Stardust growled as she felt the teeth in her scruff- a natural response to the additional pain of the moment. Everything was so confusing…it all happened so fast! She reacted without even thinking, and now she was regretting it.

Her front legs tensed as she tried to use her strength to pull herself up. Kirain’s strength was helping some but…she was but a small woman, and Stardust was quite a bit larger! Stardust’s back legs try to find purchase on the cliffside that was forming, and when she did that part quickly fell away. She felt a panic in his body. A sudden electricity. Kirain could not go with her.

”Kirain, no!” she cried out, her front legs beginning to shake from all the might they were using. She did not have the moment to cry. She only had the moment to feel the panic. ”It will take you too!” she growled, feeling how HARD Kirain was biting down on his scruff. She snapped. ”Think of…your children! I got...nothing!” she barked, feeling her body fall back just an inch or two.

She yelped, her front feet clinging down again into the ground. It was obvious Kirain was not going to let go anytime soon, for her fangs HURT. She thought her skin was going to be torn out.

She…she had to try harder…somehow! Stardust takes a deep breath, clenching her teeth. She scrambles with her back feet again, desperately searching for cliffside. Nothing! She felt nothing! It was just air! Her face twisted, from anger, to panic, to sadness…to determination once more.

She huffed for air, feeling her front legs yelling at her, begging her to release. But she could not, for she knew Kirain would tumble with her. She simply could not allow it. A gust of cold air blew from the growing crack, and Stardust felt one of her lower paws hit a jutting rock…barely. Desperately her toes find it and grasp onto it, and she used the extra force from her leg to push herself up. ”GRAAAGHHH,” she yelled. Kirain’s jaws helped ease some of the strength required from her legs, and she finally felt ground under her completely.

Stardust pushed herself forward, and tried to stand up then, but stumbling back on the ground for a second. Her front legs were so tired, and she wobbled as she looked to Kirain, blood running down her scruff into her neck. ”Let’s get the HELL out of here!” she said in a shaky voice between breaths. There was no time for thank yous as her eyes set on Kirain, as much as she wanted to embrace her right now…that crack could continue to grow FAST!

Her blood pounded in her ears, drowning out every other sound. Any voice calling out, any noise from the world beyond, she heard none of it.

She couldn’t open her eyes.
She couldn’t let go.
She couldn’t stop pulling.

All she knew in that moment was blood and the terrible weight of Stardust dragging her downward. The rest of the world seemed to fade away until it was only the two of them, locked in a desperate struggle for survival, suspended in a single, endless moment.

Then suddenly there was a violent lurch.

She stumbled backward with surprising force, teeth still buried in Stardust’s scruff as the ground finally gave way beneath them. Only when her back slammed against the earth did she release her friend.

Her eyes flew open as the air was knocked from her lungs. She gasped, dazed from the sudden impact.

Bloody-muzzled, she stared at Stardust in disbelief as her vision swam and the thunder of her heartbeat roared in her ears.

Adrenaline still surged through her veins, leaving her trembling as she forced herself back onto unsteady paws.

At last her gaze landed on the rune, the thing that had nearly claimed their lives.

Resentment flared hot in her chest.

Still, she grabbed it.

Turning back to Stardust, she moved quickly to her side, helping her up and urging her forward, pushing her to put as much distance between them and that cursed place as possible.

Kirain was not going to stop, this Stardust knew. Though she made it out of the danger (so far), she was already starting to feel a heavy guilt in her belly. Kirain had helped her get out…and she doesn’t know if she would have survived otherwise. But what if Stardust had caused her death instead? And she had left behind a family? Already, just moments later, it was starting to eat her up on the inside.

Both of them were somewhat dazed by the situation, touched by the surge of adrenaline in their bodies. Kirain grabbed the rune, and Stardust felt her on her side as they moved away from the crumbling earth. Stardust panted heavily, her front legs shaking with each step. She stumbles, scraping her knee as she yelps. Her legs were giving out, lacking energy from pulling herself up.

”Grah!” she complained, blood touching her body as she growled softly in frustration. They had moved many feet away, but were they safe here? She tried to stand up but she wobbled again.

