark blue, faintly glowing new world.\nWhile she had been (free-)diving in caves before, she had clearly never dove beneath ice. It was an incredible view to see the fissures across the underside of the ice sheet above them.\nIt was certainly frightening though and the only thing giving her reassurance was Olaya who was smiling warmly in front of her... and touching her like no girl or guy ever had before.\n\nYet it was almost with delay that she finally realized the orca's gentle yet determined strokes across Pali's swimsuit. And indeed they helped. The cramping of her muscles lessened albeit the coldness still hurt and she tugged her legs closer to her torso instinctively.\n\"M..Wmbgl.. glugbl...\"\nFinally her lungs drew attention to the fact that she had lost most of her breath. Before she could react herself though, Olaya was already guiding her hand with the airtank to her beak. She quickly shoved it in and it activated.\nFresh air flooded her mouth. She had to swallow a bit of seawater first but then inhaled sharply.\n\nAlmost immediately she exhaled again as her lungs were still coping with the temperature. Nevertheless she regained enough control to touch Olaya's hand, even if shakily. The shock state was only slowly leaving her body.\n\"S..Sobl cobllrdbl!\"\nShe tried to speak with the mouthpiece in her beak, making her voice very noisy.\n\nOlaya understood though and with a hand sign - one of many which they had trained beforehand - Olaya asked whether she wanted to surface.\nPali's eyes went up at the bright, sparkling hole in the ice about four or five feet above them. She shook her head though. --If I surface now, I'll want to leave and do nothing but curl on the spot!--, she thought and instead shakily pointed forward albeit just guessing the direction.\n\nThis made Olaya smile confidently and after she drew her attention with a quick nuzzling to her neck, she nodded and pointed in a similar direction beneath the ice. Nothing could be seen in that direction, but Pali of course trusted her friend.\n\nFinally she started swimming but realized that her muscles seemed to work with a slight delay now. Or was she just imagining that? She started a gradual frog-kick but she did not let go of Olaya's hand. The orca who was mainly just using her tail was helping pulling her gently.\nThe hissing sound of Pali's airtank was mixing with the natural sounds of the environment and water rushing past their bodies. Her breaths were fast as her body was burning as much as it could to stay heated. At least they left the hole in the ice behind quickly. Its light blended within less than a minute into the mist of the general glow by the sunlit ice above.\n\nPali kept kicking, using as much of her body to propel herself forward as she could. While this was not a breathhold-dive, she was still on borrowed time and utterly aware of that.\nThe cold water felt almost like it was burning on her skin underneath her small feathers. --Just a bit longer.. just a bit longer...--, she was repeating to herself in her mind, trying to apply similar techniques she would use on more typical challenges like classic freediving.\nHowever she was already in this urgent state a few minutes into what would be at least quarter an hour! Thus almost as desperate as she was to fight the cold, she was fighting this thought of how long she would have to endure this.\n\nIn the meantime a full on trail of bubbles was left behind as she had to breathe fast to even have a chance to not become hypothermic right-away. This trail of ascending bubbles was showing nicely how Olaya had guided her deeper underwater.\nThe light from the ice sheet above was fading and their eyes had to adjust to that. Nevertheless it was enough for Pali to see the reason for the descent: The ice sheet was reaching a blank wall of ice right ahead of them. Likely the edge of a glacier. While that surface ice had a white'ish color to it, this wall was purely blue.\n\"O..ohmblbl!\"\nFor a brief moment, the avian girl forgot about her situation and just admired this gorgeous, sparkling sight. Olaya smiled at her brightly and nodded before giving a reassuring OK-sign.\nThen she pointed down at a tunnel inside that wall of ice.\n\nIt was clear where they would go now and Pali tried to nod. It turned out however that this moment of peacefully looking around had been a bad idea. The girl had lost her rhythm and this let the cold into her body only more!\nHer chest cramped slightly, making her unable to draw another breath. Instinctively she wrapped her wing arms around her herself tightly. \"N..nhh..\"\nWith a fair bit of despair in her movements she forced herself to swim more albeit only with her legs. Her face was red from the strain though and that meant she was losing heat only faster!\n\nOlaya saw this of course and she wanted to encourage her friend but talking was not a possibility down here while holding her breath. Instead she leaned in close, lending Pali a bit of warmth by pressing up against her.\nPali's eyes widened slightly as this was certainly more body contact than before. The warmth was heavenly!!\n\n\"M..mgrgblbl..\"\nJust in time to not be asphyxiated, this shared warmth allowed her diaphragm to relax enough so she could take another breath from the airtank which she still held firmly with her beak.\nPali needed more warmth though! Her instincts of survival were taking over now and she ceased to wrap herself and instead hugged Olaya firmly. With a desperate expression she looked up in her friends eyes while the airtank pressed between the orca's flat breasts because Pali tried to press as much of herself as she could against her friend.\n\nOlaya gulped when she realized what she had triggered. Nevertheless she made sure to keep kicking her tail forcefully so they would not loose too much speed while they slide through the tunnel of eyes.\nLuckily she knew this area very well, thus not needing to look around much. All her focus was on her beloved avian who she was holding close in response. For a brief period, Pali actually managed to relax and get back into a rhythm. She even smiled lightly when she regained strength to kick more forcefully again. --I can do this!--\n\nUnfortunately this relieving time was short lived. Two minutes later - the two were underwater for about four minutes at that point - the tunnel was becoming more and more narrow. --I almost forgot about this...--, the orca girl thought to herself while slowing down. They would not fit through while hugging!\nPali's eyes flickered when she noticed the change of motion as she had been dreamily focused on just swimming.\nWhen Olaya also loosened the hug slightly, she immediately clung to her though.\n\nOlaya had to shake her head and quickly placed a hand on Pali's chest. Then she pointed forward, signaling her that she had to swim ahead. Pali's eyes widened. \n\"Ibl clabln't..!\"\n\"Youmbl canbl!\", the orca girl immediately responded with firmness in her voice and ignoring that she lost a mouthful of bubbles from her blowhole doing that.\n\nPali gulped and her arms went to hug herself again when Olaya fully let go. She clenched her eyes, took a deep breath from the air bottle but also nodded and then urgently started kicking on.\n\nOlaya followed suit. very close to her friend's slightly sharp talons. She was actually a bit impressed that despite the shivers that went through her regularly, Pali managed to guide herself between the icy obstacles. She couldn't help herself to stare occasionally at the particular spot between Pali's legs. Her swimsuit was really not leaving much to the imagination.\nIn hope to distract her off the scary situation, Olaya used the opportunity to press her rounded face right against Pali's crotch when the girl had to spread her legs for another kick.\n\n\"MWmrgbl?!\"\nPali instinctively clenched her haunches, squeezing her friend's head a bit but she smiled when she looked down. They resumed the travel but this narrow passage was not as short as Pali would have hoped.\nShe was feeling the despair and urge for warmth rising in her chest and her whole body again. her breaths became flat, leaving a full on trail of bubbles along the ceiling.\n\nThis reminded Olaya that she was holding her breath for over five minutes at this point. The staleness of the air in her lungs was noticeable but she decided to ignore it for now.\nMaybe also to distract herself from that nagging urge for air but mainly tempted by the sight of her friend who she had only seen through a camera until today, Olaya ended up with a hand between her own legs. She was giving herself a gentle squeeze and rub every now and then.\n\nPali was in an increasingly less optimal state however. The shivers were becoming worse and worse and she desperately rubbed her arms with her hands when she felt numbness.\n--Hold on.. just a few more kicks...--, Olaya was trying to say but of course could not convey that in any way but with a reassuring look when Pali bent down to look at her between her legs.\n\nSome adrenaline was surely helping when she managed to push onward for another thirty seconds. Finally the tunnel was widening again!\n--The worst is over. One third the way there!--, Olaya thought and immediately dashed to face her friend.\n\nWhat she saw however would have made her gasp if she were not holding her breath: Pali had glassy eyes and looked panicked. She also stopped swimming when she faced her.\nOlaya quickly pressed her warm, soft body up against her like before, rubbing down Pali's back. This only made her shudder though and the avian felt way colder to the touch now.\nSlowly they drifted to the bottom of this round chamber they had entered.\n\n\n--- Chapter 4: Sharing Warmth ---\n\nOlaya contemplated to just pick her up and swim for her all the remaining way but she could tell that without motion of her own, Pali would likely pass out!\nShe had to get the little birdie going again.\n--She needs warmth... And if my hugs are not enough, there are more drastic measures to take!--\n\nOlaya decided to rub against her friend more and more. In a rhythmic motion she pushed her tail to shift her body up and down against her beloved cockatiel friend.\nIt was not necessarily something she had ever tried with someone before but it seemed to help. Albeit warmth was not the only effect this had on Pali.\n\"A..ahmgbl.. mhmmhblbl..\"\nSoft moans escaped the birdie's beak past the mouthpiece of the small scuba bottle.\n\nWillingly she spread her legs so that her crotch would rub up against Olaya's. Only two thin and tight swimsuits separating the two. With love in their eyes, they kept up this intimacy for a short but important while.\nPali even set the air bottle aside, holding her breath just to snuggle better with the orca. Their female bits pressed intensely together.\n\nAs Olaya had hoped, Pali became more lively from all this and she smiled with red blushing cheeks up at her friend.\nOlaya gently stroked through Pali's feathers and nodded reassuringly. Her response was just to hug the orca's thick and warm tail for a little extra warmth.