"What are you doing?" Killian asked as he watched Kade packing his backpack.
"Packing" Kade said, without looking up. He paused for a moment, lifting one hand as he counted something in his head. "What does it look like?"
Killian frowned slightly. "Packing for what?"
"Hiking"
For a moment Killian paused. "Hiking?" he asked surprised.
"Yeah..." Kade said before looking over at Killian, confused "Why do you care?"
Killian shrugged. "I.... I just didn't take you for someone that likes hiking" he said "So.... I'm just surprised"
A frown formed on Kade's face, there was almost a pout on his face. "I.... Alright..." he said, before shaking his head.
"Where are you going?" Killian asked curiously as he watched Kade.
Kade started packing again, making sure that he had enough water, energy bars and a small first aid bag. "There's a hiking trail about half an hour away, that tracks up the mountain" he said, before grabbing his hat and stuffed a jacket into his backpack again.
Killian hesitantly looked at the other guy. "Um.... Kade...." he said, pulling his hand through his hair.
When Killian stopped talking, Kade glanced at him. "You need something?" he asked.
"Well.... Can I come with you?" Killian asked.
Kade stopped moving, before he just blinked at Killian. "What?" he asked, to shocked to really realize what Killian just asked him.
"Well... If you don't mind" Killian said "I... You know.... I'd like to come with you....Hiking"
"Why?" Kade asked confused.
"It sounds fun" Killian said with a slight smile.
Kade stared at Killian for a moment, before he shook his head. "You're weird..." he said as he finished packing.
"So.... I can come with you?" Killian asked, sitting up a bit more straighter.
When Kade looked at Killian, he couldn't get it over his heart to say no. Since Killian just looked at him with wide, excited eyes from behind his glasses. He reminded him of a puppy that wanted attention.
"Alright...." Kade said with a sigh "Just make sure that you take enough water and everything"
Killian nodded as he jumped up from his bed. "Thank you so much....Kade" he said excited as he started packing.
Kade almost groaned as he pulled his hand through his hair. He was going to regret it so much. "Do you want to ask those two morons to come with us?" he asked.
This time Killian's head snapped up as he stared at Kade, almost like he thought the other guy just grew a second head.
"Really?" he asked "You don't mind them coming with us?"
"They are not going to let you come with me without 'supervision', right?" Kade said sarcastically "Cause they still think that I'm going to do something super evil"
That made Killian laugh. "I'm sorry about that, Kade" he said when he finished laughing.
"So you gonna ask them or not?"
Killian nodded. "Yeah... just give me a sec" he said before running out of the room, leaving the door open.
With a sigh, Kade rubbed his temples. This was going to be a nightmare. He and the other two got along, most of the time, but still wasn't sure if he could trust them or not, nor if they trusted him or not.
When Killian came back he was grinning from ear to ear. "They said they would like to join us" he said as he started packing again.
"Great..." Kade muttered sarcastically, shaking his head.
***
It took them a bit more than half an hour to reach the hiking trail. Riley and Beck were talking as they walked behind Kade and Killian.
The air was warm and stuffy.
As they got half way up the hiking trail, Kade stopped and glanced at the three that were with him. They looked tired and sweaty, but grinning.
"We're taking a break" Kade said, nodding to what looked like a small resting area.
"Thank goodness...." Riley said as he sank down on one of the rocks, next to the trial "Damn man... You do this for fun?"
Kade just shot him a flat look.
Riley shrugged when Kade didn't say anything and took a deep drink from his water.
"Make sure you eat something" Kade said, shooting a glare at Riley "Don't want you passing out"
"How far... are we going?" Back asked, trying to catch his breath.
Kade glanced towards the mountain. It wasn't very high, but the hiking trail went half way up, to the side. The stopping point had a beautiful view over the city.
"Half way up" he said, before leaning against one of the trees.
The three stared at him.
"And then we have to come back again?" Riley asked, with wide eyes.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Kade asked, narrowing his eyes at them.
"No problem" All three said.
If they annoyed Kade to much, he wouldn't let them come with him if he goes hiking again. Killian would be furious if that happened, because he was very adamant on making friends with Kade.
After a few more minutes, Kade pushed himself away from the wall again.
"Let's go" he said "Or else we're not going to make it back before dark"
The rest of the hiking trip went without any incidents. When they reached to end of the trail, Kade just dripped his backpack and walked to the edge of what looked like a cliff. The shadows around them moved gently and calmly.
They sat there for a while, just enjoying the calm. They ate some snacks and drank more water.
Killian sat down wincing.
Kade narrowed his eyes at Killian. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"It's nothing...." Killian started before Kade glared at him with a raised eyebrow "Alright.... I think my shoes gave me a blister..."
