In Search of Warmth

Beth sat back slightly from the fire ring as she watched how her handiwork took. She watched as her desperate lick of flame grew slightly through the kindling, willing it to catch.

Shivering uncontrollably, Beth needed this fire. Struggling to keep her eyes open, exhaustion overtook her as she slumped against a log, her head resting on what typically would be a seat for someone. Beth stared at the fire, as she at last succumbed to the elements as the wind chased her down into the darkness.

"Who's this?"

Beth started awake slowly, as she blinked her eyes. Shivering, she looked up at two strangers that suddenly seemed to appear before her.

Opposite her meager fire, Beth could make out a worried woman's face tucked into a hooded jacket. Glancing over to her companion, a pleasant face on a man smiled at her, his hands holding onto a walking stick.

"You ok?" the woman asked concerned as she came around the fire before she knelt next to Beth.

Beth tried to talk through chattering teeth as she tried to form the words she wanted. She was cold all over and her head felt like it had been stuffed with oatmeal. She felt herself laugh a little as she imagined trying to keep the oatmeal from leaking out her ears.

"Hey, my name is Corinne, what's yours?"

Beth finally got her name out through chattering teeth as Corinne helped her up to sit on the log.

"You're soaked! No wonder you're shaking!" exclaimed Corinne as she checked Beth from head to toe.

"Tom, set up our tent will you? We've got to get her dry and warm," asked Corinne, even as Tom dropped his pack and started to unpack the tent.

Beth felt Corinne slip her arm around her shoulders as she pulled Beth against her so she found her head resting against Corinne's neck. Beth tried to struggle to sit up, but Corinne gripped her tighter even as Beth fell back against her. Exhausted, Beth let herself lean against Corinne, feeling mentally drained and barely was able to keep her eyes open.

She watched as Tom set up the tent across from her, while Corinne threw a couple more sticks on Beth's fire. Beth kept trying to understand why she felt so cold, but she felt like her head was floating away from her as she snuggled against Corinne.

"Hey, come on Beth, wake up," as Beth was shook lightly.

"My class isn't for another hour, let me sleep," Beth heard herself mumble as she snuggled back into her bed.

"Hey!" Beth heard even as she felt someone lightly slapping her cold cheeks.

Beth raised her head off of Corinne's shoulder, peering blearily around. Shaking in her wet clothes, she tried to feel the warmth of the fire. While the fire brightened the campsite, Beth could not seem to get the warmth she needed.

She glanced at Tom finishing setting the spikes to hold down the tent. Beth watched as Tom stood, the muscles of his legs and butt showing deliciously against his jeans as he flexed. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Beth found it somehow erotic as she struggled to think.

She felt hands gripping hers numbly, pulling her up. Beth moaned in pain as she stood, swaying and slightly falling against Corinne as legs felt rickety. She felt Corinne's arms wrap around her as she rested her head in the hollow of her rescurer's neck. Beth smelled a hint of something floral, as she found herself snuggling against her exhausted.

"Tom, help me get her in there," Beth felt on her cheek even as she heard Corinne speak.

Stumbling, Beth felt led by two pairs of hands towards the open door of the tent. Their hands pressed her sodden clothes against her, yet she just felt numb all over and barely able to stand much less feel the wet cloth on her.

She stepped carefully into the tent, ducking her head in, before resting against Corinne. Beth heard the zipper closing and she raised her head in panic as she suddenly felt trapped. She heard Corinne ssshh her as Beth watched Tom turn around and stand with his back to the door.

Confused, she looked up into Corinne's face. Beth found herself staring into her cornflower blue eyes as she guessed that Corinne was in her early 30's maybe. A cute nose between those eyes as she saw Corinne smiling at her. She felt herself smiling back at Corinne through chattering teeth as Corinne's hands went to her neck.

Confused, Beth was trying to figure out why Corinne was unzipping her jacket. She felt so tired and could barely stand. Every muscle felt numb and she just wanted to sleep.

Beth felt Corinne strip off her jacket, tossing it in a heap near the door. Beth tried to reach for it as she knew she needed to wear her jacket from the cold. She felt herself unsteady as she went to bend over, reaching for her clothes.

"Hey Beth, we have to get these wet clothes off you!" Corinne patiently said as she grabbed her back up to face her. "You probably have hypothermia, we need to get you warm."

