when the whole world trembles and shakes

Alpine would watch with weary eyes as Surreal would understand what he was saying, him and Erion couldn't make it up, she was the only one who could do it and bring them back the help they needed. In moments Surreal was scaling the climb and was gone from sight. When his sights moved back to the youngster behind him he would be greeted with orbs widened in worry and fear for him, and silently Alpine cursed for having to reveal his injury in front of Erion. They had been moving during this exchange and it would take them a few strides and plunges into the darkness before at last the earth would stop dropping its debris down upon them. He was tired of the pelting his coat had gotten and his head burned as a fresh welt of blood would trickle down from his cut and across the bridge of his nose. ?Don't worry about her Erion, she's of Erani-blood, she'll be fine. Its us we have to think about now? he would admit, but he would say it was a forced cheerfulness in his tone in an attempt not to stress the boy beside him.


Still they continued to move, there seemed to be nothing else to do amongst the darkness of the cave. The storm of stones has stilled but his paws still felt wobbly beneath him as through he walked on the rhythm of water. He felt Erion still beside him and Alpine also brought himself to a halt, the gentle lull of water was a scent that caught in his nostrils now and he was startled at its appearance. He would take another breath, forcing himself to think past the headache burning in his skull. ?Where under the world? he would first say, then amend. ?Caves, under Valhalla, ones that we never knew where here and the earth opened up to us. Maybe its an extensive network... maybe there would be another way out? he mused, although he knew there was a bigger chance of getting lost beneath its mass wonder forever in the darkness, the thought brought a shiver down his spine.


?My ribs aren't my biggest concern, there nothing, really, your paw is worse. I want you to drape yourself over me and swim with your uninjured paws to lighten your weight? Think you can do that??
Despite the worry of getting lost, the thought of sitting here beside the chill of the water, the darkness, the unknown, he had a burning need to keep moving. If nothing else, they had to find somewhere safer to sleep, and if food was to be found, that too, they needed. he would start to ease himself into the water, waiting for Erani to agree with him, and if so they would plunge into the deep together.