She Chose You~[Shidge]

So Close...

About halfway down the trail she began hearing footsteps to the left. Slowing to a stop, she listened as the footsteps followed her lead. Her suspicious eyes carefully traced the surrounding wood. Nothing stood out to her as a potential threat, but she undoubtedly felt someone observing her. Knowing she wasn't alone she gave one last look over her shoulder and continued on back down the path.

Not wanting the Galra to leave without a proper goodbye from the paladins, she increased her speed. She had to get back to the castle to get the others. Running through the woods made her realize she probably should have told them what she had found. If anyone she should've at least told Shiro. He was their leader, however, something inside her told her to keep quiet and wait until she had more to go off.

Straight in front of her was a massive pile of brush. It merely looked like it had just been placed across the dirt path. Activating her bayard, she fired it into the canopy above, seconds later she was halfway across the blockade.

Out of no where a spear came at her and she was reluctantly forced to let go. Pidge plummeted into the brush pile. The crooked sticks and branches that helped instantly break her fall were also the culprits who left paper thin scratches all along the exposed skin of her face that the helmet didn't cover.

With more of a motivation to get back to the castle, she crawled out of the pile of dead leaves and branches. Just as she was about to reach for her bayard another unknown hand entered and scooped it up.

"Not so fast Missy,"

Pidge looked up to discover Oskana's friend. Someone she had merely encountered a few times during the time she was being held captive.

"Just because you got away from Oskana, doesn't mean you'll get rid of me that easily." he smirked at her as he tossed gently her bayard into the air.

Pidge glared at him her hazel eyes narrowed to tight slits. "You are making a mistake," she snarled viciously at him.

"Oh and what's that?"

"If you don't give me my bayard your going to dearly wish the Galra were the ones who captured you."

"Please. The most you Paladins are naturally going to do is merely put me in the cell for a few dull days. Besides that goes against everything you stand for-" he reaches behind him and pulls out a blaster- "me on the other hand-not so much."

"Seriously?" Pidge asked to no one specifically, "what is it with everyone and pointing guns at me?" She took a step forward her hands resting casually at her side.

Oskana's friend promptly fired a warning shot. It released a cloud of dust into the breeze right next to Pidge's feet.

"I never did get your name," Pidge said politely taking another step closer.

"Zayd," he gestured impatiently with the loaded gun, "Now quit moving,"

Pidge held her hands up in direct response, "You see I would merely love to do that but their is only so much I have time for and being your prisoner it is not one of them."

With that she lunged for him, tackling him to the ground. Her utmost priority was to get the gun away from him. They both fidgeted with it for a considerable while, both pairs of hands fighting to get a grip. Their scuffling sent dirt flying up all around them. Most of it getting caught in the breeze.

Then all at once the world went still.

The distinctive sound of a gunshot ringing out through the extensive forest.

Extraordinary creatures strikingly resembling frightened birds taking to the air.

Two bodies tenderly laying in the dirt neither one moving.

XXX

"If you're not going to answer then were going to have to make you talk." The crowds leader had once again climbed to his elevated perch on exposed top of the towering rock.

"Pit"

"Pit"

"Pit"

The chant repeated itself over and over again among the local citizens surrounding the Paladins. They glanced cautiously to one another wondering what the hell was going on. Instead of a group of rebels, it felt as if they had been taken captive by a cult.

"They have a pit and what do we have?" Hunk inquired his eyes wide, "Nothing! We're going to die!"

From Shiro's side, Keith wisely kept his cool his face unreadable as he knowingly allowed the outraged citizens surrounding them to know they should not come closer with his actions.

"Nothing to say? Alright."their leader waved his hand, "Off to the pit with them."

The crowd surged around the four paladins who barely had a chance to fight back before they were overpowered. It had been seconds before they were dropped into a pit that barely had enough room for them to lay down.

"Maybe this will promptly change your mind about telling me where the fifth paladin is. You have two minutes before I come back and we go to more extreme measures."

"We've already told you! We don't know!" Shiro shouted fiercely, but he had already walked away.

"Hey Shiro?" Lance called his distinctive voice shaking.

"What is it Lance?" Shiro settled down against the cracked dirt wall exasperated. The sole thing he desired was to get out of this pit, find Pidge, and get back to the castle.

"I don't know if this is the accurate time to inform you, but its about Pidge."

Shiro's head shot up looking directly at Lance, "What about Pidge,"

"I mean it's not that significant. I mean it can wait until we get out of this pit."

"Lance," Shiro replied calmly, "If there's something you know about Pidge, you need to tell me."

"It has nothing to do with the mission, so I think it would be better if we waited-"

Shiro cut Lance off with a shrill cry of annoyance, "Just tell me Lance. It would be better for me to know right now than later!"

Lance hesitated. Carefully looked at the others who merely gave him blank stares in return. He took a deep breath preparing himself for what he was about to bluntly tell Shiro. Something that could alter his mood entirely.

"She -"

"Times up!"

The leader returned, his head was peeking over the rim of the pit. "i'll allow you three precious minutes to promptly tell me where the green paladin is otherwise your going to be merely staying down their longer.

A couple of citizens appeared across from him buckets in hand. As soon as they saw the paladins, they tipped their buckets into the pit emptying the water that was in them. One after one the citizens continuously continued to poor water. It was practically as if they were intentionally trying to drown them.