[PRP] Cave Adventure! [Fey/Cutting Words]

[Naberius]

"Thank you," Cutting Words mumbled, almost as if to himself.

The cave was almost too much to take in; he had to continually remind himself to keep track of the rope and pay attention to where he placed his hooves. It was almost silent, almost pitch dark - he understood, now, why it was that monsters in stories always seemed to live in eerie caves.

"...For being beside me and, ah, trusting me with the rope and all," He whispered back with a small laugh, "I've, um - I've never been in a cave before. Only heard about them in stories."

Her excitement was contagious - his nervous energy became a shared excitement for this new realm he'd never seen before.

"If that wasn't obvious enough."

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

“Neither have I,” she admitted readily. “This is my first time.” And wasn’t it just so exciting!

Fey was glad he was in charge of the rope because without that to worry about she could enjoy their daring escapade, trusting completely that he wouldn’t get them lost.

“Hey-” she started to say, her words cut off as she tripped on a stone, her ‘eep!’ and the sound of her hoof striking rock startlingly loud. She splashed a few hoof steps forward and then blinked owlishly in the soft darkness.

Cutting Words was a darker shadow behind her, a comforting sight, outlined by the brighter cave entrance further back.

“Oops,” she said. “Be careful.”

@Naberius

[Naberius]

"Really?" Cutting Words whispered, eyes wide despite the darkness.

He wasn't entirely sure he believed that - between the rope, her knowledge of the mushrooms, and her sheer confidence, she must have explored some cave or another before. After all, she --

His train of thought was violently derailed at the sound of her hoof striking stone. He instinctively yelped in surprise and scrambled to her side - whether he had intended to save her or be saved by her he wasn't entirely sure - but her presence was a necessary one nonetheless. The sound still echoed around them as his nerves slowly settled.

"Are you alright? Let me see your--" He paused for a beat, remembering exactly where they were and precisely how dark it was, "Can you walk?"

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

“I’m fine.”

Fey lifted her hoof and gave it a wriggle just to make sure. Yup. All good.

“It just gave me a fright, that’s all!” She was grateful he’d jumped so close because she could lean against him until her heart settled, and then maybe a little longer just because he was warm and it felt nice.

“Shall we continue?” She asked eventually, already moving forward, a little more carefully this time.

@Naberius

[Naberius]

"Good," Cutting Words sighed in relief, "I'd hate to have to leave you here to become some terrible cave-beast's dinner."

He flashed her a grin - forgetting the dark - and matched her careful pace, staying as close as he could. He'd like to say it was because he was the one with the rope and, thus, the one with the way out - but her presence was comforting. She was warm and soft, unlike the cold damp of the cave around them.

"Do you think we're getting close?" He hummed, looking back at the length of the rope. No knots or tangles yet, but he had no idea how much longer they could go before it drew taut.

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

A terrible cave-beast?

“Do you think there really is one?” She whispered excitedly, delighted by the prospect of a horrible creature lurking in the dark ready to snatch them up. “Oh I hope so!” But only after she got her mushrooms. Then it could chase them out and they would flee to safety.

“I don’t know,” she answered, her steps slowing now that she couldn’t see a thing in front of her. “We probably have to go much deeper.”

@Naberius

[Naberius]

Cutting Words opened his mouth to speak - in the heat of the moment he had briefly forgotten exactly where he was and, if only just for a moment, hadn't believed in a terrible cave-beast. The fear, as silly as it may have been, settled back into his mind as she spoke. He closed his mouth again.

He frowned a bit as she spoke, mulling over her words as he slowed to match her pace.

"Is there quite enough rope for that?" He said, turning to look behind himself at their trail only to remember exactly how dark it was. If the rope was severed would they even know?

His frown deepened. The weight around his shoulders hadn't changed, but the thought of being unknowingly lost in the cave make his skin crawl.

@Ruriska my turn to take forever!

[Ruriska]

“Maybe,” she replied, nonchalant, a shrug in her voice. There probably wasn’t. She’d done her best to gather a long vine but this cave was quite deep and surely the mushrooms would be located deep within.

Would he follow her that far? 

“Are you scared?” She asked, soft and teasing.

@Naberius <3

[Naberius]

Cutting Words pressed closer to her unconsciously, her warmth his only real sense of security at the moment.

"..............Perhaps." He said, pout audible in his voice, "Just a bit... Uncertain of our surroundings."

@Ruriska I'm so sorry for spacing on this for so long!! ;__;

[Ruriska]

She laughed softly, delighted by his response and imagining the little pout on his face. It was most certainly adorable.

Fey wasn’t scared - not of the dark, or of being lost in it, or of meeting a terrible cave beast. She was fearless

Or so she thought.

All of a sudden there came a clicking and skittering, something heavy dragging in the dark. The echoes made it impossible to locate, coming from all directions, strange and menacing.

Fey had gone completely still in order to listen. “The beast,” she whispered, as delighted as she was terrified. A chill ran down her spine.

The only certainty was the buck beside her and the exit behind them.

Maybe her cave adventure was over for today.

@Naberius <3