A/N: In case you don't know, I typically don't update here until I've updated on AO3... so apologies for the wait!
When he came to the drop-off, he had attempted to stop. Honestly. However, as he skid, the ground beneath his feet seemed to change and his feet lost their grip, sending him tumbling over the edge. When he hit the ground at the bottom, the wind was knocked out of him and he groaned, opening his eyes to stare at the canopy above.
He was lying on grass, but clearly whatever was under the soil was not soft in the slightest. His back ached, but he was thankful he had landed on his back and not his arm or- worse- his head.
Pushing himself to his feet, the Lapinian took a few breaths and stood up straight, ignoring the ache. Blu's eyes trailed over to the wall of the drop off and instantly he felt relief flood through him.
The jagged stone wall towered over him, but when he was ready he'd be able to climb back up. Undoubtedly it would tear the wounds on his hands open again, but he would deal with that when it came. At the moment he was just glad he hadn't fallen against the jagged wall.
Something about the wall bothered him, though. He looked left and he looked right; the drop off continued, somewhat jaggedly, for as far as he could see. It was like he was standing in a bowl.
Don't think about it, Blu, he sighed to himself, turning around to face the forest ahead of him. It's probably nothing.
Silence echoed around him, somehow much, much more... suffocating than in the rest of the forest. Trees towered over him, perfectly still as they reached for the sky above... or towards each other.
His eyes scanned over the sight of fallen and falling trees that were caught by another. I should go back. Too many trees are downed here, that's a bad sign.
Oh, what are you talking about? There's no telling how long ago those fell. Come on, nothing lives here, explore a little.
It was a sudden thought, completely against the nervous, worried twisting in his stomach. He knew he should turn back... but then he reminded himself that he was Lapinian, he shouldn't feel worried or nervous, and if he wanted to get past it he needed to head deeper into the silence... if only to try and figure it out. He glanced back at the stone wall, frowning.
Well. It couldn't hurt... if I just go straight, I won't get lost.
With that decided, he continued onwards, ignoring the feeling inside screaming get out of here.
(If the Rabbit had known what instinct felt like, perhaps he would have turned around. But he didn't.)
As he walked, he watched the way the soil sifted beneath his feet. It looked like the grass alone was keeping it in place; it was a thin layer above a solid foundation. The soft padding of dirt and grass couldn't cover the rough texture under it.
Stone, he realized, furrowing his brow and glancing up at the trees around. There's stone under the grass and soil, so... what are the trees rooted to?
It was unnerving. It didn't make any sense; trees don't grow on stone. There was no wind, so the trees were deathly still. How is the canopy so thick? These trees can't have the nutrition they need.
But... it's an alien planet, I don't know how these trees work.
With that reminder, he continued on. For all he knew, these trees could grow through stone. The downed trees could easily be a probability, he reasoned. Some trees stuck, some didn't.
Let's hope that theory is right or else I am taking one hell of a risk out here.
Soon the trees dispersed and Blu found himself standing in a clearing. In the center was a pond of some sort. Curious, the blue Rabbit approached, pausing just at the edge to look into the water.
It looked clean but he knew looks could be deceiving- especially in still water. The pond was clear, the light filtering impossibly through the thick canopy above penetrating several feet before tapering off. There seemed to be no current, no motion, and no life in the rounded pond.
Something was nagging him about what he saw, though.
It's really deep, he noted, ears twitching. It wasn't odd for still waters to be deep, of course... it was just an observation. The sides are stone, too... just like the drop-off wall. Does that mean anything? Is it coincidence? Or is it just how this area works... stone underneath a thin layer of soil... it's almost like-
His thoughts were rudely interrupted as something landed on his shoulder. With a small, surprised cry, he whirled around to face who- or what- had touched him. He had just enough time to register the purple Rabbit before his foot landed wrong, slipping on the loose soil at the edge of the pond.
For a moment, fear spiked through him as he felt his weight shift backwards, but then the Lacatran grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him away from the pond. Although Blu definitely wanted to chew the taller Rabbit out for touching him, he would take that any day over falling into the deep pond.
