"Good job, shuck-face. You just got us both killed." Gally's voice bounced off the Maze walls, echoing, loudly, down the stone corridor.
"Hey, don't blame this on me!" Lionblaze put his hands in the air as he turned away from the wall, "It's not my fault you agreed to come with me!"
Gally just folded his arms over his chest, as they both glared at each other through an uncomfortable silence. A loud growling sound came from further in the Maze, startling the two boys. They exchanged a quick glance, before they both ran.
"Great," Gally muttered. "Just what we need."
Lionblaze shot him a sideways glance. "Let's just focus on getting out of here, okay?" His voice was calm, but Gally could sense the tension beneath.
Gally's jaw clenched, but he nodded. They continued on, their senses on high alert. The air was thick with the smell of grease and metal, and the sound of the Griever's growling grew louder.
Suddenly, the Griever emerged from the shadows, its metal body glowing with an eerie light. Gally let out a shout as it charged towards him. Lionblaze reacted instinctively, tackling Gally to the ground and shielding him from the Griever's deadly stinger. It's metal legs screeched against the stone floor, mere inches from their faces.
Gally's eyes widened as he stared up at Lionblaze, a mix of shock and gratitude on his face. "Thanks," he said, his voice rough.
Lionblaze helped Gally to his feet, and for a moment, the tension was forgotten, replaced by a sense of gratitude. They stood together, their chests heaving, as they caught their breath.
"Let's go!" Lionblaze said, his eyes locked on the Griever.
Gally nodded, and together they began running again, away from the screeching monster behind them. They came to a dead end in where the doors had closed on the opposite side of the Glade.
As they stood panting, Gally turned to Lionblaze with a newfound respect. "I owe you one," he said, placing his hand on his shoulder.
Lionblaze smiled wryly. "You can repay me by getting us out of this Maze alive."
"Right," Gally grimaced, "Let's go."
As they navigated the Maze, Gally and Lionblaze started to open up to each other. They laughed and joked together for the first time. Their differences were still there, but they were no longer the focus.
Finally, after what seemed like hours of running the Maze, they saw a glimmer of light ahead. The doors had opened.
Their hearts pounding in their chests, they sprinted towards the exit, their footsteps echoing off the walls. They emerged into the bright sunlight, gasping in relief as they stumbled out of the Maze.
As they looked back at the towering structure that surrounded them, Gally turned to Lionblaze with a nod. "Pleasure doing business with ya."
Lionblaze smiled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Yeah."
"Lionblaze!" Hollyleaf cried out, flinging herself at her brother, "You made it!"
As they walked back to Homestead, Gally turned to Lionblaze, "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but...thanks for having back in the Maze."
Lionblaze's smile grew wider. "No problem."
"You know," Gally said, his voice reflective, "I never thought I'd make it out of the Maze alive."
Lionblaze nodded, his eyes gazing out at the river. "I know what you mean. I didn't think we'd make it out either."
Gally turned to him, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "What made you decide to save me back there?"
Lionblaze shrugged, a small smile on his face. "I guess I just realized that you're not such a shuck-face after all."
Gally laughed, then left the Homestead to go and join the others, surrounding the campfire.