\nShe found it oddly cute to watch Pali pretty much bask in their naughty embrace and all that while holding her breath.\n\nThe reminder of the breathhold aspect triggered something in the orca girl however. Her chest was feeling quite tight now. The seven minutes she was solely on the air from the surface was normally not all that long but she had not been able to fully relax and lower her heart rate like usual to conserve her oxygen. Being around her dear Pali for the first time was making that hard.\n\nTherefore her eyes looked over at where the air bottle had rolled to. It was still nearby and that relieved her lightly. Pali would need it soon too after all.\nIndeed that was the case and reason while the young avian grew restless just when she finally felt comfortably warm.\n\n\"M..nwgblbl\"\nUnder normal circumstances Pali could keep all her air in for three minutes - and then push on another minute - but having struggled so much just to keep her body temperature, convulsions of her CO2 overloaded lungs set in after barely one minute. A few bubbles seeped from her beak when her chest pushed in and out against Olaya's tail.\n\nThe orca girl reacted quickly. With a swift motion she rolled forward and pressed Pali against her chest to keep the warmth up. Pali reached for the air bottle herself too and placed it in her beak.\n\"Psshhh Hahhhh... ..thankgbl yogburgbl!\", she bubble-talked once having refilled her lungs audibly.\n\nHaving chest pressed against chest enabled Pali to feel when a first convulsion of Olaya's own lungs occurred. She looked worried at her immediately and inhaled deeply just so she could hold her breath again and give the bottle to Olaya. Before doing so, she routinely checked the small pressure gauge on the bottle. Still 3/4 full.\n\nThe orca smiled thankful and leaned in to give Pali a kiss onto the tip of her beak.\nIn fact Olaya did not resist the urge to exhale anymore and a few strong puffs of air burst from her blowhole when she relaxed her lungs, making room for fresh air.\n\nExcept.. that fresh air was not going to come as soon as she had hoped!\nOlaya was pretty much entirely inexperienced when it came to scuba gear. She only had witnessed how more land-bound creatures used it apparently effortlessly.\nWith the bottle in her hand she looked a bit confused at the mouthpiece and it slowly dawned her that this was not compatible with her blowhole - at all!\n\nHer chest had visibly deflated by now as she had give up most of her stale breath. Those bubbles were now beneath the ceiling where they gathered in the middle of this somewhat spherical chamber.\n\"M..M..MWgbl!\" --Calm, calm Olaya! There gotta be a way I can breathe from this thing!--, she told herself while Pali also realized the problem in the meantime.\n\nWith clear urgency in her movements, the orca finally reached with the mouthpiece of the bottle behind her neck to her blowhole which was above her shoulder blades.\nPali only could watch and hear her wince when the semi-circle shaped rubber piece designed for her beak uselessly prodded against Olaya's way smaller blowhole.\n\nPali tried to help, with no reluctance leaving the warmth of Olaya's body to swim behind her. She got the idea to press the purge button at least and as a result, a burst of bubbles shot against Olaya's breathing orifice.\nher instincts immediately let her try to inhale but this only made matters worse.\nThe buoyant air was already on the way towards the ceiling and so she rather let some water into her windpipe!\n\nThis wasn't as horrible as it would be for a pure land dweller but she had to choke it out nevertheless, loosing even more of her stale breath in the process.\n\"N..NGMRgrgbl!!\"\nHer webbed paw immediately snapped to her neck now, clutching her leaking opening to force herself to stop. Panic was in her eyes now and she dropped the air bottle again. A faintly purplish shade started spreading on her cheeks and rest of her face.\n\n--No no no! This can't be!! Olaya!!-- Pali was overwhelmed as it was serious. She would never have intended to risk her friend's life!\nAlmost panicking she looked around, seeing the tunnel where they could continue next as well as where they came from. Both directions being many minutes away from air. \n\nWhile the two had contemplated how they would manage to share air between each other, something the two aquaphiles were very eager for, that always required some self made contraptions which they didn't have here.\nNevertheless Pali eventually noticed the gathered bubbles beneath the curved ceiling.\n\n\"Olaygbla, Upgbl!!\", she spoke with bubbles bursting from her lips. She grabbed the bottle too but not to breathe from it herself.\nInstead she kicked the few meters up to the ice ceiling and while still ascending, already kept the purge button of the tank pressed.\n\nClouds of bubbles were bursting from the mouthpiece permanently now and by the time she reached the ceiling a fair bit of an airpocket had formed.\nOlaya had followed suit, driven by her survival instinct. She even reached it slightly faster than Pali. Skillful despite the panic, she arched her body so her neck and blowhole would be her highest point.\n\n\"PWAAAhhh hahahhh -COUGH- HAhhh ahhh.. ahh...\"\nA small fountain of water erupted from her and Olaya gasped loudly from the airpocket.\nPali felt her lungs complaining slightly too by now but she kept the purge button pressed a little longer before she pushed her beak up into the roughly twenty centimeter tall airpocket.\n\n\"Hahh.. phew! OLAYA! Are you okay?!\"\nShe asked hastily, leaning against her warm friend. The orca sighed deeply, filling her lungs needily. She gradually calmed down before she smiled to reassure Pali. \"Hah, we got to do some real breathplay earlier than I thought!\", she said with a voice that sounded almost teasing.\n\nPali shook her head and pounced Olaya's chest. \"You know we'd never do it THIS risky on purpose!\"\n\"Well, maaaybe!\", Olaya responded but then hugged Pali tightly.\n\"Thank you for saving me, dear.\"\n\"You saved me first! But I am still.. still.. so.. so cold!\"\nPali's voice was shaking now because the adrenaline from being scared about her friend was fading and the freezing temperature of the water was ravaging at her body heat again. Each kick to keep herself afloat was a struggle.\n\nOlaya instinctively curled her tail around Pali and rubbed her wet but warm snout into her neck.\n\"I know. You are so incredibly strong, Pali. You will make it through the rest too, I know it.\nIn every case good news is that this has been the only tight passage! From now onward its smooth sailing. Hold onto me. Keep moving so you stay heated but let me do all the rest, okay? At home I have a dry bed where we can cuddle all day with all the warmth you are currently craving...\"\nThose thoughts of a warm bed spread in Pali's chest like a warm fire. She nodded finally and gave Olaya a kiss back on her nose as much as her beak allowed.\n\n\"Say.. there is one trick that always helps getting warm..\"\nOlaya said with a soft smirk upon which Pali tilted her head but then she looked down and blushed.\n\"Hope you did not mind that nuzzling... I should have asked first...\"\nThe birdie chuckled and reached with a hand for Olaya's hand before guiding it down between her legs. \"Please do anything to wish, dear.\"\nOlaya gasped lightly when her fingers brushed across her friend's smooth and very crotch. Even through the swimsuit she could feel the shape of her folds albeit it was hard to tell whether she was shuddering from pleasure or still the freezing temperatures. She certainly was sensitive though because a weak, elongated moan escaped her beak.\n\"A..ahh.. L..let's let's go..\", she whispered as she was aware enough of the fact that she'd not last long in here. Olaya brought her hand back to Pali's waist to hold her close and nodded.\n\nThe orca took deep breaths in this only slightly used airpocket. On their swim before, she had ended up needing air faster than she had hoped so she knew now that she really had to be able to relax enough to become efficient at swimming the remaining portion. Otherwise they would be in big trouble!\n--I'm not going to disappoint her. I promised she would be safe..--, Olaya recited and finally filled her chest once more. It swelled visibly with that air and in turn, the pocket lost a fair bit of height.\n\nWith this as a cue, Pali placed the ponybottle back in her mouth and locked in Olaya's hug, they resumed swimming. Being in a hurry she did not check the pressure gauge anymore.\n\n\n--- Chapter 5: Strong and Steady ---\n\nThe next little while went uneventful but that was certainly a good thing considering their situation. Olaya even managed to relax. She was not used to swimming through this tunnel with someone in her arms but it turned out to be well doable and she swam like on autopilot with intuition. This allowed her heart rate to decrease and yet keep moving steadily so that she was preserving oxygen.\nJust occasionally she peeked down at her dear avian friend who had found her rhythm again and regularly kicked onward to keep her blood circulation up.\n\nDespite this improvement it was clear that they both were on borrowed time. Pali in terms of body heat and Olaya in terms of her breath.\n\nThe two swam like this for minutes. The pure ice surrounding them turned to more and more rock. This made their environment darker but it also meant they were approaching Arcticeya which was embedded in the crater of a long inactive volcano.\n\nWith a few more, strong kicks of her own, she pushed back up against Olaya's chest. She gave her some gentle nuzzles before placing the mouthpiece of the bottle back on and resuming the hug.\n\"Thblablrnk youblu sobl mubhcblh!\", she bubbled audibly and Olaya smiled and signaled her with her hand that they were two thirds of the way there.\n--I'll be strong. I can make it... Warm thoughts.. warm thoughts..--, went through Pali's mind.\n\nIndeed this seemed to work as Pali's confidence was rising. To her own surprise, despite just cold water rushing over her face again, she even felt oddly warm...\nThe numbness of her limbs was not going away but she did not feel cold anymore.\n\nIt confused Olaya a bit when Pali willingly let go of the hug and started kicking more forceful on her own, keeping up.\nThat wasn't everything she did though.\n\nThe birdie who had minutes ago surely wished for way more clothing, now slipped her hands beneath the shoulder straps of her blue swimsuit and started taking it off...\nOlaya's eyes widened when she understood Pali was in the last stage of hypothermia!\n\nThat phenomena leads to one feeling incredibly hot but it's all in ones mind. Olaya could not stop her though. Pali pushed the swimsuit down, revealing her small, pointy chest and before the surprised Orca could even finish admiring those cute little breasts which she only had seen on a screen till now, Pali already kicked the suit off entirely.\nThe orca girl almost gasped when she saw her friend fully nude except for her mask and airtank.