"What the hell?" Bonnie demanded as he released Blu's shirt.
"Don't sneak up on people!" Blu immediately threw back at him, stepping to the side. He didn't want the elder Rabbit to know just how badly he had startled (and scared) him, so he quickly moved past him. "Damn Rabbit..."
"What were you thinking?" the purple Rabbit questioned, and Blu just knew without even looking that Bonnie was following him.
What are you following me for?! Go away!
"You wouldn't care," he opted to say. "I was looking for a logical explanation."
"Answer me," Bonnie demanded and Blu scowled, keeping his eyes ahead of him as he approached the other side of the clearing.
"I did answer you." It was technically true, he just didn't give the Rabbit the answer he desired.
"No you didn't," the Lacatran actually growled. "What are you thinking?"
Is he honestly annoyed that I'm not speaking my mind?! Do you want me to shut up or talk? For the love of- just make up your mind, colonist!
Finally, though, when it became clear that Bonnie wouldn't let up on it, he bit out, "This place is scientifically incorrect."
"Then just stop looking for scientific explanations. If there's none, just accept it," Bonnie stated, sounding so smug that Blu really wanted to just claw the other's face off.
"I can't just stop," he growled slightly, stopping just a few feet short of the treeline to turn and face the Rabbit. "Being ignorant isn't a good thing."
The irritation was clear on Bonnie's face and Blu knew he was about to get lectured. Lectured by a Lacatran? I don't think so. He turned his back as the Rabbit began with, "Look, knowing something is and..."
Blu promptly tuned out as his eyes landed on a fallen tree ahead of him. Something was nagging at him about the tree... His gaze trailed up and down it, noting that the leaves were still full and green. That the tree had only recently fallen.
Suddenly he realized... many of the trees he'd seen walking through had still been alive and green. Many of them had fallen recently- within the last few days, if the thickness and green of the leaves were anything to go by. Something twisted in his stomach.
His gaze snapped to the downed tree's roots, dreading what he'd see.
They were attached to nothing, and the soil it had been settled on was clinging to its roots. Blu couldn't see what had been under the tree, though, not from that angle.
His heart sped up. A bad feeling welled up in his chest.
Stone wall, stone floor, downed trees, perfectly still, pond in the middle of clearing with absolutely no streams... trees with no grip. Something isn't right here.
Whatever Bonnie was saying was ignored as Blu's mind raced, and he suddenly ran over to the tree, making sure to stop in a way that wouldn't cause his feet to slide across the soil and stone. What met his sight made him feel somewhat numb. The hole beneath the tree wasn't large, but it was deep. It was deep, dark, and wet, with drops sliding down the walls and dripping down into the blackness below. Echoing back, Blu could hear a splash.
The walls were stone.
A cave, he realized, eyes widening slightly. We're standing above a cave. The drop-off... it wasn't natural. The roof of a cave system- it collapsed. Or is collapsing slowly over time.
A cave system... filled with water.
Oh no...
The pond flashed into his mind, the water lapping against the stone wall. No streams ran in or from it, the water completely still with no sign of life inside.
Not a pond. A hole. A hole in the ceiling filled with water. But if there's this hole and that hole- then how many more holes are there?
In the distance, he heard leaves rustle. A glance up showed the trees, at the very top, beginning to sway in the wind.
He could almost swear his heart skipped a beat because now he knew.
He knew.
"We have to get out of here."
He wasn't sure what the Rabbit had been saying before, but he knew that he had interrupted him. At that moment, though, Blu didn't care. "What?" he heard Bonnie question. He didn't sound offended, just... wary. Confused. Uneasy.
Blu turned to look at him. "I get why this place is the way it is," he told the Rabbit simply. There was no time for explanation. "We have to get out of here right now."
Those red eyes stared at him before trailing down to the hole near Blu's feet. In the distance there was the crash of a falling tree, echoing loudly in the silence around them.
Blu knew Bonnie understood now. He could tell by the way the Rabbit had tensed up, but still he said, "We're standing in a death trap."