"Take it off" Kade said as he walked to his backpack.
Killian took of his shoe, both Beck and Riley winched when they saw the blood on Killian's sock. Kade just sighed and sat down on the ground at Killian's feet. Quickly he took out the first aid bag before starting to clean the burst bluster.
Without warning he stopped and looked up at the sky. Dark clouds hung in the air.
"Shit...." he cussed under his breath, before looking at Riley and Beck "When did that happen?"
The two shook their heads.
"Pack up!" Kade snapped at them before quickly finishing with Killian "You'll have to walk on that... but if it gets worse you have to speak up"
Killian nodded.
"It's going to rain..." he said to Kade, who just nodded "And that's bad?"
"Of course it's bad" Kade basically snapped as him "We're going to have to move faster then before, because this is not a place you want to get stuck in"
***
The rain poured down on them. Hiking through the mud made them go even slower than when they were coming up the trail. It was more than just exhausting.
Killian did his best to the most of the rain of them, but even he was struggling in this storm.
Kade did not know the school well enough to risk teleporting all of them back there, so that was out of the question. Beck on the other hand had just barely started to get a hang of his dimension portals.
"Keep moving" Kade snapped when Riley stopped for a moment.
"I.... need to... catch... my breath" Riley gasped.
Kade cussed as he moved over to Riley, throwing the other guy's arm over his shoulder.
"Now keep moving" he said, stumbling slightly in the mud as he took most of Riley weight.
The rain started falling even harder.
"We can't keep going like this!" Kade called to the others.
"Then what do we do?" Beck called back.
"Need to find shelter!" Kade yelled.
"Where?" Killian asked, looking around.
Before Kade could say anything, there was a rumble. The ground beneath their feet shook.
"RUN!" he screamed, dragging Riley with him as he started moving. Beck and Killian followed him.
They barely made it five steps before the ground beneath them gave in and they started going down in the tumble of mud, rocks, trees and debris. Kade reached for his shadows. They wrapped around them as something slammed into his shoulder. His body hit something solid and everything went dark.
***
Killian slowly started waking up. His entire body felt like one giant bruise. He considered just staying still and not moving at all, but then the memories came rushing back. Groaning he opened his eyes, or tried to. The one just refused to open, feeling like it had been glued shut.
As he tried to lift his hand to figure out what's going on a sharp pain shot up his shoulder. Immediately he stopped moving.
It took him a moment before he realized that all he could smell was mud and wet earth. And everything was cold and wet. The sound of rain and thunder sounded outside, no... around him. He could feel the water on his face.
That only meant that he was still outside.
Clenching his jaw he tried to lift his other hand. This time his arm work. Carefully he rubbed his eyes a bit. They felt sticky. After a moment or two of rubbing, he managed to open one eye.
Immediately it stung and he blinked a few times as his eyes watered. His vision cleared slightly and all he could see was almost darkness. A moving darkness.
The darkness almost looked familiar.
He could see some vague figures of trees and rocks. Then he tried to turn his head. The entire world turned with him. Nausea rose in his chest and he almost started throwing up.
It took a moment before his vision cleared up.
He could make out three lumps on the ground that did not look like rocks or boulders or anything.
"....guys...." Killian coughed.
One of the lumps moved slightly. A groan sounded and the lump slowly sat up.
It turned out to be Beck.
"...Killian?" Beck asked, groaning again.
"...Beck..." Killian said relieved, "Here.... Are you... Are you alright?"
Beck groaned. "I... I think so..." he muttered "My.... my shoulder hurts... I might have... hit my head.... and you?"
"I... I hit my head.... Don't know how bad.... My arm's busted.... and .... my leg hurts" Killian muttered.
"Can you see... what's wrong with it?" Beck asked.
"No.... It's... It's to dark...."
"Shit...." Beck swore "Where's Kade?"
Killian tried to look around. Kade would probably be one of the other two lumps. "I... I don't think.... he's awake..."
"And Ri?"
"Neither.... I... just woke up... myself...." Killian looked over at the lumps "Can you... try to get to.... the closest one?"
Beck nodded.
As Killian watched, Beck crawled-stumbled towards the first one.
"Who is it?"
"Ri..." Beck gasped, rain streaming down his face "We... need to... get out of the... rain..."
Thunder clapped, making then jump slightly.
"How's he looking?" Killian called.
"Not okay..... I... I don't know...."
Killian clenched his jaw. They needed to get out of the rain and see if they can treat their wounds.
"....there's a cave...." a faint, barely audible voice said ".... a few meters.... to your... left...."
Killian and Beck's attention snapped towards the over figure. That was Kade's voice. But it... It sounded wrong, weak.