\nHer female slit was exposed to the water and open for view with every kick.\n\nOlaya couldn't help it but stare at her for a second or two. The skinny birdie looked so fragile and cute, yet the orca was utterly impressed that she had even made it this far!\nQuickly she pulled her avian friend against her warm chest again. --At least this makes one thing easier..--, she thought albeit she was clearly worried, especially when she saw the look in Pali's eyes which was glassy and blurry. She was about to give out.\n\nThe oceanic girl knew she had to get her friend going again and she knew how.\nQuickly she brought her hand down between Pali's legs and without further hesitation, pushed her fingers in!\nPali squealed into the mouthpiece with many bubbles flowing from her face. They didn't have time for foreplay though. The pleasure would be rough but that was the only way to warm the avian girl up properly again.\nSkillful from experience on herself, Olaya pushed two fingers of her webbed hand deeply into Pali's slick insides.\nShe was a bit relieved when she felt her still being very warm in there.\n\nAs a result Pali was shaking again but Olaya was at least somewhat sure this was from the pleasure and not only from the cold.\n--Oh my cute, cute Pali! We are almost there.. Just a few more minutes.--, Olaya thought while she peeked ahead to orient herself. The tunnel should come to and end any time now.\nShe focused back on giving the avian girl a deeper rub. It required a bit of probing for Olaya to get used to this perspective since she had only applied this to herself until now but she was certainly enjoying to feel her friend's insides. She knew Pali had no fully waterproof 'juices' like the orca had but yet she could feel slick moisture which was surely not sea water. The more she pushed rhythmically in, the more of that juice she could feel.. and also the more she could feel her dear friend squirm in bliss against her.\n\n\"D..dearest..\" Pali spoke the best she could through the mouthpiece. This relieved Olaya only more as her friend seemed to wake up fully again but what followed was way less encouraging.\n\"Think mygbl airbl.. runs mrlblout!\"\nWith this said she pulls the air tank from her mouth and squints her eyes to look at the small air gauge. Her eyes widens just like Olaya's when they see the needle was deep in the red!\n\nPali clasped her beak back onto the tank and sucked air deeply. She had to actively breathe in now as the pressure was growing lower and lower.\nThis reminded Olaya of the fact that she was swimming for so long on her single breath too. She had not even noticed that her chest was heaving mildly every now and then. There was no way to acquire air now anymore, so she had to last with what she had in her.\nWhile surely perilous, in the back of her mind, Olaya was thrilled by the thought of being pushed to her limits herself. Losing control over her instincts for a moment, she thrust her hips forward against her lover.\n\nShe made sure to hold Pali firmly though so they could swim fast. She was by far the most important thing on her mind even if pleasure was second.\nOlaya actually took her hand from Pali's crotch as she was sure that would surely only burn the birdie's oxygen. She was confronted with a whimper from the avian and Pali shook her head. \"M..mwgbl.. Pleasbl..\", she pleaded.\nAlthough that was only semi rational, it seemed like she rather suffered the lack of air than to freeze again. Surely she was also just truly aroused now as was evident by how her crotch pulsed and even humped against Olaya's hips in return.\n--Ohh what would I give for a dildo right now?..--, Olaya though and couldn't help it but grin lightly before she buried her snout into Pali's neck, kissing her sensually.\n\nSo she resumed the pleasuring as well, rhythmically pushing her fingers in and out of her dear birdie's delicate, pulsing folds.\nHer breathing was becoming audibly tedious and this only remind the orca girl more of her own predicament and how badly she'd like to take a fresh breath. Small bubbles escaped the cetacean's blowhole now regularly.\nIt seemed like Pali felt that however because she brought a hand right onto Olaya's breathing orifice, stopping the leak despite her fingers feeling numb and she was shaking again...\n\n\n--- Chapter 6: Trek Home ---\n\nThere was a light at the end of the tunnel however. Quite literally - the icy passage was widening more and it was becoming brighter. In fact they could soon even see the end. Or technically they could not see because it was just aquatic fog.\nIt wasn't until they actually reached that edge before it was obvious why: The chamber in front of them was stretching for several kilometers!\n\"M..mhmbl!!\"\nPali's eyes darted around the area and she could see bright lights through the clear water - In front of them slightly underneath was Arcticeya!\n\nJust like in the photos and videos she had seen, this famous city was inside this enormous dome that had originally formed naturally in the ice thanks to weak volcanic activity of this area underneath.\nNow it was the flourishing center of the region and they had just entered its vicinity near the ice sheet at the top on a side.\n\nThe avian looked in awe, exhaling a steady stream of bubbles and Olaya didn't want to interrupt her. However when Pali tried to inhale again, there was practically nothing coming from the tank anymore!\nShe loosened the hug to grab the airtank instead before she curled in Olaya's lap. She was shaking still from the cold but the adrenaline was stronger when she desperately tries sucking more air from the drained tank. The pressure inside was the same as outside though and to reach the city they had to dive even deeper! The air pockets of the city was indeed their only chance. They had to get there!\n\"N..nhmbrgbl!\" Suddenly a burst of bubbles escaped Olaya's blowhole since Pali's hand slipped. This let her survival instincts kick back in though.\n\nWhile Pali dropped the bottle, leaving her with just what air she had in her lungs, Olaya pulls her tightly once more with her free hand because the other is still busy with the birdie's crotch. Then she dashes downwards towards the lights deep within the aquatic fog.\n\nOlaya's chest was heaving rhythmically and her efforts were burning the last of her oxygen too. She couldn't remember when she had been this close to drowning before. Yet feeling her avian friend suffering even more, gave her the will to keep going.\n--I can't give up!!--\n\nIf there was one saving grave in this dire situation then it was that the city had copious warmth due to the volcanic activity. It was not enough to truly make all the water warm, but it was warmer than the surrounding sea at least and they could feel it.\n\nPali felt her intimate peak approaching while her friend was pleasuring her. She wished she could repay that gift that kept her kicking but there was no thinking of this now. \"M..mwwgbl.. mhmbl..\"\nShe squirmed lightly as she fought to keep the water out of her beak when her chest started convulsing as well. At least those involuntary movements were releasing some final amount of warmth.\n\nHer eyes threatened to roll in her skull as she felt pleasure, freezing and suffocation all at the exact same time. With what blurry eyesight she had left she saw the lights of the city approaching and soon even surrounding them. Faintly she believed to see other people: mermaids, cetaceans and more watching them.\n\nThe aquatics culture was generally quite open due to their low need for clothing, yet a desperate orca with her flipper pumping at an nearly drowning avian's crotch was certainly an unusual sight the newspapers may write about.\n\nSuddenly Olaya headed straight up. Pali's limbs swayed in the currents as she had no more strength to move. The last of her air seeped from her beak, meaning she would gasp water any moment.\nThis brought the aquaphilic birdie past the tipping point. The last of her energy was spent on a powerful orgasm rocking her body. Her juices escaped past Olaya's fingers and they left a trail behind them.\nIn the back of her afterglow-clouded mind Pali was just relieved that this peak would make her drown easier...\n\nYet when the inevitable happened and Pali opened her beak wide, she took in a mouthful of.. AIR!\n\"HAHhahh.. pwahh.. -COUGH- O..olaya! -cough-\"\nThe avian panted, drowsily looking around in a weak panic. She saw Olaya still holding her, panting very heavily as well but with a smile on her purplish face.\n\"Olaya, I..I love y...\"\n\nBefore the cockatiel could finish her word, After more then fifteen minutes in icy water as well as an extreme breathhold, the total of the situation finally got to her.\nShe surely had access to fresh air but her body had been deprived of oxygen for too long while far over-strained to keep her body temperature up.\nIn the distance she heard some sirens but her vision turned black. She passed out in her lovers arms...\n\n\n\n--- Epilogue ---\n\nPali blinked dreamily while she felt around with her wings, feeling soft fabric and a pillow.. as well as something rubbery smooth. ALl of this so lovingly warm...\nIn her mind the image of her home appeared: A small but nice hut-like house at a coast in Australia. --DID I MISS MY FLIGHT?!--, she suddenly screamed in her mind and sat up abruptly. So fast even that she felt dizziness creeping up.\n\n\"Hey sweetheart! Good morning!\"\nHer glance immediately fell onto a black and white face with curly, crimson-red hair smiling. It was a teary yet happy face and before she could react, Olaya hugged tightly at the cockatiel, almost squeezing all the breath out of her.\n\"Pali, I'm so sorry.. I should not have convinced you!\"\n\nThe avian felt Olaya's warmth against her body but also the tears dropping onto her shoulder. Pali shook her head and gave her neck a gentle peck before she looked a bit around. She was clearly at Olaya's home. In the dormitory airpocket of the place. It was decorated nicely and brightly and she even spotted a photo of Pali herself. Most interesting however was the window as it showed the sparkling light of Arcticeya.\n \n\"Shush you, it was my decision to come here and you are worth the risk.\"\nThe orca girl slowly moved her head to face her. Her arms still resting on Pali's shoulder above her small, bare breasts. Olaya was nude as well now.\n\"R..really?\"\n\"You saved me out there. In your arms I felt safe. And I still do.\"\nWith this said, she pressed herself up against Olaya. Their nipples poked each others skin.\n\"Oh, good news, the flight company has called. They'll deliver your stuff today later! Till then you can lend anything from me.\"\n\"Mh, I'm not so sure we will need any clothes till then, my dear...\"\nGently she tilted her head and closed her eyes. Her beak would meet the cetacean's lips barely a second later.\nThe two had been lounging for this moment for so long and now it finally was here... <3\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "A Cockatiel's Icy Dive

