Chapter 3: Fear and Adrenaline
Step by rickety step, the two hedgehogs climbed up the path, grabbing at handholds and footholds to help them up. They checked every crevasse to make sure that it could hold them before lifting themselves up. They had not brought out their equipment yet, assured that the climb was not that bad, despite them being up very high already. As they climb, they finally reach a ridge that should take them around the ice and begin to carefully follow it. They reach another pass and realize that they had made a mistake.
Across from them was an uncrossable avalanche gully. Trying to cross it could trigger an avalanche and kill them both.
"What do we do now?" Sonic asked.
Shadow sighed, trying to think of another way to get past the ice blocking their trail. He looked up, noticing there was another ridge they could climb to. "Up there. There's another ridge. If we can get up there, there should be another path we can take."
Sonic looked up and gulped. The ridge Shadow was pointing to was up really high, and they had already climbed up so high without ropes to keep them from falling. But, he trusted his boyfriend and nodded. "Ok."
"Ok, let's go." Shadow nodded and started to climb again, Sonic soon shortly following after him.
What started as a scramble soon turns into a serious climb. And as they get higher, Sonic starts getting nervous. There were times when they didn't have a proper foothold, and they had to kick away at dirt and rocks to make one. Shadow looked down at Sonic and noticed his nervousness. This wasn't good. He had to get Sonic to calm down before he started to panic and fall.
"It's ok, Sonic. You're doing fine. Just don't look down and keep coming towards me."
"Shadow this is crazy!"
"Just relax, and take some breaths, ok."
Sonic sighed and placed his head against the rock, closing his eyes as he tried to relax. He took some deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He probably should've told Shadow that he's never gone climbing before. His heart kept jumping from fear to adrenaline and back again. He wanted to go back down, but he didn't move, knowing that trying to go back down would be more dangerous than going up. Finally, Sonic calms down a bit and they continue to climb.
…
12 pm
After nearly four hours of climbing, the two hedgehogs finally reach a precipice. At last, their path is within reach. But now, they hit another problem. The rock above them is dangerously unstable. Shadow manages to climb around it, but Sonic puts his foot underneath it to try and pull himself up. Suddenly, the rocks under his foot slide out from underneath him, taking him with it. He gasps and holds onto the ledge above him with his hands, desperately trying to find another foothold to push himself up.
"Sonic!" Shadow gasped, seeing the panic in his boyfriend's eyes. "Sonic, calm down. It's ok."
"Shadow, it's crumbling!" Sonic gasped, trying to get his foothold on the rocks underneath him, but they kept sliding out. He kept his fingers dug in the rock above him, but he couldn't hold on for long. "What do I do?!"
"Just shift your weight." Shadow told him, reaching down to him. "Give me your hand. I'll help you up."
"Shadow." Sonic whined, looking up at him in terror. And then suddenly, his fingers slipped. "SHADOW!"
"SONIC!"
Sonic's body went sliding down the rocky hill that he and Shadow had just climbed up. He was screaming in terror, and trying everything he could to grab onto something to stop his fall. Suddenly, he falls over a ledge and he quickly grabs onto it, holding on for dear life. He was crying and whimpering, trying to climb back up. He looked down and screamed. The drop below him was over 60 feet. If he were to fall, it would surely kill him.
"Sonic!" The blue hedgehog looked up and cried in relief when he saw Shadow slide to a stop above him. "Sonic, it's ok. Just give me your hand and swing your foot around."
"Shadow I'm scared."
"I know. I know. It's gonna be ok. Just trust me." The ebony hedgehog held his hand out to the blue one, his ruby eyes shining with assurance. Sonic sniffed and reached a hand out, straining to grab onto Shadow's. At last, their fingers brushed against each other, and Shadow lurched forward a bit to grab his wrist. "I got you, Sonic."
As Shadow pulled him up, Sonic brought his legs up over the edge and pushed himself up. Once they were both on the ledge, Sonic cried and fell into the dark hedgehog's arms, crying in terror and relief. Shadow held onto him tightly, rocking him back and forth as he rubbed his back soothingly.
"Shhh. It's ok. It's ok. I'm here. I gotcha. Shh." He whispered.
"I need to stop. I need to stop." Sonic begged through shaky sobs.
"Of course, my love. We'll stop right here and take a break. Take all the time you need."
As Sonic cried, Shadow held onto him, not letting him go for anything. He wasn't going to admit it, but the fall had scared him too. He was sure that he had lost Sonic all over again. He didn't know what he would've done if he had gone completely over.
They stayed like that, embraced in each other's arms for at least an hour before Sonic was finally calm and ready to try again. He stayed close to Shadow this time, watching him carefully to see where he was putting his hands and feet, and following him in step.
At last, the two reached the ridge, and much to their delight, there was a path that took them right around the snow that was blocking their trail. Shadow turned to Sonic, a small smile on his face. "When we come back down, if this snow isn't melted by the time we reach it, we'll climb down using the ropes. I promise."
Sonic smiled back at him, his eyes still a little red from the crying. "Sounds like a good idea, Shads. Now come on. I'm ready to get to the top already."
Shadow chuckled. Even after that scare, his azure love was still eager to climb to the top of the Swiss Alps.
Well, he better not keep him waiting then.