Sparse flakes drifted gently along the shifting wind and Kendrick pulled his coat tighter to fight the chill of the mountain air. His brother, Nas, did the same. Their horses' breaths puffed misty clouds in pace with their careful trot. Silence blanketed the world around them and they were content when a sudden thunderous boom erupted from every direction and the ground beneath them became unsteady, causing their horses to stumble.

"It's an avalanche!" Kendrick yelled to Nas over the growing roar.

They acted immediately. The two of them were warriors and their adrenaline kicked in, sharpening their minds. They brought their horses to a gallop in only a few paces. Behind them, the world looked like it was falling over itself and chasing them with a frantic murderlust, though Nas dared only one look back before focusing his full attention on outpacing the avalanche. The brothers rode side by side, hugging their horses tight as sweat beaded down their faces and the icy wind clawed at their eyes. Wordlessly, Nas pointed to a lone building, a small house made of stone with large doors leading to a cellar. Seeing what his brother saw, Kendrick veered his horse toward the house. Something buried in the snow caused their horses to trip and fall, throwing the brothers forward. With no time to go back and nothing they could do, the brothers spared one last glance at their ever loyal and beloved companions, hesitating only a moment before their warrior training kicked in and they continued at a sprint toward the cellar doors. Pulling at the doors, Nas realized they were barred from the other side. Without thought or hesitation, Kendrick drew his axe from the sheath on his side and began to chop at the doors until he felt the barrier give. As Nas shut the doors behind them, he could see their horses in the distance, up again and running and he prayed they would make it. Moments later, they could hear the tumultuous roaring snow and debris bury their shelter.

As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they noticed the cellar was much larger than the cozy home above it implied. Shelves were packed with various belongings and the brothers took a silent moment to gather their bearings and check their equipment, ensuring nothing had been lost. They'd cut their packs loose when the avalanche began. They both wore leather armor, an axe on their waists, with a buckler on their backs painted purple with a gold fleur de lis in the middle. Moving through the shelves, the glow of a candle became visible in a back corner. As they approached, they saw three men huddled together sheltering something wrapped in a blanket, and a woman. She stood at their approach and said, "Who are you?"

"I am Kendrick Lamar and this is my brother, Lil Nas X," Kendrick told her, pointing to himself and his brother.

"Why are you armed?" her query seemed to demand a response. The men behind her stayed huddled and silent.

"There are unseen dangers everywhere, better to face them prepared," Nas said.

"We do not wish to cause you apprehension. We sought only shelter from the avalanche that has buried us all," said Kendrick.

"Then we are trapped," she said. A thunderous roar and a massive tremor punctuated her words. One of the huddled men whimpered.

Nas began to explore their new prison, leaving his brother to speak to the civilians. Nas had no time for comforting cuddling cowards. He searched for a means of escape while Kendrick remained to calm the others before any of them tried something stupid. Nas sneered as he thought of how fearful morons often made bad situations worse in their terrified desperation. His brother had a way with people, but he was better at finding things. Things like the hair-thin cracks lining a disguised doorway…

"Tell me your names," Kendrick said placidly, looking between the woman and the men.

"I am Kamala and this is my home. These three men came to me injured and desperate, so I offered them asylum. When we heard the first avalanche we came down here for shelter, only minutes before you arrived."

Kendrick nodded to acknowledge Kamala's words and turned his attention to the men, "And what are your names?"

The three men looked at each other and one of the men stood up, wincing and clutching an injury on his stomach that was wrapped in a dirty cloth. He placed himself defensively between Kendrick and their bundle of blankets, "I am Elon, and they are Jeff and Donald. How are we going to get out of here? Is this our tomb?"

Kamala scoffed and Kendrick said, "Of course not. We will dig our way out of here once the earth settles." Another boom and tremor put the injured man on his bottom and he stayed down, tightening their guard over their blankets. Kendrick eyed the blankets that they handled like an infant, though nothing moved underneath.

"We will be safe in here," Kamala said, "the walls are strong."

"Brother, come see," Nas called from somewhere in the darkness.

The others followed. Elon cradled the blankets and Jeff and Donald stood nearby; their eyes remained on the blankets as they followed Kendrick and Kamala to where Nas opened a hidden passage.

"A way out!" Elon shouted and pushed his way past everybody with a desperate fervor clinging tightly to his bundle of blankets. He tripped on something unseeable and fell forward. A spear thrust from the floor at an angle, impaling him through the chest. With a silent gasp he dropped the blankets.

Jeff and Donald yelled in unison, "No!" Out of the blankets rolled a snow-white egg the size of a man's head and the two men lunged forward to pick it up and wrap it tight. Kendrick rushed to save Elon. Nas and Kamala watched in silence.

There was nothing to be done for Elon so Kendrick placed him outside of the tunnel and covered him in a blanket from one of the cellar's shelves. Kamala walked into the passage with practiced care, stepping gracefully over invisible lines.

"Tripwires," Nas said, "How do you see them so well?"

"I am young and my eyes are sharp," Kamala said.

"Liar!" Jeff yelled, kneeling next to Elon. Donald stood next to him, cradling the egg. "You set those traps to steal the egg from us!"

"Nonsense! I-"

"Silence! I will not hear the words of a witch!" Jeff's roar was underlined by another tremor. When the ground steadied, he lunged for her.