Written by Drarra Dragon-Tear aka VarraTheVap



--- Chapter 1: Cold and Hot Arrival ---

"PALIii!!"
A certain voice traveled through the wind but did not quite reach the ears of the young cockatiel who it was addressed to. Instead, the girl twitched on the spot when the deafening roaring of a jet engine from the plane behind her flared up.
She looked slightly surprised that it was taking off already before she and the others had even gotten their luggage yet. Apparently it didn't want to stay here any longer than necessary or maybe there actually was hazard of getting frozen in place otherwise - Pali didn't know.
She sighed and watched her breath freeze in the air.

Despite being one among several dozen passengers, it was not surprising that Pali had been spotted already. The avian girl was sticking out like a colored dog - or like a lightly clothed, yellow bird among mostly weather-proofed or arctic creatures. There were mostly cetaceans but even walruses and a few penguins heading down off the runway.
With the mass of people dispersing, wind was finally making its way across this flat, icy concrete she was standing on, making it clear that she was indeed in the arctic now!
That while wearing nothing but a dark green dress with pretty flowers and frills. Underneath she had opted for a blue one-piece swimsuit, loving those more than underwear.
It was a pretty outfit - after all she was wanting to impress who she was visiting, but it was certainly an outfit made for the weather of Australia where she came from!

Her thoughts quickly wandered to her check-in luggage. On herself right now she only had a small carry-on, a waterproof bag strapped to her shoulder. It contained only some hygiene utilities, snacks, other stuff she needed in the plane. Additionally she had brought her 'pony bottle' scuba tank with it, because flight regulations didn't want to have that as check-in luggage when pressurized.

However what she needed way more right now than an airtank was the neat, thick new wetsuit she had gotten specifically for this travel. That would keep her warm in these waters and surely out here as well.
--I should have packed more clothes, but she said we'd be in water most of the time anyways..--, Pali thought while her eyes were searching through the groups of people again, but also for where they'd get their luggage.

"There you are!! I'm so happy you made it!"
Before she could think more about the cold wind that was waving through her yellow feathers, the voice finally resumed. It was a familiar voice even if a notch different from what she knew - she had only heard her through voice-chats so far. A smile immediately grew on her beak and she felt her heart pounding when a particular orca girl was standing in front of her: Olaya!

Pali dropped her small bag - the metallic bottle inside making a noise - and jumped forward, rushing to hug her friend - or at least she tried to. Icy ground was unknown at her home and this runway edge that was overblown by wet sea air certainly had frozen. As a result even her talon-equipped feet slipped, sending the cockatiel girl towards the ground.
It was only thanks to Olaya's quick reaction that she did not hit the floor with full force and instead was caught in the warm orca's arms.

Pali immediately blushed when her beak ended up against Olaya's red swimsuit that was hugging her blue and white, soft body. Her heart was pounding.
Pali peeked up at her while struggling to get stable footing again. For a brief moment she held the position longer than necessary though, lounging to be close to this person she had been dreaming of for so long. That she was sharing some warmth was tempting too of course.
"S..sorry!"

Olaya couldn't help it but giggle lightly but she also used the opportunity to hug her friend tightly.
It had been two years since the two had met online for the first time - and since almost as long she had been looking forward to meet her in person.
Finally Pali could return the hug properly and sighed with a bit of relief.
"This has been such a long travel. And it got colder and colder!", she added a tad nervously but was still smiling upon looking into Olaya's eyes.
Despite knowing this was her most typical attire since other clothing was just a hindrance to her, Pali couldn't help it but find her swimsuit-clad friend oh so hot.

"Hey, the temps are just perfect here", the orca said and giggled loudly. "But I admit you look like you have as little warming blubber as you explained..."
Pali shook her head. "I told you, pengus may be very distant relatives of ours, but my kind has near none of that fat to stay warm. Anyways I will be fine!"
Pali quickly added the second sentence. The last thing she wanted was to worry her friend. The two of them had spend whole nights making plans of what they'd do together. Some just classic fun, some certainly naughty. In every case there was no time to loose on this vacation of hers.

"This windy, boring plate out here is luckily not my home, don't you worry."
Pali nodded upon hearing that and excitement returned in her voice. "Yes! The underwater city!! I'm looking forward to it so much."
That was not solely because it was Olaya's home of course. In fact it had been through reading on fascinating places underwater - among which was Arcticeya - how the two had met!
Even at home while on land, Pali had always felt a bit out of place. Maybe not comparable to how it was now with her on an icy pier, but she usually felt an urge to leave the dry, boring land behind and plunge into the aquatic depths which luckily were not that far from her home. Hence why swimwear was part of her usual attire.

Olaya loved this fascination with the water which her friend has. The two had spent endless nights fantasizing about what they would do underwater or simply while holding their breath. Of course they also brought a fair bit to reality, challenging each other to breathless contests, taking pictures and videos while freediving - as well as do even more intense or naughty things. Of course they had to be careful regarding their limits as neither of them had a partner in real life to rescue them if they would push themselves too far.
The orca girl had also noticed the sparkle in Pali's eyes during video chats whenever she mentioned her underwater home.
Hence why she finally invited her over!

Just when Pali was about to ask where their luggage would be, a grumpy looking snow owl driving a motorized baggage cart audibly drove close. An unpleasant feeling spread in Pali's guts when she realized that the cart was otherwise empty. A murmur went through the small cloud surrounding them and before the owl could even speak up, some others questioned him. That didn't seem to confuse him though.
"Dear ladies and gentlemen. It is with deepest regret that I have to inform you regarding a minor miscoordination on our side.
The luggage of flight AA331 has been loaded in a machine that headed towards the canary islands."
"W..wha?!" Pali gasped audibly and her big eyes stared between the owl and Olaya who was facepalming but also chuckling lightly. Whatever sound they would make was quickly swallowed by the angry other passengers.

"We are assuring you that your airline is doing anything possible to rectify this problem. Your luggage is expected to arrive here in the next two to four days! We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and are thankful for your patience and cooper..", "That's OUTRAGEOUS!", a busty walrus loudly interrupting him with a rolling voice.

Both the owl as well as Pali quickly had the thought to retreat before the situation would get heated. Even if heat was certainly something Pali was looking for now.
"What do I do now?.." The young avian said, trying her best not to sound defeated. She clutched her small carry-on which she had picked up again and looked inside.
"I packed aquatic underwear and such stuff as you suggested, but the wetsuit did not fit in here!"
"Oh you did get a wetsuit after all?! Yay!", the orca girl squeaked happily. She was clearly less concerned than her friend was though.
"Pali nodded. I wanted to surprise you with how it looks, but of course I did. The waters here are icy!"

"Aww, I am very curious now. And hey, it isn't that bad!", she responded with a confident smile.
"Oh well, what do I do now?... Look for a hotel up here?"
Pali sighed saying this and they were slowly walking towards the edge of the airfield. Pali's tail was twitching on every wind gust that was hitting the two and she was looking forward to a warm inside already.

"What? Don't be silly, you come with me of course. The less we wait, the more we have of your vacation. And you really don't need much in our city."
Pali gulped and looked in her friends green and yellow eyes and then shook her head.
"I know we have planned for the lovely dive to even get there and that's why I pre-filled this tank, but... Olaya, I'll freeze without the wetsuit!"

The orca girl's smile turned more reassuring now and she came closer, reaching with a rubbery hand, not to say flipper, for Pali's cheek.
The birdie felt almost like she was melting into that touch and instinctively leaned in closer. Despite Olaya wearing just that skimpy swimsuit, she felt so warm to the touch. Her kind truly was adapted to this environment...
Even when other people had walked by, leaving them alone against the wind, this moment was still filling Pali with warmth and confidence.

