AberrantKapro | Gerard 

Still disgruntled by Solas’ antics and carelessness, Gerard pushed Söl aside to take the lead. He was relieved that it was just a toad they had encountered just now, as it could’ve easily been something way worse than a grumpy, warty amphibian lurking, but there was no time to truly relax, not yet. The cistern’s exit was just up ahead and Gerard was far beyond over this disgusting, wet place. He looked forward to leaving all that muck behind and going on to more glorious encounters, but to his dismay the party was met with a narrow hallway, just barely wide enough for a more bulky built courser, unlike himself, to pass through. He turned around to face the rest of the party.

“Listen up. We don’t know what's ahead, so I will take the lead in case we encounter anything inconspicuous. I don’t trust Solas with our lives for one bit, and I’m sure he’s well aware of that by now.” Gerard said and paused, taking a look at the weld puck and his disgruntled goose companion. “As for the lineup here, considering it’s a single file only, I would prefer to keep Solas somewhere in the middle, I don’t trust that he will not back out and run off to get himself in trouble, and seeing as I signed up to protect you all, it is my duty to make sure he does not get himself in trouble. How you all want to line up is otherwise none of my business. Are we all on the same page here?” 

The splash chestnut scanned over the rest of the group with his blue eyes and awaited their replies, and for them to decide how they wanted to proceed. He personally felt like they had no time to waste, but he also didn’t necessarily want to pressure them into making hasty decisions.

312 words

Dillyweed | Söl / Öte

Söl let Gerard pass by him without any complaining. He was not the leader type anyway. He preferred following over leading. Sure he had his moments when he could take control of a situation and it’s not as if he was useless overall. But he was more of an information type of character rather than a charge ahead type of character like Solas seemed to be.
He listened to what Gerard said and quickly decided to take the spot after Gerard. Not that he would have had especially much choice. Öte was resting his head on Solas butt beside the goose and the two stallions were batting their eyes at each other. It seemed that, given that Solas was supposed to end up in the middle Söl could either choose between behind Gerard or at the end of the lead. He preferred Gerard.
So they took up behind Gerard. The lead was Gerard, Söl, Solas and Öte. It seemed to be quite a quick decision on everyone's part. Solas and Öte didn’t seem to mind one bit by the way they kept their conversation going. It was such a carefree conversation about what they would do when they got out. What they would eat. It was so casual. Söl kept his eyes on Gerard instead. Gerard didn’t seem particularly happy either. There was a chance that their journey would end soon if this continued. Söl would be disappointed if it did. Not so much about losing Solas and Öte’s company. But Gerards company for sure.
In the midst of his thinking he felt a jagged rock try to cut him. It felt like his imagination was playing with him. He looked behind him, he could barely turn his head. The tunnel’s sides were most definitely getting slowly closer to them. He turned his head back. Gerard must have noticed as well as Öte and Solas. Their casual talk had ended and it seemed like all four of them were concentrating hard on walking forward instead and not getting cut by any pointy rocks that covered the walls.
He could feel his heart skip a beat. Just for a second. It felt like it when he realized it would either open up or they would be locked in a tunnel they could not pass through. He pinned his ears back. He didn’t want to think about it. He really didn’t. But He couldn’t stop thinking about how it looked like the walls were pressing in on them. He counted down under his breath. Not loud enough for anyone else. What did father always say? It’s not the walls that take your breath away, it’s the panic. He let a small snort out. Letting the stress out at the same time. He would not be the one to panic.
He kept his eyes forward. Looking at the back of Gerards head.

479 words

AberrantKapro | Solas

While Gerard uttered his plan, Solas snorted as he very clearly stated that he wasn't trustworthy. He knew he wasn't. He never claimed he was, and never intended to come across that way either. His whole agenda was to live in the moment and to act on his feelings, even if it wasn't the best thing to do. 

The rest of what was said he completely shut out as he turned to Öte and gave him all of his attention. He was so happy to have him there, and he couldn't wait to come back home and share a hearty meal by an open fire. Ahh.. What a peaceful thought. 

The group started to move along, and seeing as Söl followed after Gerard as fast as he did, Solas knew he was next. Reluctantly, he followed Söl. He definitely would've preferred to have his boyfriend to look at and maybe bug with some playful biting, but alas, he could not have that. 

While the corridor was almost too tight to look back, Solas kept doing so as best as he could while conversing with Öte. He pretty much just assumed the other two were ignoring him, so he kept the subjects personal.

Soon enough however, he no longer had enough room to turn his head around, so he grumpily stared at the back of Söl’s head, pinning his own long ears back. He wanted to see his boyfriend's pretty face again already. Upset, Solas flicked his bobbed tail, and the bored Robert on top of his butt made it his little game to try and catch it, but he wasn't very successful,so instead he started waddling back and forth across the puck’s back, hoping it would make time pass by faster. 

It tickled a bit as Robert waddled all over his back, but Solas didn't mind. He knew all too well how awful it felt to be bored. 

The group eventually came to a halt, and Solas tried to see what was in front of them but to no avail. All he could do was hope it wasn't imminent death. 

351 words

Dillyweed | Söl / Öte

Söl counted to himself. From one to ten as it became harder and harder to pass through the tunnels. He had to keep calm. He didn’t want to freak out any of the other Coursers. He also didn’t want to make himself look like a big chicken. He had so far enjoyed Gerards company and if he freaked out he would never be able to ask him if he could perhaps join him on another campaign in the future. As long as Solas wasn’t in on it. Öte could join by himself. But Solas would have to stay away. The walls kept coming closer. Eventually they could barely pass by. Everytime he had to release a breath to be able to pass by two real close walls he could feel his heart beat against the ribs. He swore he could hear it in the walls. Not only his own heartbeat. But he could hear the heartbeats of all the other ones. Four heartbeats.
Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-dunk.

Was it the feeling of claustrophobia that made him think that there was something special about the cave they were in. Was it just a normal cave? Or was there something special about it? Was it never ending? Perhaps this was how the cavern fed all its inhabitants. Waiting for travelers to try and walk the tunnels of the cave. He felt the cave walls press against his sides. But he was sure he hadn’t moved to a smaller space. Maybe he was imagining it but did the cave press him? He counted down. Listened to the heartbeats.
Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-dunk.
He used whatever tools he had to keep himself calm. The death would not be the walls, it would be the panic he told himself over and over again. He pressed himself by a smaller piece of the tunnel again. He could hear the others behind him managing to press themself through it as well. He listened to cave. To Gerard in front of him. “Keep going, slowly.” Words of comfort. And he listened again to the heartbeats. One for each of them. Four heartbeats against the walls.
Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Da-dunk.
A cold feeling ran down his back. It hadn’t been four that time. It was five. Sure the fifth heartbeat he felt on the wall could’ve been the goose. But the Goose was on Solas' back. Not pressed against the wall.
Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Da-dunk.
Five again. He had to fight his panic. Keep calm. It was only the claustrophobia. There was no reason to panic. He was mishearing it.
Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-
“Exit!” He heard Gerard yell and he felt his heart jump.
They all excited the tunnel one by one and Söl made sure to take big breaths. He managed. He kept calm. Sort of. He was fairly calm. Öte and Solas immediately began their physical contact again after the cave and Söl moved over to Gerard.
“A break now, is only fair.” Gerard nodded.
Söl looked into the tunnel. There were two lights in the tunnel. They were wide apart. But they were there. Standing still. In the darkness. He recognised the eyes. They haunted him in the caves. Slowly they disappeared. Was it the fifth beat?

543 words