Nas put his hands on Jeff's chest and held the man at bay, as sturdy as a wall, stopping him from facing the same fate as Elon. "Calm yourself! Why would she want your egg anyway?"

"Because it's-"

"Quiet!" Donald interrupted Jeff. "Elon is dead. He knew the risks like you and I. It is not this woman's fault. She could not have set these traps for us when we only just met her. I doubt she even knew they were in here."

"That's right," Kamala said.

"Clearly they were placed centuries ago," Nas said, "It is a wonder they even function." He used his axe to trigger the other tripwires, each one sending a spear lunging forward. He hacked the spears and tossed them among the shelves in the cellar. "The path is safe," he told the others, "These are all there were."

They made their way into the passage with Kendrick and Nas leading the way. Another tremor shook loose debris from the ceiling and Donald gasped, Kamala scoffed, and Nas said, "These tremors seem unnatural. The avalanches should have stopped by now. What must be causing them?"

"I don't know. How should I know?" Jeff said and Kendrick eyed him.

Their candle created a tiny orb of orange light that kept their faces cast in shadows and their expressions impossible to read. Kamala got a little bit ahead and stumbled. She caught herself against the wall and a panel built flush with the wall pressed in. There was a loud thunk and Jeff cried out as he fell into a boundless depth that opened beneath him. His cry was cut short with a mute thump. Donald screamed and Kendrick looked at Kamala who was mumbling.

"What's that?" Nas asked her.

"I didn't mean to. I wasn't. I just . . . tripped. I, it was an accident. I, I…"

"It's okay, Kamala. We know it isn't your fault. This place is dangerous and we need to stay close from now on," Kendrick said.

Nas gave Kamala a sideways glance.

"What do I do?" Donald cried out. Still clutching the egg, he found himself on the far side of a five foot wide hole with no way around.

"Jump," said Nas.

"I can't make it!" Donald's round belly and stubby legs spoke of his athletic prowess or lack thereof.

"Toss the egg to us first," said Kamala.

Donald hesitated a moment and said, "No. I can't! Not after everything I've lost." His last sentence came out as a sob.

"You can do this," said Kendrick, "Right now you are afraid which means your body is filled with the power to do anything. You can feel it in your chest ready to be released. I am here to catch you," he reached his arm out and gave a reassuring nod.

With a few unsteady breaths, Donald planted his feet and charged forward. His foot slipped as he jumped and he cried out, throwing his arms forward and releasing the egg. The egg flew upward and Kamala gasped as Nas caught it. Donald's hands slapped the edge of the hole; and when his round belly slapped the side his hands slipped off. Kendrick reached down and caught his arm and with great effort, pulled him up.

Donald panted, "You almost let me fall," as he stood up and snatched the egg from Nas. "I need to get out of here! I can't stay here anymore." He looked at the other three and ran forward into the darkness, his echoing footsteps faded as Kendrick called for him to come back.

"He's quite swift for his . . . shape," Kamala said. Nas looked at her, but said nothing, and Kendrick pressed forward, the other two falling in behind with Nas in the rear.

The stale air of the cellar and tunnel was replaced by something crisp, the scent of the outdoors. Somewhere ahead in the tunnels, they heard Donald scream. They began charging forward, the brothers unsheathing their axes as they heard the sounds of something big roaring. The darkness gave way to a misty light and the tunnel opened into a huge cavern. In the center of the cavern, a white dragon the size of seven horses tore the flesh from Donald's bones; his body was mangled beyond recognition. The egg was barely visible in the nest beneath the dragon. Its eyes were sharp as they narrowed in on the three intruders. A rumble reminiscent of the roar of the avalanches began to rise in the dragon's throat. It bared its bloody teeth.

"Be at peace, young one," Kamala said to the dragon, "All the thieves are departed and your child is returned."

"And these two? What shall we do with them?"

Kamala eyed the brothers who stood at the tunnel's entrance, axes and shields up and ready for battle, "Hmm," she put on a show of pondering their fates, "I kind of like the little one," she said indicating Nas.

"Should I eat him quickly, then?"

The brothers remained planted and ready to defend themselves as still and cold as the stone surrounding them.

"I see no reason to put them in their graves. They have grieved us not. Besides, the little one did help bring your child safely to you."

The dragon growled.

"What say you, Sons of Marduk?" The brothers shifted at the mention of their order. "I recognize the emblem on your shields. Is your god not one of justice? You have seen justice . . . served. Will you leave in peace or," she grinned wickedly, "in pieces?"

"One who steals a dragon's egg is a fool," said Kendrick.

"And fools cannot be suffered to live," said Nas, quoting their scriptures.

"Then go," Kamala said.

Warily, the men made their way around the dragon's nest to the cavern's exit. The dragon's eyes never left them. As they left the cave the dragon's voice came out as a low growl, "I owe you a debt." When they turned around the cavern behind them closed shut, blending into the earth.

Outside, they found themselves at the base of the mountain. They got their bearings and began to make their way along. Their journey for their god was important and must not wait. Soon, they came upon their horses. The strong, intelligent creatures outlasted the avalanche and survived impossible odds and not for the first time. Noble and reliable, they approached their riders with recognized affection. The brothers mounted their horses and rode off with the setting sun at their backs.