"I see you do wear swimwear already anyways."
Suddenly a grin crossed Olaya's face and she reached with a hand to the shoulder strap of Pali's dress where the blue fabric of a swimsuit was visible underneath.
"You know I usually do. Feels comfy. But this one does not keep me warm."
"You'll have to rely on your gorgeous feathers then, sweetheart.

Know what? Normally people swim through the long 'main road' that's suited for large ferals too. But I know a shortcut! It'll be just fifteen minutes underwater with your skill to my home, promised."

The prospect of diving like this in those ice-covered waters for quarter an hour minutes made Pali loosen the hug even if reluctantly. Before she could say anything however, Olaya interrupted:
"Hey, who's a strong, brave bird who crossed half the world to visit their aquatic lover?"
This made Pali giggle nervously before she replied softly. "I am."
"No, not like you are writing this in an essay. Say it like you mean it!"
"I AM!" Pali snapped in return, crossing her arms. This made Olaya smile.
"There you are, my sweetheart. That's the spirit that will keep you warm down there. And if all else fails, I'm there for you!"

After several seconds of just staring at her friend and internally refusing to believe that she was about to agree to this, she finally nodded.


--- Chapter 2: Shaky ---

"I have no choice, do I?"
Olaya laughed at that and leaned in again. This time pressing her face into Pali's neck.
"Come, we should loose no time!"

Indeed it was best for Pali to spend as little time as possible in the cold wind and get over with it. --In the city I can finally rest.--, she thought to herself.
So the two hurried off the airfield area, crossed a little driven road that was carved into the ice. There were a few igloos in the distance as well as huts made from wood imported from far away.
A street signs were indicating towards "Arcticeya" and that was where most people from the plane had gone. However Olaya guided the birdie down a different route.
By the time they arrived there, Pali was occasionally rubbing her arms as the cold was more and more creeping up on her and she felt her beak shaking lightly every time she'd open it. Yet she pressed on but made sure to stay as close to her friend as possible.

Right behind two of those simple and apparently uninhabited huts was a small valley down into the ice.
"Think the people here use this for fishing when they take a vacation outside of water."
Olaya said nonchalantly while they descended towards a square, metal reinforced hole in the massive ice. Pali gulped, looking down there at the ice.
"Don't worry, enough sunlight is shining through the ice to see ahead of us."

Pali felt a bit relieved, albeit less because of what her friend said but rather because the wind was finally weaker down here in the valley. Nevertheless she was restlessly moving her talons. She did not have much feeling in them normally anyways but currently she was certainly feeling the cold of the ice and thin layer of snow she was stepping on.

That relief faded quickly however when Olaya encouraged her to get ready. That meant she had to remove the second-only cloth  protecting her off the cold which was her frilly dress.
Pali sighed out a cloud of visibly freezing steam but then started pulling the shoulder straps down.
She decided to hurry. Everything would be better than to spend time out here, so she thought.
In no time she revealed the dark-blue swimsuit that hugged her body smoothly. Her chest was small so there was only a slight curve noticeable. More obvious was her butt and if one were to look closely, her crotch as well. It certainly was a suit that didn't leave much to the imagination.
Without her dress she felt the cold air way stronger on her torso and especially her legs now.
Nevertheless she couldn't resist to take a quick spin on the ice, showing herself to Olaya with a smile.

Now it was certainly the orca's turn to blush deeply.
"You look absolutely gorgeous, my dear. It's so wonderful to finally see you in person!"
Pali smiled warmly in return and tugged lightly at her swimsuit before she bent down to fold and put the dress inside of her bag after she had taken out the airtank.
"Thank you, my suit contrasts nicely with yours!" She replied with a chuckle and bumped her hips against the orca's. Pali's arms went back to hug herself though when a wind gust waved over them.
"A..admittedly I had planned to show this suit only at your home, privately, but guess it will have to do now instead of the wetsuit."

Olaya nodded quickly and nuzzled the avian.
"Hey, just think of the warmth at my home. You will love it!", she said calmly but then picked up the air tank. It was a small, yellow cylinder of about 3 inches in diameter and 10 in length. At the end, angled by 90° was a rubbery mouthpiece in a v-shape so it would work for a beak.
On one side was a purge button and on the other, a small air gauge.
"You said you tried this out and it gave you  thirty minutes of breath if you are careful, right?"
"Mhm, albeit I was really focusing on my breath that time. Not sure I'll be able to do that in those waters. But you said it'll only take fifteen minutes anyways, right?"

Olaya places a warm hand on Pali's shoulder. "Yes, but you know, you are not the only air breather." She said with a chuckle before she continued.
"I can last up to fifteen minutes as you know and I made this swim alone many times, but way faster thanks to my fluke of course."
"Right, I did not think of that.. There are none of those 'breathing points' down there which are common in Arcticeya from what I heard?"
Olaya shook her head.
"Not until we are practically at the city."
"I'll share the tank of course, but please be careful..."
"Of course, of course. Worst case I gasp some water. Would not be the first time."
"Olaya, don't say that! You are scaring me!", Pali said quickly but the orca girl only grinned and gave Pali's cheek a loving kiss.
For a second or two, they stared at each other until a shudder went through Pali's body.
"B..brr! We gotta go or I turn into an icicle out here already!"

If she were honest with herself, Pali had no clue how she would make it through this dive. Nevertheless she quickly pulled a blue face mask from her bag. It was a slightly vintage looking diving mask with just an over window safe for where her beak was. A rubber lip in that indentation ensured that her nostrils would be sealed, thus serving as a nose clip as well. She wished she'd have her fins from the luggage as well, but those were now thousands of miles away.
So she zipped the bag back shut and then took the airtank from Olaya.
It was now or never!

Pali wasn't one to show her weakness too easily but she was well aware that she was getting herself into an extreme situation now - and in fact already was in one from standing here in the ice and snow just clad in her swimsuit.
So she looked at her friend and reached for her hand. Olaya spoke first however.
"I will be with you every moment. Promised!"

Pali nodded calmly and watched how the orca girl was taking long, deep breaths. Her chest was rising up and down in that typical rhythm she did to prepare her lungs. Her mouth was shut however. She was an orca after all, meaning that was not where she was breathing from.
Pali could not resist to peek behind her friend, chuckling softly when she saw slight puffs of steam condensing in the air and originating from the upper end of Olaya's neck. That's where her blowhole was - a well rounded orifice with a muscle flap which moved lightly on every breath.

Noticing her friend's curiosity, Olaya flexed that muscle, distending her blowhole lightly with her breaths.
"It is c..cute to see this a..action in person!", the birdie said but also realizing that she could not keep her beak from shivering anymore when speaking.
"And it is oddly cute.. to see you shiver, my dear sweetheart.", her friend replied, making them both blush while Pali wrapped her arms around herself to brace the cold.
"Come!", Olaya finally gave the cue and she inhaled a deep, final breath.

Pali had taken a few breaths in the meantime too, but she would surely rely on her tank. No way she was ready for actual breathhold challenges without her wetsuit. Or at least she hoped for no breathhold challenges right now...

The grip of their hands grew stronger when they face the hole in front of them. The water surface was about half a foot beneath as that's how thick the ice was.
Pali held the small airtank in her other hand while she counted: "3..2..1.."


--- Chapter 3: Down into the Water ---

If she were alone, Pali would probably not have dared to do this but with Olaya's warm hand in hers, she felt a confidence. --I can do this!--
Together they leapt down into the hole and slid right through the surface.

Pali's eyes widened immediately when the water near freezing point hit her with all its intensity. Despite having been in the cold for this long, the water was a whole other level.
Her body felt like cramping, making her wince and double over. This reflexive action also affected her diaphragm, forcing a large cloud of air from her beak.

"M..WMGRGBLBL!!"
As she had feared, her feathers only provided a thin level of protection, not able to keep as much air and fluffiness like it did for some aquatic birds. She was immediately soaked to the bone, as one would say. And a result, she almost fell into shock from the abrupt change she had not even deemed possible after freezing at the surface.
"N..n..nhh.." The one good thing of the cramping was that her beak was not opening either or she would likely have gasped on water.
Even worse, the young avian was close to drop the air bottle as her mind could only think of how the cold water hurt and not yet about any need for air.

Olaya reacted quickly though. She let go of her hand but pressed her body first up against her friend to make sure she would feel her presence firmly. Then she would stroke down along Pali's chest. She gave her friend effectively a bit of a massage - including sensitive spots as she knew she had to help her make it through this instinct-driven freeze. Only if she became calm she could pull through this and stand a chance.

Through her mask the avian was blinking frantically. Her eyes looking in all directions as she found herself in this dark blue, faintly glowing new world.
While she had been (free-)diving in caves before, she had clearly never dove beneath ice. It was an incredible view to see the fissures across the underside of the ice sheet above them.
It was certainly frightening though and the only thing giving her reassurance was Olaya who was smiling warmly in front of her... and touching her like no girl or guy ever had before.

