Khash gulped as she looked down into hole in the floor. She had tried to play it cool as they explored the empty, flooded fort. But this was too much.

"Do…do we have to go down there," she asked.

Muz-Lari who was crouched over the opening, turned her head toward the young argonian.

"If you're too uncomfortable, then I'll take you back to entrance so you can wait with the others."

"Though, it'd probably be safer to just keep going down," Derkeethus said. "The upper floors were already crumbling under us when we came. We don't know if they'll hold our weight if we try to climb then again."

Derkeethus then shrugged.

"Besides, we're close to the river now and it's not like we'll drown."

"That's not the point," Muz-Lari replied. She turned her attention back to Khash. "Khash?"

Khash wrung her hands together. She really didn't want to have to swim in deep water, but she knew sense when she heard it. And sadly, Derkeethus was right. It would be more dangerous to try backtrack now. Especially when she could smell that they were close to an exit.

"Derkeethus is right," Khash sighed. "We should keep going. I'll, I'll be fine."

Khash fought to not shrink under Muz-Lari's steady gaze.

She'd never admit it outloud, but she was sometimes unnerved by the Dragonborn whenever she stared at something. She could never tell what she was thinking.

"Derkeethus," Muz-Lari said, looking away from Khash again. "You go first. If it leads to the river, let us know so we can follow."

Derkeethus nodded. Then he jumped down the hole.

Khash closed her eyes as soon as heard the splash.

"Hey."

Khash opened her eyes and found Muz-Lari standing in front of her.

"It's okay," Muz-Lari crooned, her hand stroking Khash's head through her hood. "When we hit the water, just get on my back. I'll carry you out. Just remember to keep breathing."

Khash made a gurgled sound in her throat. She then grabbed onto Muz-Lari's waist.

"Thank you. I'm sorry. I know its stupid, I'm sorry," rushed out of Khash's mouth, the words muffled by Muz-Lari's body.

"Don't apologize. In hindsight, I should've made you wait with the others once we realized how water logged this place was, I-" Muz-Lari was interruped by Derkeethus's voice echoing from below.

After, she gave the male an affirmative, she gave Khash a brief hug pulled away. "Let's get out of here. Remember just breathe."

Khash nodded.

Muz-Lari smiled in response and then jumped down.

Khash took one more breath to steady herself. She then jumped into the water below.

written for whumptober day 11: just keep swimming