Under the Darkness

"Here, right here!" Emyri pointed, scratching at the floor. Felix felt around, it didn't look any different from the rest of the floor, though it was hard to see clearly with everything being bright red. Reta also went on her knees to help, crying cheerfully as her hands felt something of a handle to grip.

"Found it!"

Emyri and the others backed away, giving her room to pull the hatch open wide, exposing it to everyone. Their relief was cut short as the ceiling began to creak and snap, adding haste to their escape.

"Okay, everyone inside!" Emyri shouted, helping Reta and Na'Vi enter the hatch. As soon as it was Felix's turn, he stood up and held the hatch for her. She motioned for him to move but he shook his head no.

"Ladies first." He said, helping her descend with Na'Vi catching her footing. As he kneeled in and stuck his leg out first, he turned around to grab the hatch. The roof snapped and he pulled away quickly, ditching the idea and hurrying down the tunnel with the others. He could have sworn when he turned around he saw some shape cover the light as if standing over the hatch, but shook that out of his head.

Further into the tunnel, Janette was being led by Syri as her hands felt the walls to keep up. It was pitch black, no vision with only thick air and the panting sound of several women crawling through. She tried to ignore the wet feeling beneath her hands and feet, no use worrying about her dress now. Suddenly she felt her head bump against someone's thigh.

"Oof, hey."

"Sorry. I don't see a way forward." Syri whispered back.

"No way forward?" KuliKuli asked, seeing Dimyri feel her legs and feet.

"That's not right... wait! Do you see anything up top?" Janette asked.

Syri turned her head up. "Oh, yea but it's also blocked."

"Great, climb up."

"What?"

"That's our escape, climb up."

"Okay..." Syri squished through and spread her paws out, pinning herself up before slowly and clumsily climbing her way up, one move at a time. Janette followed soon, with the other two doing the same. Once she reached the top, Syri placed her paw against the wood and pushed until it gave way, sliding it off until she could see the stars in the blue sky once more. Her eyes lit up and she smiled, poking her head and out breathing in.

"Hurry up, your butt is this close to my face." Janette said.

Syri nodded and climbed out, helping the others through as well. In time all four of them were outside, stretching and wiping the mud off their bodies. KuliKuli tilted her head and realized they had just crawled out of an empty well not too far away from their home. In the distance, Janette stood alone watching her house begin to collapse and fall. She didn't bother cleaning up, just hung her head once her home had crumbled away.

She heard someone walk close before feeling a pair of paws around her, her head nuzzling her shoulder. She sighed, holding Syri's wrist before hugging her back, feeling her paw rub her back gently.

"I'm sorry."

"It's... yea." She nodded, closing her eyes and breathing in. She could feel her heart beating nervously, the cold air making her shiver. KuliKuli joined them in their hug and soon so did Dimyri. All four embraced each other and squeezed gently, thankful for still being there.

"Welcome to the club." Syri said, kissing her mate in the cheek and offering one more hug. "I wish it was exclusive."

"It is." She replied. "I don't know what we do now."

"Actually, I think we just solved that." Dimyri spoke out as she peaked beside a tree. In time the others approached her. "See what I'm seeing?"

Over in the distance were several more wagons and horses with several men keeping watch.

"We can take some of those for ourselves to get away."

"Yea but, where?" Janette asked. "My house is gone and we don't know where else to go?"

KuliKuli gave that some thought. "We could always go back to masters place."

"Felix? Maybe..."

Dimyri shrugged. "It's the best we have. We need to take them out somehow or get them away from there but..."

She looked down at her hands with KuliKuli reassuring her. "We'll figure it out. Syri, do you think you can help me with this?"

Syri froze. "S-Sure, it's like playing hide and seek?"

"Sort of." Janette could see she was nervous, being confrontational was something she was not used to. "Are you sure?"

"Ehh... I have to."

"You can sta-"

"No." Syri snapped, shaking her head and swallowing the lump in her throat. "I can help!"

KuliKuli paused before nodding. "Okay, let's go. Janette?"

"Yea, we know." She muttered, "We'll wait here."

"Okay. Ready?"

Syri mewed nervously, following her as they climbed up the nearest tree before leaping onto another. Syri tried not to slip or think about what they were doing, but she felt it was difficult to keep her breathing in check. Once they were several meters away, they met atop the same tree.

"Nervous?"

Syri nodded frantically.

"That's okay, just make sure to hit them hard before they see you." KuliKuli looked around. "I think it's just three guys. Watch me go then try it yourself. We can do this okay?"

"O-Okay." KuliKuli smiled and lept away, leaving her alone. She spectated as her sister positioned herself over a tree before grabbing an acorn and throwing it against the wagon. One soldier looked over, lifting his helmet before approaching. Upon a small inspection, he shrugged and turned around when KuliKuli pounced on him hard, knocking him out as she sat on top of him.

That made enough noise to have the nearby horse whine, grabbing another guards attention. This one had his sword sheathed to his belt, but KuliKuli was still lurking on the other side of the wagon. The last guard was petting one of the horses before noticing his friend walk up to the wagon.

"Lars, mind fetching me a drink from there?"

He resumed petting his horse and feeding him a carrot, rubbing his hair. He turned around, where was he?

"Lars? Just a flask will do. Lars?" He sighed and patted his horse before heading over. "Damn it Lars, I thought ye wouldn't be taking things this personal. I told you I wouldn't have done it if I knew she was family."

He stepped back and bumped into the wagon wheel when he caught sight of his friend sleeping unconscious on the ground. KuliKuli crept over on top of the wagon, readying for another pounce when Syri jumped in and knocked the guard down instead, kicking him against the wheel before she landed. She was breathing hard but gave a weak smile when KuliKuli grinned at her.

"Perfect, I think that's all of them. Let's get the girls."

"But what about Mom and Felix and the others? We're not leaving them are we?"

KuliKuli shook her head. "No of course not." She looked up and pushed her sister down.

"What-What is it?"

"More of them, damn!" She whispered, hurrying back up a tree. The river they used to fish at before could barely be heard, not far from there. It was where some of the horses were getting a quick drink, when a small group of soldiers made their way back to the camp. By now, KuliKuli and Syri were watching them from above, keeping quiet of course. Syri recognized one of them, the younger one leading the group as he looked around.

"Lars, Olav? Lars, Olav!"

"We found them, they're here!" Raz approached them beside the wagon before trading a few words amongst them. "Get word to Perdilius, tell them-"

"Achoo!"

He paused, reaching for a torch before pointing it to where that noise came from. Behind the tree, Dimyri was silently cursing herself and rubbing her nose, trying to keep from so much shivering. Janette took out one of her shirts and tried to wrap it around her, hugging her to keep her warm.

From above, KuliKuli cussed under her breath. "Damn it, they found them!"