Yet it was almost with delay that she finally realized the orca's gentle yet determined strokes across Pali's swimsuit. And indeed they helped. The cramping of her muscles lessened albeit the coldness still hurt and she tugged her legs closer to her torso instinctively.
"M..Wmbgl.. glugbl..."
Finally her lungs drew attention to the fact that she had lost most of her breath. Before she could react herself though, Olaya was already guiding her hand with the airtank to her beak. She quickly shoved it in and it activated.
Fresh air flooded her mouth. She had to swallow a bit of seawater first but then inhaled sharply.

Almost immediately she exhaled again as her lungs were still coping with the temperature. Nevertheless she regained enough control to touch Olaya's hand, even if  shakily. The shock state was only slowly leaving her body.
"S..Sobl cobllrdbl!"
She tried to speak with the mouthpiece in her beak, making her voice very noisy.

Olaya understood though and with a hand sign - one of many which they had trained beforehand - Olaya asked whether she wanted to surface.
Pali's eyes went up at the bright, sparkling hole in the ice about four or five feet above them. She shook her head though. --If I surface now, I'll want to leave and do nothing but curl on the spot!--, she thought and instead shakily pointed forward albeit just guessing the direction.

This made Olaya smile confidently and after she drew her attention with a quick nuzzling to her neck, she nodded and pointed in a similar direction beneath the ice. Nothing could be seen in that direction, but Pali of course trusted her friend.

Finally she started swimming but realized that her muscles seemed to work with a slight delay now. Or was she just imagining that? She started a gradual frog-kick but she did not let go of Olaya's hand. The orca who was mainly just using her tail was helping pulling her gently.
The hissing sound of Pali's airtank was mixing with the natural sounds of the environment and water rushing past their bodies. Her breaths were fast as her body was burning as much as it could to stay heated. At least they left the hole in the ice behind quickly. Its light blended within less than a minute into the mist of the general glow by the sunlit ice above.

Pali kept kicking, using as much of her body to propel herself forward as she could. While this was not a breathhold-dive, she was still on borrowed time and utterly aware of that.
The cold water felt almost like it was burning on her skin underneath her small feathers. --Just a bit longer.. just a bit longer...--, she was repeating to herself in her mind, trying to apply similar techniques she would use on more typical challenges like classic freediving.
However she was already in this urgent state a few minutes into what would be at least quarter an hour! Thus almost as desperate as she was to fight the cold, she was fighting this thought of how long she would have to endure this.

In the meantime a full on trail of bubbles was left behind as she had to breathe fast to even have a chance to not become hypothermic right-away. This trail of ascending bubbles was showing nicely how Olaya had guided her deeper underwater.
The light from the ice sheet above was fading and their eyes had to adjust to that. Nevertheless it was enough for Pali to see the reason for the descent: The ice sheet was reaching a blank wall of ice right ahead of them. Likely the edge of a glacier. While that surface ice had a white'ish color to it, this wall was purely blue.
"O..ohmblbl!"
For a brief moment, the avian girl forgot about her situation and just admired this gorgeous, sparkling sight. Olaya smiled at her brightly and nodded before giving a reassuring OK-sign.
Then she pointed down at a tunnel inside that wall of ice.

It was clear where they would go now and Pali tried to nod. It turned out however that this moment of peacefully looking around had been a bad idea. The girl had lost her rhythm and this let the cold into her body only more!
Her chest cramped slightly, making her unable to draw another breath. Instinctively she wrapped her wing arms around her herself tightly. "N..nhh.."
With a fair bit of despair in her movements she forced herself to swim more albeit only with her legs. Her face was red from the strain though and that meant she was losing heat only faster!

Olaya saw this of course and she wanted to encourage her friend but talking was not a possibility down here while holding her breath. Instead she leaned in close, lending Pali a bit of warmth by pressing up against her.
Pali's eyes widened slightly as this was certainly more body contact than before. The warmth was heavenly!!

"M..mgrgblbl.."
Just in time to not be asphyxiated, this shared warmth allowed her diaphragm to relax enough so she could take another breath from the airtank which she still held firmly with her beak.
Pali needed more warmth though! Her instincts of survival were taking over now and she ceased to wrap herself and instead hugged Olaya firmly. With a desperate expression she looked up in her friends eyes while the airtank pressed between the orca's flat breasts because Pali tried to press as much of herself as she could against her friend.

Olaya gulped when she realized what she had triggered. Nevertheless she made sure to keep kicking her tail forcefully so they would not loose too much speed while they slide through the tunnel of eyes.
Luckily she knew this area very well, thus not needing to look around much. All her focus was on her beloved avian who she was holding close in response. For a brief period, Pali actually managed to relax and get back into a rhythm. She even smiled lightly when she regained strength to kick more forcefully again. --I can do this!--

Unfortunately this relieving time was short lived. Two minutes later - the two were underwater for about four minutes at that point - the tunnel was becoming more and more narrow. --I almost forgot about this...--, the orca girl thought to herself while slowing down. They would not fit through while hugging!
Pali's eyes flickered when she noticed the change of motion as she had been dreamily focused on just swimming.
When Olaya also loosened the hug slightly, she immediately clung to her though.

Olaya had to shake her head and quickly placed a hand on Pali's chest. Then she pointed forward, signaling her that she had to swim ahead. Pali's eyes widened.
"Ibl clabln't..!"
"Youmbl canbl!", the orca girl immediately responded with firmness in her voice and ignoring that she lost a mouthful of bubbles from her blowhole doing that.

Pali gulped and her arms went to hug herself again when Olaya fully let go. She clenched her eyes, took a deep breath from the air bottle but also nodded and then urgently started kicking on.

Olaya followed suit. very close to her friend's slightly sharp talons. She was actually a bit impressed that despite the shivers that went through her regularly, Pali managed to guide herself between the icy obstacles. She couldn't help herself to stare occasionally at the particular spot between Pali's legs. Her swimsuit was really not leaving much to the imagination.
In hope to distract her off the scary situation, Olaya used the opportunity to press her rounded face right against Pali's crotch when the girl had to spread her legs for another kick.

"MWmrgbl?!"
Pali instinctively clenched her haunches, squeezing her friend's head a bit but she smiled when she looked down. They resumed the travel but this narrow passage was not as short as Pali would have hoped.
She was feeling the despair and urge for warmth rising in her chest and her whole body again. her breaths became flat, leaving a full on trail of bubbles along the ceiling.

This reminded Olaya that she was holding her breath for over five minutes at this point. The staleness of the air in her lungs was noticeable but she decided to ignore it for now.
Maybe also to distract herself from that nagging urge for air but mainly tempted by the sight of her friend who she had only seen through a camera until today, Olaya ended up with a hand between her own legs. She was giving herself a gentle squeeze and rub every now and then.

Pali was in an increasingly less optimal state however. The shivers were becoming worse and worse and she desperately rubbed her arms with her hands when she felt numbness.
--Hold on.. just a few more kicks...--, Olaya was trying to say but of course could not convey that in any way but with a reassuring look when Pali bent down to look at her between her legs.

Some adrenaline was surely helping when she managed to push onward for another thirty seconds. Finally the tunnel was widening again!
--The worst is over. One third the way there!--, Olaya thought and immediately dashed to face her friend.

What she saw however would have made her gasp if she were not holding her breath: Pali had glassy eyes and looked panicked. She also stopped swimming when she faced her.
Olaya quickly pressed her warm, soft body up against her like before, rubbing down Pali's back. This only made her shudder though and the avian felt way colder to the touch now.
Slowly they drifted to the bottom of this round chamber they had entered.


--- Chapter 4: Sharing Warmth ---

Olaya contemplated to just pick her up and swim for her all the remaining way but she could tell that without motion of her own, Pali would likely pass out!
She had to get the little birdie going again.
--She needs warmth... And if my hugs are not enough, there are more drastic measures to take!--

Olaya decided to rub against her friend more and more. In a rhythmic motion she pushed her tail to shift her body up and down against her beloved cockatiel friend.
It was not necessarily something she had ever tried with someone before but it seemed to help. Albeit warmth was not the only effect this had on Pali.
"A..ahmgbl.. mhmmhblbl.."
Soft moans escaped the birdie's beak past the mouthpiece of the small scuba bottle.

Willingly she spread her legs so that her crotch would rub up against Olaya's. Only two thin and tight swimsuits separating the two. With love in their eyes, they kept up this intimacy for a short but important while.
Pali even set the air bottle aside, holding her breath just to snuggle better with the orca. Their female bits pressed intensely together.

As Olaya had hoped, Pali became more lively from all this and she smiled with red blushing cheeks up at her friend.
Olaya gently stroked through Pali's feathers and nodded reassuringly. Her response was just to hug the orca's thick and warm tail for a little extra warmth.
She found it oddly cute to watch Pali pretty much bask in their naughty embrace and all that while holding her breath.

The reminder of the breathhold aspect triggered something in the orca girl however. Her chest was feeling quite tight now. The seven minutes she was solely on the air from the surface was normally not all that long but she had not been able to fully relax and lower her heart rate like usual to conserve her oxygen. Being around her dear Pali for the first time was making that hard.