Beth tried to understand Corinne, as she knew what hypothermia was. She was just tired, thought Beth, as she eyed the sleeping bag laying on top of the sleeping mat. It looked like a dream right now to her, as she just wanted to lay down.

Beth watched as Corinne bent down and untied her boots, helping her out of them and her socks. Her bare feet felt so numb she could barely feel the floor of the tent as she felt Corinne grab her thighs to steady her from falling.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Tom building up the fire as he looked to be also boiling water over a small camp stove. Beth felt herself giggling as she wondered how she was going to fit herself into such a small pot for a warm bath.

Beth felt Corinne stand as she felt fingers tugging at her waist. Confused, Beth stared down and tried to push Corinne's hands away. Self conscious of a strange woman undoing her pants, Beth tried to work the button of her jeans.

She might as well have blocks for fingers, Beth thought, as her numb fingers did not have the dexterity. She struggled with the cold, wet cloth as her fingers kept fumbling.

Corinne gripped Beth's cold fingers, lending her the help it took to pop the button on her jeans. Beth heard herself moan to the warmth of Corinne's touch, as she felt like she'd never be warm again.

"You're like an ice cube Beth, how long were you out there?" asked Corinne as she succeeded in undoing Beth's soaked pants.

Beth tried to remember as it felt like a struggle. She felt Corinne's hands pulling down her pants as she knelt in front of Beth. Looking down, Corinne helped Beth step out of her pants before adding them to the pile of wet clothes.

"I fell into the river up the trail aways and wanted to get back to camp. I don't know past once I got the fire started," Beth said from her bluish lips her breath formed small clouds before disappearing.

Beth shivering seemed to be increasing as Corinne stood and pulled up Beth's shirt. Cold and fuzzy headed, Beth felt the shirt stick and coldly slide across her arms as she raised them in the air. Briefly covering her face, Beth felt the shirt finally release her as she hugged herself across her breasts.

Glancing out past the tent door, Beth could make out Tom's back as he fiddled with something at the stove. Beth glanced back at Corinne as she tried unsuccessfully to cover herself.

"It's just us girls here Beth, come here," said Corinne as she opened her jacket and opened her arms.

Beth bit her lip at this, but the cold won out as she went and let Corinne wrap her in a big hug. Beth wrapped her arms around her to leech her heat as she felt Corinne embrace her tighter.

Beth moaned softly, as hugging Corinne was like suddenly in a fire. She found herself snuggling against Corinne, pressing herself against her intimately she rested her face against the hollow of Corinne's neck.

Beth felt Corinne's fingers moving on her back and then felt her bra undone. She shivered even as Corinne's fingers began pulling off the cold cloth.

"Hey," mumbled Beth weakly as she tried to stop her.

"Beth, you're shivering and cold. We have got to get you dry and warm so you don't get worse than you already are," said Corinne as she pulled the straps down Beth's arms.

Beth knew she was right, as she had warmed up slightly, her thoughts came a bit clearer. Still, it felt odd to be almost naked as she pressed herself against Corinne, yet still somehow very intimate.

Beth glanced back to Tom and saw he was preparing mugs of something steaming. She felt her tummy grumble and blushed in embarrassment.

Corinne laughed softly as she looked at Beth, as she smiled embarrassed up at her rescuer.

"Here," Corinne said softly as her hands moved along Beth's arms and then she felt Corinne softly tugging on the front of her bra.

Beth backed away slightly as Corinne removed her sodden bra from between them before tossing it over into the pile. Mostly naked, Beth hugged Corinne again as her teeth chattered at the downdraft of cold air between them when she backed away.

She felt her nipples rock hard and as she hugged Corinne, she felt them pressing against Corinne. With the warmth of Corinne against her, each subtle movement caused Beth to bite her lower lip to hide her pleasure.

Beth's breasts had always been overly sensitive, much to her lover's and let's be honest, her pleasure honestly. So when Corinne pulled her against her, Beth had to stifle a gasp when Corinne rubbed her own breasts against her.

While this wasn't the first time Beth had been naked in a woman's embrace, the last time was from a silly drunken night during her sophomore year. Her old roommate and her had gone out to dance and flirt with every random guy that they could dance with.

Beth and her made a game of it; each got to pick out each other's clubbing clothes and then whoever got the most guys won. They never picked out what they won, just that they would be the winner.

Every time Beth had felt a guy pressing himself against her, she made sure to lightly rub him through his pants until she felt him hard for her. Then she would spin away to the next guy, repeating in turning that guy on.