"Kay?" Killian asked, staring at the still form.
"...what....?"
"Are you... alright?"
"I'm... fine...." Kade's voice whispered faintly "Move.... to the.... cave...."
Killian looked over at Beck, who just stared at him with wide eyes.
"I... Don't think I... can move... Kay" he said.
Silence.
"Kade...?" Beck asked as the silence stretched on.
"Kay.... hey.... are you alright?" Killian asked, as he tried to get to his feet "Kay... you need to talk... to us..."
"...Shut up..." Kade's voice growled, but it sounded weak and pained.
Killian swallowed. He was gasping as he tried to get to his feet to check on Kade.
"Just talk to us.... Kay...." Killian gasped as he just slumped to the ground "So we can be sure you're alright...."
No answer.
Killian looked over at Beck. "Can you.... see the cave...?" he gasped.
Beck looked around, until his eyes found something that might be a cave. "I... think I've found it...." he said, looking at the others.
"See if you can get.... Riley... there..." Killian said.
The shadows flickered, before they all but showed Beck where to go.
"Key...." Killian said "... do you... think you can pull... the shadows...?"
No answer again.
Clenching his jaw, he started dragging himself to where he thought Kade were. The rain kept on pouring down on them, making the ground soggy and hard to move on.
"KADE!" Killian snapped.
He noticed the dark form moved slightly. As he got a bit closer, he could hear a wheezing, painful coughing coming from the form that was slowly turning into Kade. The rain masked the sound of the coughing and painful breathing.
"....What...?" Kade asked, his voice barely audible.
Killian breathed out. "Don't.... don't go so quiet..." he whispered.
"Here!" Killian called, before looking over at Kade again. The other did not move. He could barely hear the gasping coughs from Kade.
"Kade... we need to... move..." he said "You can't.... you... you can't stay here.... can you...get up?"
The dark lump moved slightly, and Killian heard a gasping bit back groan.
"No...." Kade managed between the gasps.
"Kay.... what is your... injuries...?" Killian asked as Beck came towards them.
"Don't....worry...." Kade gasped.
Killian wanted to argue, but Beck reached him. Slowly Beck helped Killian to his feet, basically carrying him to the cave.
"...Kay's not... okay...." he muttered, glancing at Kade's still from.
"Did.... did he say... what's wrong?" Beck asked as they reached the cave. He let Killian sit down before glancing over at Riley, who was still unmoving.
"No.... He just.... keeps saying.... he's fine...." Killian grunted.
Beck nodded. "We're in trouble... aren't we?" he asked.
Killian nodded. "Yeah.... We are...." he said and Beck nodded, going to get Kade.
Time ticked by and Killian started getting worried about the two, his eyes kept on flickering to Riley. The animiac hadn't woken up yet and that was worrisome.
Slowly he dragged himself to where Riley lay. It was so dark in the cave that Killian could barely see what was going on with the other guy.
Just as he was about to try and wake Riley, Beck and Kade came into the cave. Kade was just a dark shadow. His shadow flickering around him, almost as if they were trying to help him. It looked like he was barely staying on his feet.
"What... took you guys... so long?" Killian asked, worried.
Beck groaned. "He was being insufferable...." he said as he lowered Kade to the ground, who immediately, curled up with his back to Killian and the others "He even made me get his backpack"
"We need fire" Killian said, glancing at Kade's still form "Or light or something...."
"I can..." Beck said.
It did not take long before Beck got the fire started, immediately Kade's shadows started withered away.
As the fire lit up the small cave, Killian could only stare at Riley and Beck. He was sure he looked just as bad, but he did not even want to look over at Kade.
Everyone looked wet and dirty and bloody.
Beck now leaned over Riley, trying to get the other guy to wake up as the storm blew outside the cave.
After a few more seconds, Riley groaned and his eyes flickered open.
"....Beck...." Riley groaned.
"Easy there, buddy..." Beck said, "Just catch your breath and keep still"
Killian smiled relieved.
"Is he... alright?" Kade's voice asked, his voice sounded much more faded then that.
Beck jumped slightly, before he looked over at Kade, who was as far away from the fire as he could, just slumped against the wall of the cave, like he didn’t have enough energy to move from that point, keeping his back half turned towards the others.
"Yeah.... It looked like he just hit his head really hard" he said.
"....backpack.... bandages...." Kade muttered. There was a strange wheezing in his chest.
Beck stared at Kade for a moment before he grabbed the backpack and pulled out the bandages and the first aid bag.
"Damn..." he said "You really are ready for everything"
"Kade.... can you turn toward us...?" Killian asked, beginning to feel more and more worried.
Kade didn't answer. He just stay motionless where he lay.