Therefore her eyes looked over at where the air bottle had rolled to. It was still nearby and that relieved her lightly. Pali would need it soon too after all.
Indeed that was the case and reason while the young avian grew restless just when she finally felt comfortably warm.

"M..nwgblbl"
Under normal circumstances Pali could keep all her air in for three minutes - and then push on another minute - but having struggled so much just to keep her body temperature, convulsions of her CO2 overloaded lungs set in after barely one minute. A few bubbles seeped from her beak when her chest pushed in and out against Olaya's tail.

The orca girl reacted quickly. With a swift motion she rolled forward and pressed Pali against her chest to keep the warmth up. Pali reached for the air bottle herself too and placed it in her beak.
"Psshhh Hahhhh... ..thankgbl yogburgbl!", she bubble-talked once having refilled her lungs audibly.

Having chest pressed against chest enabled Pali to feel when a first convulsion of Olaya's own lungs occurred. She looked worried at her immediately and inhaled deeply just so she could hold her breath again and give the bottle to Olaya. Before doing so, she routinely checked the small pressure gauge on the bottle. Still 3/4 full.

The orca smiled thankful and leaned in to give Pali a kiss onto the tip of her beak.
In fact Olaya did not resist the urge to exhale anymore and a few strong puffs of air burst from her blowhole when she relaxed her lungs, making room for fresh air.

Except.. that fresh air was not going to come as soon as she had hoped!
Olaya was pretty much entirely inexperienced when it came to scuba gear. She only had witnessed how more land-bound creatures used it apparently effortlessly.
With the bottle in her hand she looked a bit confused at the mouthpiece and it slowly dawned her that this was not compatible with her blowhole - at all!

Her chest had visibly deflated by now as she had give up most of her stale breath. Those bubbles were now beneath the ceiling where they gathered in the middle of this somewhat spherical chamber.
"M..M..MWgbl!" --Calm, calm Olaya! There gotta be a way I can breathe from this thing!--, she told herself while Pali also realized the problem in the meantime.

With clear urgency in her movements, the orca finally reached with the mouthpiece of the bottle behind her neck to her blowhole which was above her shoulder blades.
Pali only could watch and hear her wince when the semi-circle shaped rubber piece designed for her beak uselessly prodded against Olaya's way smaller blowhole.

Pali tried to help, with no reluctance leaving the warmth of Olaya's body to swim behind her. She got the idea to press the purge button at least and as a result, a burst of bubbles shot against Olaya's breathing orifice.
her instincts immediately let her try to inhale but this only made matters worse.
The buoyant air was already on the way towards the ceiling and so she rather let some water into her windpipe!

This wasn't as horrible as it would be for a pure land dweller but she had to choke it out nevertheless, loosing even more of her stale breath in the process.
"N..NGMRgrgbl!!"
Her webbed paw immediately snapped to her neck now, clutching her leaking opening to force herself to stop. Panic was in her eyes now and she dropped the air bottle again. A faintly purplish shade started spreading on her cheeks and rest of her face.

--No no no! This can't be!! Olaya!!-- Pali was overwhelmed as it was serious. She would never have intended to risk her friend's life!
Almost panicking she looked around, seeing the tunnel where they could continue next as well as where they came from. Both directions being many minutes away from air.

While the two had contemplated how they would manage to share air between each other, something the two aquaphiles were very eager for, that always required  some self made contraptions which they didn't have here.
Nevertheless Pali eventually noticed the gathered bubbles beneath the curved ceiling.

"Olaygbla, Upgbl!!", she spoke with bubbles bursting from her lips. She grabbed the bottle too but not to breathe from it herself.
Instead she kicked the few meters up to the ice ceiling and while still ascending, already kept the purge button of the tank pressed.

Clouds of bubbles were bursting from the mouthpiece permanently now and by the time she reached the ceiling a fair bit of an airpocket had formed.
Olaya had followed suit, driven by her survival instinct. She even reached it slightly faster than Pali. Skillful despite the panic, she arched her body so her neck and blowhole would be her highest point.

"PWAAAhhh hahahhh -COUGH- HAhhh ahhh.. ahh..."
A small fountain of water erupted from her and Olaya gasped loudly from the airpocket.
Pali felt her lungs complaining slightly too by now but she kept the purge button pressed a little longer before she pushed her beak up into the roughly twenty centimeter tall airpocket.

"Hahh.. phew! OLAYA! Are you okay?!"
She asked hastily, leaning against her warm friend. The orca sighed deeply, filling her lungs needily. She gradually calmed down before she smiled to reassure Pali. "Hah, we got to do some real breathplay earlier than I thought!", she said with a voice that sounded almost teasing.

Pali shook her head and pounced Olaya's chest. "You know we'd never do it THIS risky on purpose!"
"Well, maaaybe!", Olaya responded but then hugged Pali tightly.
"Thank you for saving me, dear."
"You saved me first! But I am still.. still.. so.. so cold!"
Pali's voice was shaking now because the adrenaline from being scared about her friend was fading and the freezing temperature of the water was ravaging at her body heat again. Each kick to keep herself afloat was a struggle.

Olaya instinctively curled her tail around Pali and rubbed her wet but warm snout into her neck.
"I know. You are so incredibly strong, Pali. You will make it through the rest too, I know it.
In every case good news is that this has been the only tight passage! From now onward its smooth sailing. Hold onto me. Keep moving so you stay heated but let me do all the rest, okay? At home I have a dry bed where we can cuddle all day with all the warmth you are currently craving..."
Those thoughts of a warm bed spread in Pali's chest like a warm fire. She nodded finally and gave Olaya a kiss back on her nose as much as her beak allowed.

"Say.. there is one trick that always helps getting warm.."
Olaya said with a soft smirk upon which Pali tilted her head but then she looked down and blushed.
"Hope you did not mind that nuzzling... I should have asked first..."
The birdie chuckled and reached with a hand for Olaya's hand before guiding it down between her legs. "Please do anything to wish, dear."
Olaya gasped lightly when her fingers brushed across her friend's smooth and very crotch. Even through the swimsuit she could feel the shape of her folds albeit it was hard to tell whether she was shuddering from pleasure or still the freezing temperatures. She certainly was sensitive though because a weak, elongated moan escaped her beak.
"A..ahh.. L..let's let's go..", she whispered as she was aware enough of the fact that she'd not last long in here. Olaya brought her hand back to Pali's waist to hold her close and nodded.

The orca took deep breaths in this only slightly used airpocket. On their swim before, she had ended up needing air faster than she had hoped so she knew now that she really had to be able to relax enough to become efficient at swimming the remaining portion. Otherwise they would be in big trouble!
--I'm not going to disappoint her. I promised she would be safe..--, Olaya recited and finally filled her chest once more. It swelled visibly with that air and in turn, the pocket lost a fair bit of height.

With this as a cue, Pali placed the ponybottle back in her mouth and locked in Olaya's hug, they resumed swimming. Being in a hurry she did not check the pressure gauge anymore.


--- Chapter 5: Strong and Steady ---

The next little while went uneventful but that was certainly a good thing considering their situation. Olaya even managed to relax. She was not used to swimming through this tunnel with someone in her arms but it turned out to be well doable and she swam like on autopilot with intuition. This allowed her heart rate to decrease and yet keep moving steadily so that she was preserving oxygen.
Just occasionally she peeked down at her dear avian friend who had found her rhythm again and regularly kicked onward to keep her blood circulation up.

Despite this improvement it was clear that they both were on borrowed time. Pali in terms of body heat and Olaya in terms of her breath.

The two swam like this for minutes. The pure ice surrounding them turned to more and more rock. This made their environment darker but it also meant they were approaching Arcticeya which was embedded in the crater of a long inactive volcano.

With a few more, strong kicks of her own, she pushed back up against Olaya's chest. She gave her some gentle nuzzles before placing the mouthpiece of the bottle back on and resuming the hug.
"Thblablrnk youblu sobl mubhcblh!", she bubbled audibly and Olaya smiled and signaled her with her hand that they were two thirds of the way there.
--I'll be strong. I can make it... Warm thoughts.. warm thoughts..--, went through Pali's mind.

Indeed this seemed to work as Pali's confidence was rising. To her own surprise, despite just cold water rushing over her face again, she even felt oddly warm...
The numbness of her limbs was not going away but she did not feel cold anymore.

It confused Olaya a bit when Pali willingly let go of the hug and started kicking more forceful on her own, keeping up.
That wasn't everything she did though.

The birdie who had minutes ago surely wished for way more clothing, now slipped her hands beneath the shoulder straps of her blue swimsuit and started taking it off...
Olaya's eyes widened when she understood Pali was in the last stage of hypothermia!

That phenomena leads to one feeling incredibly hot but it's all in ones mind. Olaya could not stop her though. Pali pushed the swimsuit down, revealing her small, pointy chest and before the surprised Orca could even finish admiring those cute little breasts which she only had seen on a screen till now, Pali already kicked the suit off entirely.
The orca girl almost gasped when she saw her friend fully nude except for her mask and airtank.
Her female slit was exposed to the water and open for view with every kick.

