Gas like any other filled the room, Shadow doing all he could to avoid breathing in all of it. Phantom was struggling just as badly while Daravna and Desiree seemed to be doing fine. The black stallion squinted at them, how?

Not that he had the time to actually care how they were reacting since, ya know, he’d probably die if he did.

As his blue eyes scanned over the group, he could see Phantom slowly going down beside him. Shadow let out the breath he was holding as his eyes began to sting, and as he took his second deep breath he pushed on towards the grey courser. They were so close to the next chamber but he didn’t know how long he was going to be able to hold on. 

…

Phantom could feel his body reacting to the gas that was swirling around them, his breath getting shorter and his vision blurring. He didn’t like the way it was making him feel and as he looked around he could feel the room spinning faster and faster. The last thing he saw before he started to fall was Shadow making his way over.

“Help… please.” Was all he could get out before he went down. Shadow cursed under his breath and yelled at the two in front of him.

“Get your asses over here and help me with him! You guys seem fine so why in the hell would you leave us behind?” Daravna just shrugged and looked at Desiree who glared at the back of Shadow’s head. The black stallion could feel her eyes on him and he shot his head around, a wild look in his eyes.

“If you didn’t want to help, then you shouldn’t have bothered coming down here with us in the first place. I don’t care if you think you and your dog are the only things that are important down here or whatever the hell you call it, but our lives are in danger. If we die down here I will come back to haunt your ass.” 

The puck courser was taken aback by his words, why did he think she didn’t care? It’s not like she wanted horses to die during her escapades, she didn’t even think about the possibility. The fact that she and Daravna weren’t bothered much by the gas made her feel even worse, of course the others with them wouldn’t be ok.

“I’m sorry, ok? I don't often think about others when I’m set on finishing what I’m doing. Let’s just get him out of here before the gas actually kills him.” Desiree nodded at Daravna and the three of them lifted Phantom as best as they could. 

Shadow was starting to feel the effects of the gas as well alongside the fact he was holding his breath so often. He stumbled a few times and had to take a quick break before they continued on. 

…

It felt like an eternity had passed before they made it to the other chamber. Phantom’s chest rose and fell, though his breaths seemed shallow. Shadow secretly hoped that he would snap out of it, and that the gas wouldn’t have long term effects on the poor stallion. 

Desiree and Daravna were awkwardly standing to the side, talking about what they were going to do if he didn’t come to. Would they have to carry his body out of here, or would he be too heavy and they’d have to leave him here? Would Shadow even let them just leave the younger courser here anyway, or would he just opt in to staying by the grey’s side?

“Desiree, we can’t just leave him here. Shadow would hunt you down if we just up and left the poor creature.” The bay roan sighed, why did her companion have to be right?

“I know, I know. I don’t think he even breathed enough of it in for it to kill him, but I don’t think we’d be able to just carry him out without having to take multiple breaks. Besides, I think Shadow woul-” Her whispers were cut short when a long groan escaped the grey stallion’s maw. 

“You guys talk too much, can’t a guy sleep around here?” Shadow was quick to check on Phantom and the grey let out a raspy chuckle. At least the gas didn’t kill his humor.

“Phantom I swear to whatever god is out there if you pull something like that again I will wake you up and kill you myself.” Another chuckle and Phantom was pushing himself to sit up. 

“Don’t worry, I can never die. Like I said, you’re stuck with me forever. But enough with the chit-chat, I’m starting to get hungry.”

The three that could stand helped Phantom up, relief washing over all of them as they slowly made their way further into the dungeon.