The dark has never been so terrifying to the brothers before. With unable to see what lies ahead, or even the ground beneath their paws, and now with Dieco on fire, this was truly terrifying.
Lazureth had taken lead into the darkness, using his whiskers and tail to check how high the ceiling was and how far apart the walls were spaced. His paw splashed into a small puddle of water that had leaked in over time. But he didn't care, all his mind was blank, and focused only on one word, run.
Litzu, had no trouble keeping up. The cave might be small in dark, but running through the dense forest was harder than this. The brothers continued on for a few more yards, until Lazureth felt the ground beneath him give away into nothing. And then, he started to fall...
Litzu shot forward and grabbed his brother's scruff and hauled him back, safely keeping him from dropping into the dark hole. Both their paws scrabbled against the cold stone to gain balance.
"Thanks." Lazureth said and let out a pant. Litzu shrugged even though he knew his brother could not see it and then said "What now? Those things could be coming after us at any moment… and we don't know how far this leads down, or if there even is another side…"
"Too dark to see…" Litzu added and then Lazureth backed up, and past his brother. He tensed up, and got ready. "What are you-" Litzu stared but Lazureth shot past and leaped forward, his echo fading off. A red glow washed over the dark tunnel and ahead was a wall so Lazureth, in the mist of changing forms aimed down and dropped into the darkness.
He changed into a bird, using the upcoming force to delay his fall, and the fading red glow gave off enough light to see what was below, a pool of water. Lazureth glided over it and found a tunnel, not much bigger than the size of a very young cat, not kitten, but still too small for Lazureth and his brother.
He landed on the stone and Litzu called "Brother?"
"I am fine… change into a bird and glide down. There is a pool of water at the bottom and a small cave facing the opposite direction of where you are now." Lazureth called back and waited. It was dark for a moment and then, blue light filled the cave.
Lazureth backed up as Litzu flew in, making a calm landing next to his brother. Litzu looked around the small tunnel and said "If we travel like birds through this, it will take hours! Hopping around without flying is a stupid idea!"
Lazureth agreed with his brother and thought to himself. His echoes ranged to what he could manage and what he knew. For him, he had cat, his true self. A cardinal, rabbit, dog and fox…
Lazureth gained speed going fast as he could, and let the echo light up the cave once more, and when it was done, his form had shifted into a rabbit. Quick, fast and small.
Blue light came behind him and Litzu joined his brother's example and changed into a rabbit as well. Both brothers gave a nod to one another and turned to go.
"Wait." Litzu said and perked his ears the best he could. "Do you here that?" He asked and Lazureth listened.
A thump, almost an even beat echoed very silently through the cave. Someone was in here with them.
…
Joker stood at the newly found entrance into the cave. Three creatures, a lot like dogs stood at the front. They had no eyes, but a mouth and nose. Ears were large and picked out even the tiniest of sounds. The end of their tails where tipped with a hard substance, a lot like their claws.
"Find them." Joker said and the three dog like creatures filed into the cave, silently and carefully following their prey.
….
Lazureth and Litzu were on the run, sprinting fast now. A few times they tripped over the cracks and bumps of the hidden path but terror made them run. They had no idea what was after them, nor did they want to know.
…
The dogs, quick on their light paws soon made it to the edge. One stepped forward sniffing the open air and said ever so softly "Long drop… I smell water at the bottom."
"Anything ahead?" One asked and the third barked softly and listened. He shook his head and said "Just a wall." Their ears twitched and one carefully leaned over the edge and said "The water ripples with sound, but it's not empty. Stones maybe…. yes sharp ones cover it. We fall then we die."
"There must be a cave at the bottom."
"If so it must lead somewhere. Otherwise the creatures would die from lack of food and warmth."
"Rabbits… I can smell them." The third said and the first smiled, showing long sharp fangs. He chuckled silently and said "There must be another way out… Let's go boys… it's rabbit season…" The three darkly laughed and turned, running back the way they came.