Olaya couldn't help it but stare at her for a second or two. The skinny birdie looked so fragile and cute, yet the orca was utterly impressed that she had even made it this far!
Quickly she pulled her avian friend against her warm chest again. --At least this makes one thing easier..--, she thought albeit she was clearly worried, especially when she saw the look in Pali's eyes which was glassy and blurry. She was about to give out.

The oceanic girl knew she had to get her friend going again and she knew how.
Quickly she brought her hand down between Pali's legs and without further hesitation, pushed her fingers in!
Pali squealed into the mouthpiece with many bubbles flowing from her face. They didn't have time for foreplay though. The pleasure would be rough but that was the only way to warm the avian girl up properly again.
Skillful from experience on herself, Olaya pushed two fingers of her webbed hand deeply into Pali's slick insides.
She was a bit relieved when she felt her still being very warm in there.

As a result Pali was shaking again but Olaya was at least somewhat sure this was from the pleasure and not only from the cold.
--Oh my cute, cute Pali! We are almost there.. Just a few more minutes.--, Olaya thought while she peeked ahead to orient herself. The tunnel should come to and end any time now.
She focused back on giving the avian girl a deeper rub. It required a bit of probing for Olaya to get used to this perspective since she had only applied this to herself until now but she was certainly enjoying to feel her friend's insides. She knew Pali had no fully waterproof 'juices' like the orca had but yet she could feel slick moisture which was surely not sea water. The more she pushed rhythmically in, the more of that juice she could feel.. and also the more she could feel her dear friend squirm in bliss against her.

"D..dearest.." Pali spoke the best she could through the mouthpiece. This relieved Olaya only more as her friend seemed to wake up fully again but what followed was way less encouraging.
"Think mygbl airbl.. runs mrlblout!"
With this said she pulls the air tank from her mouth and squints her eyes to look at the small air gauge. Her eyes widens just like Olaya's when they see the needle was deep in the red!

Pali clasped her beak back onto the tank and sucked air deeply. She had to actively breathe in now as the pressure was growing lower and lower.
This reminded Olaya of the fact that she was swimming for so long on her single breath too. She had not even noticed that her chest was heaving mildly every now and then. There was no way to acquire air now anymore, so she had to last with what she had in her.
While surely perilous, in the back of her mind, Olaya was thrilled by the thought of being pushed to her limits herself. Losing control over her instincts for a moment, she thrust her hips forward against her lover.

She made sure to hold Pali firmly though so they could swim fast. She was by far the most important thing on her mind even if pleasure was second.
Olaya actually took her hand from Pali's crotch as she was sure that would surely only burn the birdie's oxygen. She was confronted with a whimper from the avian and Pali shook her head. "M..mwgbl.. Pleasbl..", she pleaded.
Although that was only semi rational, it seemed like she rather suffered the lack of air than to freeze again. Surely she was also just truly aroused now as was evident by how her crotch pulsed and even humped against Olaya's hips in return.
--Ohh what would I give for a dildo right now?..--, Olaya though and couldn't help it but grin lightly before she buried her snout into Pali's neck, kissing her sensually.

So she resumed the pleasuring as well, rhythmically pushing her fingers in and out of her dear birdie's delicate, pulsing folds.
Her breathing was becoming audibly tedious and this only remind the orca girl more of her own predicament and how badly she'd like to take a fresh breath. Small bubbles escaped the cetacean's blowhole now regularly.
It seemed like Pali felt that however because she brought a hand right onto Olaya's breathing orifice, stopping the leak despite her fingers feeling numb and she was shaking again...


--- Chapter 6: Trek Home ---

There was a light at the end of the tunnel however. Quite literally - the icy passage was widening more and it was becoming brighter. In fact they could soon even see the end. Or technically they could not see because it was just aquatic fog.
It wasn't until they actually reached that edge before it was obvious why: The chamber in front of them was stretching for several kilometers!
"M..mhmbl!!"
Pali's eyes darted around the area and she could see bright lights through the clear water - In front of them slightly underneath was Arcticeya!

Just like in the photos and videos she had seen, this famous city was inside this enormous dome that had originally formed naturally in the ice thanks to weak volcanic activity of this area underneath.
Now it was the flourishing center of the region and they had just entered its vicinity near the ice sheet at the top on a side.

The avian looked in awe, exhaling a steady stream of bubbles and Olaya didn't want to interrupt her. However when Pali tried to inhale again, there was practically nothing coming from the tank anymore!
She loosened the hug to grab the airtank instead before she curled in Olaya's lap. She was shaking still from the cold but the adrenaline was stronger when she desperately tries sucking more air from the drained tank. The pressure inside was the same as outside though and to reach the city they had to dive even deeper! The air pockets of the city was indeed their only chance. They had to get there!
"N..nhmbrgbl!" Suddenly a burst of bubbles escaped Olaya's blowhole since Pali's hand slipped. This let her survival instincts kick back in though.

While Pali dropped the bottle, leaving her with just what air she had in her lungs, Olaya pulls her tightly once more with her free hand because the other is still busy with the birdie's crotch. Then she dashes downwards towards the lights deep within the aquatic fog.

Olaya's chest was heaving rhythmically and her efforts were burning the last of her oxygen too. She couldn't remember when she had been this close to drowning before. Yet feeling her avian friend suffering even more, gave her the will to keep going.
--I can't give up!!--

If there was one saving grave in this dire situation then it was that the city had copious warmth due to the volcanic activity. It was not enough to truly make all the water warm, but it was warmer than the surrounding sea at least and they could feel it.

Pali felt her intimate peak approaching while her friend was pleasuring her. She wished she could repay that gift that kept her kicking but there was no thinking of this now. "M..mwwgbl.. mhmbl.."
She squirmed lightly as she fought to keep the water out of her beak when her chest started convulsing as well. At least those involuntary movements were releasing some final amount of warmth.

Her eyes threatened to roll in her skull as she felt pleasure, freezing and suffocation all at the exact same time. With what blurry eyesight she had left she saw the lights of the city approaching and soon even surrounding them. Faintly she believed to see other people: mermaids, cetaceans and more watching them.

The aquatics culture was generally quite open due to their low need for clothing, yet a desperate orca with her flipper pumping at an nearly drowning avian's crotch was certainly an unusual sight the newspapers may write about.

Suddenly Olaya headed straight up. Pali's limbs swayed in the currents as she had no more strength to move. The last of her air seeped from her beak, meaning she would gasp water any moment.
This brought the aquaphilic birdie past the tipping point. The last of her energy was spent on a powerful orgasm rocking her body. Her juices escaped past Olaya's fingers and they left a trail behind them.
In the back of her afterglow-clouded mind Pali was just relieved that this peak would make her drown easier...

Yet when the inevitable happened and Pali opened her beak wide, she took in a mouthful of.. AIR!
"HAHhahh.. pwahh.. -COUGH- O..olaya! -cough-"
The avian panted, drowsily looking around in a weak panic. She saw Olaya still holding her, panting very heavily as well but with a smile on her purplish face.
"Olaya, I..I love y..."

Before the cockatiel could finish her word, After more then fifteen minutes in icy water as well as an extreme breathhold, the total of the situation finally got to her.
She surely had access to fresh air but her body had been deprived of oxygen for too long while far over-strained to keep her body temperature up.
In the distance she heard some sirens but her vision turned black. She passed out in her lovers arms...



--- Epilogue ---

Pali blinked dreamily while she felt around with her wings, feeling soft fabric and a pillow.. as well as something rubbery smooth. ALl of this so lovingly warm...
In her mind the image of her home appeared: A small but nice hut-like house at a coast in Australia. --DID I MISS MY FLIGHT?!--, she suddenly screamed in her mind and sat up abruptly. So fast even that she felt dizziness creeping up.

"Hey sweetheart! Good morning!"
Her glance immediately fell onto a black and white face with curly, crimson-red hair smiling. It was a teary yet happy face and before she could react, Olaya hugged tightly at the cockatiel, almost squeezing all the breath out of her.
"Pali, I'm so sorry.. I should not have convinced you!"

The avian felt Olaya's warmth against her body but also the tears dropping onto her shoulder. Pali shook her head and gave her neck a gentle peck before she looked a bit around. She was clearly at Olaya's home. In the dormitory airpocket of the place. It was decorated nicely and brightly and she even spotted a photo of Pali herself. Most interesting however was the window as it showed the sparkling light of Arcticeya.
 
"Shush you, it was my decision to come here and you are worth the risk."
The orca girl slowly moved her head to face her. Her arms still resting on Pali's shoulder above her small, bare breasts. Olaya was nude as well now.
"R..really?"
"You saved me out there. In your arms I felt safe. And I still do."
With this said, she pressed herself up against Olaya. Their nipples poked each others skin.
"Oh, good news, the flight company has called. They'll deliver your stuff today later! Till then you can lend anything from me."
"Mh, I'm not so sure we will need any clothes till then, my dear..."
Gently she tilted her head and closed her eyes. Her beak would meet the cetacean's lips barely a second later.
The two had been lounging for this moment for so long and now it finally was here... <3

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