By the time that they left, each laughing as they left those guys frustrated, Beth was pretty drunk and wound up herself. They stumbled home together, each holding each other up as they regaled each other who got the most guys horny.

Giggling and laughing as they walked into their apartment, Beth somehow found herself kissing her roommate. One thing led to another and when she woke up in her roommate's bed naked and hungover and a faint scent of sex in the air, she did not know quite what to make of it.

She laughed it off with her roommate as they both tried to recover from the night before. She never made love to her again, whether from fear or embarrassment and her roommate moved out not too long after.

Corinne's hands rubbing up and down her back brought her back from her daydreaming. Corinne's hands felt so warm to her as Beth snuggled tighter against her as she felt herself trying not to be turned on. Beth felt herself gasp softly as she felt Corinne's hands slip down to her waist before she looped her thumbs into the sides of her underwear.

Beth buried her face against Corinne's neck, biting her lip as she felt Corinne pull down her underwear until Beth wiggled her hips to shimmy them down her legs. She felt Corinne's pulse against her cheek as Corinne rubbed Beth's ice cold flesh.

"Got to get you warm," said Corinne softly, as she felt Corinne rubbing her hips and waist before feeling her run her hands linger across the curves of her ass before moving to her lower back.

Beth continued shivering as Corinne's coat barely covered her butt, causing drafts of cold air to swirl around her bare legs. The shivering kept making Beth rub her breasts against Corinne's, causing her to be turned on even as she was unbelievably cold.

Beth looked back up to Corinne, watching as she kept rubbing her seemingly half frozen self. Rubbing Beth's belly and sides now, Beth bit her lip again as Corinne's fingers brushed against her breasts. Confused but feeling herself reacting to Corinne, Beth found herself pressing against her hands, eager to be touched.

Unable to look away from Corinne, she felt herself being drawn in to her, as Beth unconsciously licked her lips. She felt Corinne's hands slip down again to her waist, pulling her closer as Beth shivered. Moving closer, Beth knew she was about to be kissed and started to close her eyes as she moved in to feel her lips on Corinne.

"Hey, I've got tea here, who wants some?" Beth heard and stepped back suddenly from Corinne out of her embrace.

Realizing her nakedness as the cold air surrounded her, she went and hugged Corinne, silently pleading with Corinne as she looked up at her. She felt Corinne wrap her in her jacket as she called out to Tom that she'll be out in a minute to grab some for them.

"Thanks," said Beth relieved, "I..ummm," as she struggled with what to say.

Corinne softly laughed as she said, "I understand, good looking guy offering you tea in the middle of woods while you're naked in a tent."

Corinne smiled at her and then gave her a warm hug. Beth pressed herself against Corinne, trying to get what warmth she could get from her as she shivered. Her legs felt like blocks of ice still and she just couldn't get warm.

"Why don't you go lay in my bag, I didn't bring my mummy sack, sorry. I'll bring you something hot to drink."

Beth thanked her and then realized that to get in Corinne's bag, she'd have to let go of her. She shivered as she thought about being completely in view of Corinne.

As if reading her thoughts, Corinne laughed softly to Beth. "Nothing I don't have also, even though I think you need a bigger bra than me."

Nervously chuckling at Corinne's attempt to defuse the situation, Beth steeled herself for the cold. Sighing, Beth let go of Corinne and walked over to the bag, crawling in clumsily as the sudden rush of cold air set her teeth chattering and shaking uncontrollably.

She looked up at Corinne once she got in the bag, who hadn't seemed to have moved. The oversized bag contained her, but she could tell the extra space would take a while to heat up. Beth felt herself shivering uncontrollably as she shoved her cold hands between her thighs.

Corinne bent down and helped get a small pack pillow until her head, rubbing Beth's neck and shoulders quickly. Her hands felt so warm on her cold skin and Beth smiled appreciatively.

"Try to get warm and I'll go get some tea for us ok?"

Beth nodded as she kept shivering uncontrollably, curling up in a fetal position. She could barely feel her extremities as she felt the cold soaking into her. Corinne's bag helped keep some heat in, yet still made Beth think of her soaked mummy bag and how it would have been nice to be cocooned in its design.

She watched as Corinne bent down and kissed her forehead, before standing up and went to open the tent zipper. Peeking one last time at her charge, Beth watched as Corinne walked out of sight. Closing her eyes, she tried to stop her teeth chattering as she heard the low murmur of voices outside the tent.

