KLANCE: Stranded

2¦ Red

|K E I T H|

I have been trekking through these woods for 3 vargas (hours) straight and still nothing but trees and rock pillars in sight!

With an aching head, a dull pain on my side, an unresponsive lion, feet tired from walking and no one here with me, I can just feel my teeth grinding in anger and annoyance.

"Stupid wormhole! Stupid Empire! Stupid Zarkon! Stupid Lion! Stupid Lance!" I kept mumbling. Blaming the ones I've mentioned for my current situation. "I told him to get out of the way! But noooo, he said he was surrounded! He could've just quiznacking flew up or down to avoid it!" I muttered louder. "Then...maybe then! We wouldn't have been too close to a random wormhole and wouldn't be stranded in a planet right now!" I kicked and screamed at an unlucky stray rock that was on my path.

I watched it flew and land with a splashing sound as it disappeared into a river I now stumbled upon. I was thirsty by the sight and thought of water. But I didn't trust it because it wasn't like the crystal clear blue water on earth. Rather it looked like wine, it was a deep dark scarlet color. Or it could be blood which would be sickening to even think of drinking.

"Stupid planet and it's stupid red water!" I screamed with my hands up in the air. The headache doubling in pain as I did so. I groaned and held onto it. Feeling the dried blood in with my hair. "Stupid headache," I muttered again.

I was already really tired with no clue of where I am and no signs of where Shiro and Lance could be. I sighed putting my bayard away and sat down by the river. This is when I finally realized getting angry and blaming others, though I still blame them, won't help my current predicament. I need to calm down and think this throughly.

"Patience yields focus." I breathed out.

Reminding myself of Shiro's mantra. It sounded stupid and ridiculous sometimes but it has also helped me get through things.

I had my eyes closed. Taking in deep breaths and exhaling them. Once I felt calm I am able tot hink clear.

Okay, I first decided to try talking or communicating with anyone I can reach through the coms in my helmet. If that fails I can go back to Red and try to see if she'll finally respond. If that fails too then I'll need to look for stuff that'll help me get through the night. The sky above was darker than before we arrived on this planet.

"Hello, this is Keith, Paladin of the Red Lion. Hello, can anyone hear me?" I had put my helmet back on.

I waited for a few ticks, listening to silence and then static. After every dobash I'd repeat my words. I've been doing it for three times already and my hope was slowly being crushed. When the fourth time came the static sounded higher than the first few.

"Hello? Lance? Shiro?" I asked hopeful.

"Ke–Kei–Keith?!" I finally heard a voice. Although it wasn't very clear due to the other noises I was just relieved to hear someone's voice. And I never thought I would be so glad to ever hear Lance's annoying voice.

"Lance! Lance! Can you hear me?" I stood up. My legs were ready to run once I would have an idea of Lance's location. "Where are you?" I asked.

"Ke–Keith!" his line went clear. I can now hear him without the deafening static. "Keith! Where are you? Are you with Red? Did you two landed on the planet too? Is it like Earth but like the plants are purple with some skyscraper like rocks reaching up the sky?" he began asking questions when I asked him first.

"Yeah, I'm on the same planet. I left Red where we crashed. I'm kind of near a river right now, but it's like red instead of blue." I explained. "Where are you? Is Shiro with you?" I added, curioused and concerned.