As if to accentuate his words, there was the sound of ripping. Both of their gazes snapped over to the edge of the clearing and they watched, wide-eyed, as a tree went crashing down, soil and grass flying up into the air. The wind caught it, carrying it across the clearing.
The wind.
"Run," was all he managed to utter, but Bonnie didn't need to hear anything more as both Rabbits whirled around and took off in the direction they had come from.
The silence that had been settled around them was no more, but Blu would much rather hear the unnerving quiet than the terrifying sound of howling wind, rustling leaves, ripping grass roots, and trees slamming against the stone beneath their feet.
His heart racing and adrenaline pumping, he surprisingly was able to keep up with the larger Rabbit. Behind them, a tree slammed into the ground and Blu could feel soil from the impact hit the back of his leg. Thankfully it was just soil and not stone, but it was still terrifying.
When the tree crashed down right in front of them, causing both of them to skid to a stop, Blu slipped in the soil and fell to the ground, and he had a new definition of terrifying. Bonnie grabbed his arm and yanked him up as he darted to the side, and Blu was forced to continue running so he wouldn't stumble and bring both of them down. When he was steady on his feet again, Bonnie released him.
Holes. There could be holes under the soil, Blu remembered through his panicked haze. We were lucky not to fall in before, now we're off our path...!
"There could be holes!" he tried to warn the older Rabbit through his, admittedly rough, breathing, his eyes on the ground. He flinched as a tree fell with a resounding bang! right next to them, but neither of them slowed down. "Watch out for-"
As he tried to give the warning again, the ground beneath them gave; he could hear the grass ripping a second before the soil collapsed, sending both of them falling into the hole. Instinctively, Blu's hands shot out towards the side, grabbing for any support he could. One hand landed in the sifting, falling soil above while the other slammed into the stone, sending a shockwave of pain up and down his arm.
With a strangled cry, he clung to the wall. Next to him Bonnie seemed to fare better, quickly locating footholds to climb up and out of the hole, but Blu just couldn't get a good enough grip to climb. The wet, slippery stone dug painfully into his left hand- oh man this stings, it's open isn't it, why did I leave the bandages behind?!- as he tightened his grip, and the dirt sifting under his right hand threatened to send him falling down into the hole.
Somewhere in the darkness below, he could hear the rain of soil and grass hit water.
Oh man, drowning- not the way I pictured dying, he thought miserably to himself. Wonder what would be better- drowning or being crushed by a tree? Does it really matter? Either way you're dead in the end.
However, before he could really continue thinking about his own imminent demise, Bonnie grabbed his right wrist and yanked him up. He yelped in surprise, flailing slightly as he no longer had anything to hold onto. Then his feet were back on the ground.
He could hear ripping grass.
"Don't just sit there, you idiot!" Bonnie hissed, dragging him along just as the tree fell towards them. "Run!"
Bonnie's eyes were on the trees around them, watching for the trees that fell, so Blu let his eyes fall to the ground to watch for the holes. His sharp eyes easily noticed the slight nuance between the supported soil and the soil depending solely on the grass to hold it up.
It was... oddly natural, how they fell into their new "roles." Bonnie, still gripping Blu's wrist, pulling the younger along and avoiding the falling trees, and Blu avoiding the holes in the ground, tugging or pushing at Bonnie's hand to indicate which direction to move in.
It was an instinctive system made up in the moment, and Blu knew it wouldn't have worked long-term. Eventually they would have come upon a hole and a falling tree, where the only choice would have been to either fall or risk getting crushed. However, it wasn't a long-term solution or a long-term problem, as the stone drop-off- the cave's walls- came into sight relatively soon after.
The sight of the wall was welcome, and even though it wasn't the same place Blu had fallen from it wouldn't be hard to find their way back.
The real challenge would be climbing, and Blu wasn't quite sure he could manage it. He would damn well try, though.
The Rabbits reached the wall without much more incident (not including the tree that slammed into the wall itself, breaking in half on the jagged edge), and Bonnie promptly released Blu's wrist in favour of climbing.
