Chapter 2
When Allura awoke with a groan, she couldn't tell at first that her eyes were actually open or not. Then the feeling of fingers on her shoulder reminded the Altean of just what had happened, and who she'd been with at the time.
"Pidge?"
"H-hey, Allura."
"Are you alright?"
"'Mm fine, b-but we're, both s-stuck." Frowning, Allura attempted to shift herself, only to strain against the weight of the rocks atop her and reluctantly still again.
"So it seems. Have you been able to contact the others?"
"Yeah, th-the comms are w-working f-fine." Something in the paladin's voice finally registered in Allura's mind, causing her to peer through the pitch black of the cave to where the girl was.
"...Are you quite certain you're alright?"
"...No."
Worried, Allura forced her right arm out from beneath the rubble, reaching blindly until she could grasp Pidge's arm. "What's wrong?"
"...Th-this isn't the, the f-first time I've been t-tr-trapped in a c-cave..."
"Just hold onto me, Katie."
"Matt, I- I'm scared."
"That's okay, it's okay. We won't be stuck here for long. Mom and Dad and the tour guide know we're down here, they'll get us out, or go get help." When Katie whimpered, her brother's arms tightened around her, providing the reassurance that his words couldn't.
"W-we were th-there f-for th-th-three hours b-before a rescue t-team came," Pidge whispered, and she sounded so young in that moment that Allura desperately wished she wasn't pinned, so as to be able to hug the human girl close in the same way her brother has once done. Instead, she squeezed reassuringly on Pidge's arm, conveying as much warmth as she could through the small gesture.
"We won't be here that long, Pidge, I promise you. We can even hear the others digging right now, can't we?" And sure enough, echoing around the small pocket of air that their heads were in was the sound of distant, shifting earth and the occasional shouted command. "It won't be long at all now."
There was a small hiccuping noise in the darkness.
Gritting her teeth, Allura used as much of her strength as she was able to push herself a few inches off the ground, turning partway onto her side in order to stretch both arms outward. Hands grasping onto Pidge, she then pulled the small paladin a tad closer, ignoring the pained gasp as rocks readjusted on top of already abused armor.
With Pidge finally close enough to embrace, Allura went still again, urging Shiro and the others to hurry in her mind.