"Beck!" Killian called out "Help me to Kay.... I... I need to check on him...."
Beck looked between Killian and Riley, before he quickly finished wrapping Riley's head and went over to Killian. He helped the other guy up and they limped toward Kade.
He lowered Killian down next to Kade.
"Kade?" Killian asked, carefully placing a hand on Kade's shoulder.
A strangled pained groan sounded from Kade, as he lifted his head slightly. His eyes were barely open. Blood covered half of his face, already dripping down the cave wall, into a small puddle beneath.
Killian cussed. "Bring his bag...." he said to Beck, before shaking Kade's shoulder again.
With a gasp, Kade's eyes snapped open and he flinched away from Killian, only to bite back a pained scream. As he moved, Killian could see the way his arm was twisted, bend strangely.
He could just stare at Kade.
"Kay...." he whispered.
It took a moment before Kade realized that someone was talking to him. His head hurt so badly, it was hard to keep his eyes open or even just keep his thoughts in order.
His ribs hurt, making it hard to breath. Not just that, his entire left side hurt. Breathing hurt. His arm hurt. His hip hurt. Even the leg hurt.
The voice kept on talking to him, but the words did not want to make sense. Cold.... Kade suddenly realized. He was feeling cold and wet. After he realized that, the memories came rushing back.
His eyes flickered open, before searching for the person that was talking. The blond hair leaned over him.
"...kill..." he mumbled, his tongue felt heavy in his mouth.
"Hey...." Killian said "Can I check your injuries?"
"Wha.... Don't.... 'm fine...." Kade muttered.
"Please... Kade you're bleeding really badly.... We can't get out... and you'll bleed out before anyone can come help"
"...'m kay..... you can... do it..."
Killian sighed relieved. "Alright.... Can you lay on your back?" he asked, as he carefully started to turn Kade.
Kade muttered something incoherently. His eyes kept flickering, opening and closing. He could barely stay awake.
"We're going to need a lot more water...." Killian said softly, glancing at Beck.
"I'll see what I can do" Beck said as he moved to the mouth of the cave.
When Killian managed to clean and bandage some of Kade's injuries, the other guy was gasping for breath, looking so much paler than before.
"Kay..." Killian said "You can't sleep... alright... just stay awake for a little bit?"
Kade nodded slightly.
The rain kept on falling.
Riley also kept on going in and out of consciousness. Both him and Kade needed to be kept an eye on. So Beck and Killian decided they needed to sleep in shifts, to make sure the other two were alright.
Kade tried to get some sleep, but even with the constant pain, he just couldn't seem to fall asleep, not matter how bad it was. Not just that, Killian and Beck kept on waking him up when he managed to fall asleep.
"Kay?" Killian asked as he carefully scooted over to Kade "You alright?"
".... Don't feel... good..." he mumbled, the slur that was in his words before, now sounded less prominent.
"Alright..." Killian said "Just tell me when it gets worse alright?"
"How long.... have we...?" Kade asked, clenching his teeth against the pain in his body.
"Long enough that people should be noticing we're gone" Killian said.
Kade just closed his eyes again. "Wait the storm.... out.... Beck should go... go. get help..." he muttered "You're leg... is... busted..."
"It's alright.... I'll be fine...." Killian said "It's you I'm worried about... You took a beating...."
"....Be fine..." Kade muttered, before he just leaned against Killian so he wouldn’t topple over.
***
The storm kept on blowing.
“Kay...” Killian said “I think it’s alright if you try to sleep a bit....”
Kade’s eyes flickered to Riley. “How’s... the anemiac?” he asked, trying to control his breathing.
“He took a bad hit” Killian said.
Kade tried to moved, to get a bit more comfortable, but the pain was just to much. He bit back a whimper, before stop moving.
“Kay... Don’t try to move” Killian said.
“Here’s some water” Beck said as he walked towards them. He held out two bottles of water “That’s all that we have left”
Killian took the bottles, before opening one and taking a sip of the water. “Keep the other one for Riley” he said “He needs it more...”
Beck nodded and took the other bottle to Riley.
“Kay.... do you think you can drink some water?” Killian asked.
Kade tried to push himself up, with one arm, only to collapse back to the ground, gasping. One hand holding his left shoulder.
Killian immediately took the bottle, before he lifted Kade’s head slightly, so he could take a few sips of the water. Then he let his friend lay down again. Even with some of the blood cleaned away, the bruising on Kade’s face, still looked terrible.
“Kade.... Sleep a bit....” he said.
Nodding slightly, Kade closed his eyes. He tried to sleep, but the pain in his body had him moving uncomfortably every now and then. Just as he started drifting, the pain would start again and he’d shift uncomfortably again.
