AberrantKapro | Strohmeier / Senbonzakura

After some discussion among the group and a careful decision later, they trotted along the cavern tunnel to their left, hoping that it was indeed the correct choice. Strohmeier was a bit more on edge than he normally was, he was usually very well composed and confident, but all these dungeon tricks had started to take a toll on him. He very much looked forward to a vacation. Preferably a long, sunny one at that. 

Senbonzakura had left the lead up to Strohmeier and Rial this time. He, too, needed a break at times despite being very comfortable in the front. He looked over at Söl, who was more or less keeping his pace, and couldn't help but find it absolutely adorable with Bart swinging in his mane. The little bat was looking back at Senbonzakura, but it didn't say much. 

“I know I've probably thanked you before but thank you, Söl, for sticking with us. I, we, really enjoy your company.” Senbonzakura said to the bay dun with a gentle smile. 

Strohmeier stopped the group as they approached an out of place grate in a tunnel ahead. “Stay back.” he ordered Kinka and Micke, who both were quick to go behind him. Last time they stumbled upon something like this, Senbonzakura had been bit by some ungodly creature, an undead courser. He shuddered and looked back at his partner, thinking about what could have happened to him if they had not managed to get him loose from its grasp. He didn't want to think about it, but it was hard not to picture awful scenes of endless possibilities. 

Just as the group was about to move on and find a way around the grate, thinking and hoping that nothing would be there this time, the shape of a courser appeared at the end of the tunnel and rushed up towards the thick iron bars with great speed. 

“Finally! Some life down here!” it exclaimed, with a very convincingly alive and hopeful voice as it stopped just outside of the light, making it impossible to see what it looked like yet. “I have been lost down here for so long, I never thought I would find my way out, please help me!” it begged, just as it stepped out of the dark shadows to reveal its undead self to the living coursers. 

Strohmeier's heart sank and anxiety washed over him, he almost thought it was a living courser for a second. He felt awful and could only imagine the terror the lost dungeoneer must have felt before their inevitable demise, but he was also curious what had cause it to become undead instead of straight up dying.

Senbonzakura had marched forward and pushed Strohmeier to the side, his steps and gaze filled with determination and anger. Strohmeier decided it was best to not say anything, he could tell that the madder champagne was extremely agitated and he didn’t want to make it worse.

“We have no place for the likes of you.” Senbonzakura snarled in an almost unrecognisable voice, so filled with hostility and disdain that it made Strohmeier take a small step back as he had never seen him so angry before. He did his best to suppress it, but fear was very prominent as he spoke as well. 

This caused the undead courser to let out an almost hissing sound as it lunged forward, but being unable to reach them it instead started desperately chewing at the grate bars in an attempt to break through, teeth and bone shards slowly breaking loose each aggressive bite. Micke and Kinka whined and curled up to appear even smaller behind Strohmeier, hoping he could make it go away. They looked over at Senbonzakura, before the undead courser paused its assault on the iron to scream at him. 

“Just you wait until I sink my teeth into your disgusting throat! You are despicable! You lack compassion for a fellow comrade!” it shrieked before resuming in biting the bars, slowly but surely breaking itself apart. 

Its words struck Senbonzakura rather hard, almost as if he had actually betrayed this courser in particular. He would never leave a comrade behind. Even if it cost him his life. He was devastated, heartbroken, reminded of everyone who had lost their lives to save him. But he took a deep breath and did his best to hold back his tears. This was nothing but yet another small obstacle, he had to convince himself.

“You're no comrade of ours.”

751 words

Dillyweed | Söl / Rial

By now they were quite used to the spinning rooms. It barely affected them as it spun around and then stopped. The new doors opened up as the room came to a stand still and Strohmeier asked Rial to make the choice of which door. He didn’t take the lead immediately but he nodded towards one of the doors. It was the most well lit one. With a long tunnel behind it. Rial, together with Stroheimer took charge while Goosebert waddled in front of the both of them honking from time to time. 

It seemed as if this was the right way. They had a lit tunnel. There was nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. Maybe they were on the right track again.

I know I've probably thanked you before but thank you, Söl, for sticking with us. I, we, really enjoy your company.

Söl looked down into the ground as they walked. If he could've, he would have blushed at Senbonzakura's words.

“It’s been an adventure for sure. I do, despite most of it, really enjoy sticking with you guys.” Bart the bat, sensing that the two were sharing some feelings, but not understanding that those feelings were indeed good, hissed at Senbonzakura as a warning for making his Courser companion feel feelings.

Suddenly the group came to a stop. Söl peeked his head above Rial to see why. He could see the gate glimmer in the torch light. He recognised the type of gate, and he hoped it would be different, but Stroheimer took no chances as he told everyone to stay behind. It felt like ages as they waited for him to make his way to the gate. And then, as if it had been triggered by their presence, a voice could be heard. It sounded so relieved as it begged for help. But it sent shivers down his spine. That Courser would have been here for ages if it really was real. Söl looked around the tunnel. Trying to see if he could spot some gas. Bart the Bat hissed as to mark how uncomfortable he was about the stranger. Although the bat liked to hiss at just about everything.

Senbonzakura marched past them and took the front from Stroheimer as he confronted the stranger. It barely sounded like Senbonzakura. The way he snarled out the sentence. The hatred. Söl nor Rial had heard that voice before.

The stranger Courser spat out the next words as if they were mortal enemies. Trying to guilt the Coursers. Making them feel as if they betrayed it. Söl pinned his ear back as he walked forward a bit. He watched Stroheimer back away a bit at the harsh tone of Senbonzakura. 

You're no comrade of ours.

Senbonzakura’s words echoed in the tunnel. Clearest of them all. The Courser on the other side seemed to melt.
“Filthy filth! You doom your own kind? How dare you?! I am in need and you leave me to my death?” The courser quickly shed its disguise and the boney remains of what once could have been a courser were visible as it snarled, spat and hissed at them.
Söl felt angry. He pressed himself in front of Senbonzakura, still so far away so that the stranger could not reach him.
“How dare you!” He snarled as he defended Senbonzakura. “You try to trick us and then shame us for it? Go back and disappear. Never show yourself again.” Söl didn’t know where this strength came from but he could feel his heart beat a mile a minute in his chest as he stood in front of the stranger. He was sure his heart would pop out of his chest but the words had gotten to him. He wasn’t into all the details of Senbonzakura but he knew enough to know that the words could cut him. And he wanted to protect him. “Leave.” He threw his hooves forward towards the stranger. A threat. 

661 words