The scent was still strong in the air. The scent of sweet flowers, that they were going to go find and instead found the ground was not their friend anymore. But the scent somehow felt stronger now, and it seemed to contribute to her wobbliness. Or was she making that up? She looked to Kirain now, cyan eyes blinking as she felt great appreciation towards her.

Her lips quiver. The can hear the ground cracking many feet behind them, but she wasn’t sure if it was coming towards them. ”Oh Kirain, you could have died!” she cried out, upset at everything and not knowing how to handle it. Her ears pin back as she frowned. She thought of how much they had gone through together and her heart swelled, but she couldn’t get herself to move. Eyes flicker back down to her knee, and seconds after the waterworks began to flow.

No distance felt far enough. The fact that the divide had nearly claimed both their lives still had every strand of fur on end. Adrenaline left them trembling, or was it simply terror? It didn’t matter.

Soon Stardust stumbled, scraping her knee as she went down.

Spitting the rune aside for a moment, Kirain moved to help her back to her feet. Stardust, we can’t stay here! We have to warn the others! What if another fissure splits the Rise? The children, the pack, the envoy! We have to go!

The frantic edge in her voice was unbecoming of a Toisiche, but all she could picture was her family being swallowed by the earth. The spirits were furious. They had to repent, had to apologize, make offerings, something..

But Stardust spoke, and Kirain’s spiral faltered.

Stardust… Her voice softened instantly as she moved closer, pressing to her companion’s side. Shh… you’re okay. Everything is okay…

She reached up, gently preening along her cheek and neck, trying to soothe the tears slipping from those lovely cyan eyes.

We’re okay, darling… but we have to keep moving. I know you’re scared, but Camhanaich needs us. As soon as we’re back and everyone is safe, I’ll see your injuries tended to, and then we can rest, alright? Can you stand for me?

There was a quiet plea in her voice.

Behind them, the fissure cracked and crumbled, the sound tightening its icy grip around her chest.

As much as Stardust knew Kirain was right, as the adrenaline was wearing off, the fear and hopelessness caught hold of her. The desire to freeze and give up was taking over, if she liked it or not. Her mind was starting to catch up more and more to what just happened, and she breathed in quickly as she cried out.

Kirain, of course, had a point. What of the others? What of the children? What if it was happening over back there? They were not too far off. Stardust breathes in deeply, almost choking on the air as she did so. No words came out in response, as she felt she couldn’t get a word out just yet, like her throat was closing up.

Kirain pressed against her and she tried to slow and control her breathing more. She could hear the crack of earth behind them, having no idea how far or close the issue was anymore. For all she knew, it could have crept up behind them and was about to eat them up.

Tears continued to fall down her face, though at a slowing rate as her lips continued to quiver. Slowly she nodded, her legs slowly lifting her form and wobbling as she stood.

”It…It better not!” she threatened the magics of this world, her face determined and yet quite irritated at her own legs. She looked down and sighed heavily…at their wobbling, at the blood, and how weak they are right now. But she was feeling them come back.

”You are t-t-oo good…” she eeked out as she began to move forward again, of course after booping Kirain with her own forehead. The stressed woman looked back, seeing the earth falling apart behind them, although it was still a far enough distance at this point. Was it far enough though? Was it? She shivered as she sniffled.

”Let’s go,” she pushed, finding the strength in her legs once more.

Kirain would always admire the steadfast way Stardust served her friends. There was no hesitation, only devotion and affection, whether the stubborn thing accepted it or not. I'm proud of you, she murmured softly as she pushed back onto her paws.

Grasping the rune in her maw once more, she loped toward the Rise, careful to keep pace with her dearest friend. Only once they crossed into the boundaries of their home did she slow, stopping them as she dropped the rune and lifted her voice to the wind. She called for them all, for the children and the adults alike. They needed to know. They simply had to.

Turning back to Stardust, she gently helped settle her against one of the standing stones. You did so well. Thank you for pushing yourself. You're safe. We're safe. Camhanaich is safe. Rest now. After the meeting, I will tend to you personally. Kirain’s tone remained warm, despite the anxiety and exhaustion lingering from their brush with death.

Nuzzling into her friend’s cheek, the Toisiche waited for the others.

There was much to be discussed.