Hoping and Praying

                Straining against her better judgement, Cygnus let out a breathy and pained hiss. Her arm stung, blood still seeping slightly from the haphazard bandaging she managed to scrape up. How long had she been stuck in this cave? How long had she been making twists and turns, trying to find her way out? Damn that signal. Damn that miserable signal. She gripped onto her lantern again, searching the walls of the caverns for any discernible signs of where she had been and where she was going.

                As she made her way through the winding paths, following the stream upwards, there was an echoing sound… Something—someone? Cygnus wasn’t sure… but she knew this meant she certainly wasn’t alone. Using her body, she tried to dim the light, stopping for a moment to hide against the rocky walls as she searched for the direction the sound was coming from. After a moment, it was silent again, and she let out a soft but shaky sigh.

                Continuing up the path, she examined the currents of the water. She hoped this would lead to some exit; some higher ground she could work from… Hope…

-

                Ophiuchus tapped on various buttons along his panels, navigating the spacecraft as he searched for any signs… anything to tell him Cygnus was alright. Why did he let her go alone?! Dammit… If he hadn’t listened to her protests and simply landed their small craft, gone with her deep into the unknown of this planet… perhaps she would still be here with him and their crew now. He cursed under his breath, as if the scans along his screens would ever begin to change… he’d hold onto hope.

-

Cygnus’ travels bore little fruit, finding roots and other small forages for nourishment as she had been doing for days now. She wanted to be back home… eating good food with her family, enjoying their company and curled up in a cozy soft bed… Why did she come here alone? Why did she have to fight with that stupid boy. Ophiuchus… Ugh… if she had just cooled off and they’d gone together… would she have gotten trapped in this labyrinthian cave? Would she have gotten lost? Hurt?

She supposed hindsight is always 20-20, something she found rather annoying. Of course, if she and Ophiuchus got along better plenty of issues would have been solved. If she and him didn’t bicker… if she and him would just… be friendly. She wished it was as easy as getting along with him. She wished he was just… UGH! He was impossible sometimes.

If she did ever get out of this cave, she certainly would give him a piece of her mind—

Tap… tap… tap…

She stopped, eyes widening. Slowly, she turned… and the shadowy masse which has been following her stopped. From the darkness, a pair of eyes met with hers… she gasped out… She kept her stance, but felt her knees threaten to give out in fear—and before she could react, the large creature lunged towards her. She shrieked, lifting off from the ground in a panic as her wings unfurled, trying to create as much distance between herself and whatever this thing was. Her lantern barely seemed to reflect onto it, especially in her struggle as she flew higher, casting herself up along the river further until she landed roughly on a ledge, the rough landing causing her to curse out in pain.

The creature roared out again, as if in threat, only its massive shape slightly illuminated by the underground mushrooms and bioluminescent flora. She backed herself up further, trying to get out of its sight as was now out of its reach, tumbling into a pile of rocks as she did, unceremoniously flailing as she panicked. After a moment, she calmed down enough to know she was safe… at least, for now… She just needed to collect herself… continue travelling… Find an exit…

As she brought herself up, something caught her vision on this new path she had flown to; a light. Something far brighter than what she had seen previously. Was this her way out? Was this her chance? Adrenaline was still coursing through her as she ran towards it—hoping and praying to anything that could hear her that this would be it.

-

                Ophiuchus’ search had been dead for who knows how long… and finally, he landed their ship to port. He couldn’t live with the idea that perhaps something—someone? Who knows what could have taken Cygnus. It took far longer than he would have liked to finally dock down, Cygnus had been right about that in their little arguments… but upon finally reaching the surface, he began to search for help—anything that could help him find where she had gone… a search party? A rescue team? Anything.

                All he knew was that this little expedition of theirs had become far larger than he could ever handle; and he was left only hoping and praying that they’d be reunited… and this chapter in their research could close.