Blu's hands met the cold stone wall and he bit back a hiss. He didn't take time to look at his wounds; he knew the soil was clinging to them and climbing up the stone wall would only aggravate them.
I'll take my chances, he thought, gritting his teeth as he started climbing. He wasn't as quick as the Lacatran- no surprise there- and he knew he didn't have time to be careful, but the pain in his hands made it hard, so very hard, to get a proper grip.
Still, he was very aware of the trees still crashing down behind him, the wind howling in the canopy above. How any of the trees, with absolutely no grip in the ground below, survived the onslaught was a mystery- a mystery Blu had no interest in solving.
Note to self- never again! Note to self- listen to instincts! Note to self- don't go anywhere alone! Note to self, don't be a freaking idiot!
When his hands hit soil, he was all too happy to pull himself up. Almost immediately his hands slipped in the loose soil, but he managed to catch himself before he could tumble all the way back down. He dug his hand through the soil, finding the stone beneath, and he latched onto the rough surface and pulled himself up into the relative safety of the raised ground.
The top part of a tree slammed into the wall right next to him, its thin, brittle twig-like branches slapping him in the face and shoulder. He let out a startled and slightly-pained yelp and scrambled away, lifting a hand to his cheek. He could already feel the stinging, where the whip-like branches and leaves had hit with far too much pressure and speed.
He was just glad it was his cheek and not his eye or neck. His shirt seemed to have saved his shoulder, but he wasn't quite sure at that moment; it was stinging somewhat but not nearly as badly.
Pushing himself to his feet, he glanced around and found Bonnie, whose foot seemed to have been trapped by one of the falling trees as he pulled himself over. A quick scan of the Lacatran's face showed that he didn't seem to be in severe pain so the idea that the tree had completely crushed his foot quieted.
That was good; Blu was a lot shorter than the older Rabbit, he was sure that he wouldn't be the best support for Bonnie if his foot were crushed or even broken.
The blue Rabbit made his way over to the purple Rabbit, keeping his eyes on the trees next to the drop-off. He knew any of them could fall towards them; that close, they could even land on them. Luckily for Bonnie, it seemed that the tree that landed against his leg had been a fair distance away, so it was the thinner, lighter top half pinning his foot down and hanging over the edge.
Still, how'd he manage to not crush his foot?
It didn't take long to get his answer. The purple Rabbit's last foothold had been inside a cranny in the wall, and the tree had fallen at an angle where it was putting little to no pressure on the leg, most of it settled down on the stones the Lacatran's foot was between.
(Blu chose to ignore the fact that the tree had fallen right behind himself and could have easily slammed into him had it been just an inch or two to the left.)
The bark was just barely pressing against Bonnie's foot; the real problem was that now Bonnie could not remove his foot from the cranny.
Better stuck than crushed, though, Blu figured.
He had never been a big believer in luck but at that moment Blu could honestly say that the other Rabbit was probably the luckiest Lacatran in the world.
Then he remembered that there were only two Lacatrans on the planet so pickings for luckiest were rather slim, anyway.
Brushing his miniature tangent off, Blu glanced up at Bonnie. The colonist looked frustrated as he tugged uselessly at his foot. A crashing several yards away caused both Rabbits to wince.
Focus on the task at hand, Blu told himself, turning his gaze back to Bonnie's trapped foot. The Rabbit wasn't wearing shoes, he noticed for the first time, but he didn't dwell on it; in the villages of Lacatra, shoes were more detrimental than safe, reducing the gripping capabilities of the Rabbits who lived in the forests there. Bonnie not wearing shoes should have honestly been a given.
Think quickly, Blu, the wind's getting stronger- more trees will fall at this rate. He glanced up at the forest, then towards the tree trapping Bonnie's foot. The Lacatran might have been speaking but Blu wasn't quite sure; his thoughts took up all of his concentration.
Bonnie's foot is trapped but the tree isn't actually on it. It's stone, can't dig him out; don't have any tools at hand to cut the tree... I am so not strong enough to move it, it's- wait!