Beth tried to concentrate on flexing her limbs rhythmically to try to keep her blood flowing, while she buried her face into the bag. Her thoughts came sluggishly to her, as she tried to puzzle out what just had happened. The sudden darkness as she buried into the bag was worth the little bit of extra warmth it brought even though the only sounds she could hear was her shaking against the bag.

The sound of the zipper woke Beth, as she was startled awake to the sound. She realized she must have dozed off even though she was still shivering uncontrollably.

Peeking out from the bag, she saw Corinne entering with Tom in tow, as she was holding steaming mugs. Beth smiled at them both, shivering still as she tried to wiggle her toes.

"Can you sit up Beth?"

She nodded slightly and tried her best to sit up while in the bag. Weakly, Beth felt herself falling over and landed roughly on the floor of the tent as she slid off the sleeping pad. As she struggled to sit up, she felt strong hands on her, helping her up to a sitting position while still wrapped up protectively.

"You're shivering Beth, you ok as I can feel you cold through the bag!" inquired Tom as Beth found him kneeling next to her, his hands holding her sides through the sleeping bag.

"Mmm...yeah, just cold, that's all," she replied to him, as she looked into his face.

Beth looked at the square jawline, the easy smile as his hazel eyes held honest concern for her. Smiling back at him, Beth found herself relaxing slightly to Tom's presence as she could see why Corinne liked him.

Suddenly, Tom seemed to realize the situation and sheepishly slipped his big hands away. Beth still felt his hands on her as he smiled once more at her, before he stood and backed away as Corinne sat down next to her.

"Here you go Beth," Corinne said softly as she held out a metal cup of steaming liquid.

Beth started to slip her hands out of the bag eagerly when she realized that to do so would expose herself to these two. Freezing, she looked away slightly as she felt a rush of modesty.

"Hey Tom, why don't take Beth's clothes out and set them to dry, before grabbing your pack?", asked Corinne nonchalantly.

Coughing slightly, Tom made a soft accepting grunt as he picked up the wet clothes from the floor of the tent as he stepped out. Corinne set the mugs down and zipped closed the tent again, before coming back to Beth.

"Thanks," said Beth slightly abashed, "I appreciate it. I am sorry to be such a bother, but I can't thank you enough for saving me."

"Nonsense," said Corinne laughing, "It's the least we can do. You looked half dead when we walked into camp. You still do if I say so myself."

Nodding, Beth replied, "I just can't seem to get warm, I feel like an ice cube."

"Well let's hope this will help, as it'll be getting colder tonight."

Reaching out, Beth felt the cold air on her shoulders and the top of her breasts as she tried to cover herself. The warm mug felt delicious on her ice cold fingers, as she breathed in the stream. The smell of oranges greeted her as she took a quick sip.

As she swallowed, Beth could feel the tickle of warmth down her throat even as she took another small sip. She unconsciously moaned hard as she swallowed, before guiltily apologizing at it to Corinne.

Laughing at her reaction, Corinne swept up her hand and brushed away a stray hair from Beth's face. Caught in her eyes, Beth watched Corinne as her hand slid along her cold neck and shoulders before slipping away, causing her to shiver and not from the cold.

Watching her, Corinne made sure that Beth could hold the mug before grabbing her own off the floor. Cupped in both hands, Beth watched her drink as she took another swallow of the warm tea.

Each made small talk as they drank, before Corinne reached into her pocket to pull out an energy bar. Beth's grumbling belly answered before Corinne offered it to her.

Laughing as she opened the bar for Beth, they heard Tom ask if it was okay for him to come in. Looking at Corinne, Beth nodded her head as Corinne told him it was. As the zipper opened, Corinne scooted closer to Beth so their shoulders were touching.

They watched as he came into the tent, smiling at each before setting down his pack. With his back to them, he began to unpack and set up his sleeping mat and bag for the night.

Corinne broke off a small piece of the bar and held it up for Beth. She reached for a piece as she felt the bag slip lower on her breast before she moved to cover herself.

Gratefully, Beth popped it in her mouth and slowly chewed before swallowing as she shivered from the cold draft that had followed Tom inside. She took another offered piece as Beth snuggled against Corinne slightly. She felt Corinne's arm reach around her to pull her closer as she continued to try to ward off the deep cold in her.