Blu's eyes flicked between the tree, noting its awkward angle, and the ground, then back towards the stone the tree had landed against. He could just barely see scrape marks where the tree first hit and slid before settling.
It's unstable, he realized suddenly, noting the way the tree was lying across the stone. I don't need to be strong enough to move it, just leverage it. It's balanced weakly across the stone the Lacatran's foot's stuck in, if I can move it just a few inches gravity should take care of the rest!
Thankfully it's the lighter half of the tree...
Scrambling to his feet, Blu moved around Bonnie, ignoring the way the Lacatran looked at him. He didn't have time to explain anything.
Rabbits have naturally strong legs, if I brace my back against the ground I could use my legs to shift the tree.
Following that train of thought and ignoring the tree top that smashed against the stone hardly two feet to his left, he dropped down to the ground, planted his feet against the tree and dug his hands through the dirt, grabbing the stone beneath for extra support. It didn't take him even a few seconds to determine where the tree was weakest, putting as much pressure against it as he could.
The tree shifted a few centimeters, but he didn't let up on the pressure. Weakening, the tree slipped further, and Blu's legs were beginning to burn from the effort.
Light half or not, the tree was heavy.
Finally, though, the tree shifted and jerked as its precarious balance was thrown off. Blu had all of three seconds to register it falling, drop his legs, and roll away from the incoming branches and leaves as the tree tumbled back down the stone wall.
He collided with Bonnie as he did so, but he would much rather be too close to the Lacatran than be where he was lying before as one of the tree's branches slammed down, taking the soil, grass, and chunks of stone with it as it sent the tree twisting back down onto the collapsed cavern roof. Blu tried not to think about how close to getting himself killed he had been; that branch had broken the stone away, who knew what it could have done to his body?
With his foot free, Bonnie yanked himself completely over the side of the drop, and Blu pushed himself to his own feet.
His legs were burning but they weren't safe yet.
Bonnie grabbed his wrist again and dragged him along, perfectly aware of how much danger they were still in. Neither of them said anything, concentrating solely on get away get away get out of here!
The younger wasn't sure how much time had passed before they could no longer hear the crashing of trees, but as the sounds of disaster and terror faded the Rabbits slowed down to a stop, both's breathing somewhat ragged from the continuous run and the physical effort it had taken to get away from the death-bowl.
As the Lacatran released Blu's wrist, Blu promptly let himself fall to the ground, leaning back against a tree and looking at his ruined hands. They were coated in dirt and bleeding, his cheek was bleeding, and his legs were aching; he had no doubt Bonnie had gotten hurt somehow as well, when they fell in the hole or when the tree had trapped him. It had still been touching him, after all.
Need to get to the stream, he told himself, but he couldn't convince himself to move.
"Come on, get up," Bonnie told him, voice somewhat rough from his breathing. "We need to get to the stream at least."
Blu knew he was right- he had literally just thought the same thing- but part of him wanted to be selfish, just for once.
(He ignored the part of him that pointed out that had Bonnie just left when he noticed Blu had gone over the drop, like Blu had been wanting, the Lapinian would probably be dead and no one would have ever known his fate.)
"We just escaped a death trap," he complained instead, dropping his hands and leaning his head against the tree. Every part of him was screaming, it seemed. "Can't we rest even a little while?"
If the Lacatran was going to protest, he didn't voice it. Instead, a few seconds of silence passed between them before Bonnie sighed in irritation, but rather than try and force Blu to continue onwards he dropped down across from Blu, leaning against the tree there. Blu didn't pay him anymore mind, choosing to close his eyes and concentrate on his breathing. He had never done that much physical labour in his life, and the fact that he considered running and climbing physical labour almost upset him.
The only positive he could find, and it wasn't really a positive at all, was that he could hear the purple Rabbit's rough breathing, letting him know that Bonnie felt the effects too.
Heavy silence fell around them, but this time it was welcomed. The wind in the trees above was the only sound.