The Heart Thief

Chapter Seven

Here's the chap :o

Zuma woke up at an unknown place. The ceiling, where he originally faced, was bombarded with glowing stones. The walls around them were also attached with these stones and the sand underneath them felt cushiony soft.
            He took a lot of his time observing the whole place without realizing it was the underground oasis he was at. There was a gigantic river that had a bluish-green glow to it due to the light of the glowing rocks and it had the most exotic plants with it… in fact the whole place was exotic.
            There were trees just by the edge of the waterway that didn’t seem to need sunlight as it survived many ages underground. There were vines that crept on the wall and retreated when touched. Shrubs and bushes with different colors danced without the assistance of the wind and probably the most beautiful thing he had seen was the four gigantic entrances to four chambers.
            It took him a while until he noticed that Chase was still unconscious on the ground. He walked over to him and gave him a futile push that didn’t wake him up. He pulled him to the waterway and touched his paw on the calm water it created a little wave. When the wave has reached the floating lily pads, they immediately dove underneath and surfaced when the water had calmed down.
            He disregarded what he saw and splashed water on Chase’s face to wake him up.
            Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw Zuma a few inches away from him.
            “Zuma?” he stuttered and got up weakly. He gasped for air the moment he realized where they were. “The underground oasis…” he mumbled enough for Zuma to hear.
            Zuma’s expression was now that of Chase and none of them were too calmed to speak.
            Chase took his time observing the place and he had the same reaction as Zuma. And, like Zuma, the four gigantic entrances were the most beautiful part of the oasis. If only Ryder was here, he thought, where is Ryder? When the sandstorm had taken attack, Ryder wasn’t at the oasis and none of their belongings were. He must have left when he saw the first wave of sand… without them.
            Zuma noticed the nuances of Chase’s expression second after second. He wondered himself why he was in a bitter mood despite they were on the most amazing part of the desert. It took him a few moments but he finally got what he was upset about.
            “Don’t worry, Chase…” Zuma reassured him, “Ryder will probably find us… he has that magic box thingy that knows the whole desert.”
            “You mean a pup pad?” Chase returned. He gave an exasperated sigh and dropped on the sand. It was different from the sand at the desert… it was cold and more soft. “That’s not really what I’m thinking. When Ryder left the oasis, did he even think about me – us? He has his pup pad all along with him… it could have been easy to search our location but instead, he left us.”
            It took long moments for Zuma to think of something to say – something that will make Chase think about the positive side. After all, he doesn’t know Ryder that well so he’s not sure if Ryder is deceptive or not but judging from what he showed, Zuma couldn’t think of him being deceptive at all.
            “I’m sure he has his reasons,” Zuma answered after a long while.
            Chase noticed Zuma’s delayed answer. The silence stretched long when he thought of that simple sentence… he couldn’t help himself but act rude. “Took you that long to think of that excuse?” he rhetorically asked. Chase was always the rude guy when he’s feeling upset or anxious. It’s his way of preserving his natural self.
            Zuma didn’t know what to do or what to say but he did think of something. “Chase,” he began, “Since we’re already here, let’s start discovering the place… you and I, the first pups to roam the underground oasis.”
            Chase looked at Zuma and gave a faint smile before standing up and dashing away. Zuma ran after and they both started discovering the place.
            There were lots of entrances and tunnels to different chambers all in which were lighted with glowing stones. They first discovered a long tunnel with glowing mushrooms at the sides.
            Zuma stomped his feet as he was about to march in. He was doing all he can to cheer and lighten Chase’s mood. He performed a salute gesture with his paw and walked ahead. Chase went along with his jig and synched his march with Zuma’s. They marched beside each other until they were at the middle of the tunnel.
            Both of them were highlighted with a bluish green color from the glowing stones above and Chase couldn’t help but look at Zuma momentarily. All was quiet, only the marching of their feet on soft sand was the noise and it weren’t really that loud and everything felt comfortable.
            Zuma started speaking to Chase. He kept telling him tales of his past and Chase smiled impulsively. Chase wasn’t listening to Zuma’s tales... he couldn’t listen as when he looks at Zuma, all he could see was his expression and the opening of his mouth with no sound coming out.
            “Chase?” Zuma asked, “Chase? Hello?” he asked again and waved his paw in front of Chase’s eyes that stared deep inside him.
            “Oh, what?” he snapped and shook his head.
            Zuma grinned clownishly and tagged Chase a little.
            “What?” Chase asked. He didn’t know what Zuma was smiling about and he had a hunch that maybe Zuma will tease him afterwards.
            With the bluish green light illuminating above them, their expressions were easy to make up. Even the slightest twitch could be seen so none of them could tell any lies.
            “I was just ugh thinking about… you.” Chase admitted. It was useless lying because he’ll only embarrass himself but the same goes with Zuma.
            “I know…” he answered and Chase saw him flinch.
            “Huh, liar!” he yelled at Zuma. His voice echoed throughout the tunnel and the glowing stones dimmed. It became darker and darker until they couldn’t see a thing anymore.
            “Great job, Chase,” Zuma taunted. His voice echoed and Chase heard the taunt over and over again.
            “Don’t make it any worse,” Chase whispered, hoping that the glowing stones would get their light back. “Do you think these glowing stones are glowworms? They react to sound.”
            Zuma nodded but Chase didn’t see. “I’ve been talking for minutes and they never reacted.” He gave a provocative chuckle and continued, “I guess they hate your voice.”
            “Hush!” Chase yelled in a whisper. Zuma’s noise wasn’t making much of a difference and both of them don’t know where they were walking at. It might be a dead end at the edge or might be a long fall.
            Zuma kept bombarding Chase with his blames until Chase couldn’t handle more.
            “Alright, Zuma…” Chase began, “Since none of us know anything about these caves, everything we do makes sense. How about we close our eyes and wish the stones glow?”
            “Can’t I leave my eyes open? It’s pretty dark anyways.”
            “No,” Chase declined. “Now on the count of three, I want you to close your eyes and I’ll close mine.”
            Zuma didn’t answer for a good long time which made Chase wonder if he’s still there.
            “Zuma, are you there?” he asked. “Why didn’t you answer?”
            “I nodded my head.”
            “Please tell me that was a joke. We’re inside a tunnel with no light, genius.”
            Zuma didn’t answer afterwards and Chase assumed he nodded. “Alright… one, two and three close your eyes.”
            Zuma closed his eyes and filled his head with thoughts of the light coming back. He wasn’t aware himself that he was gasping heavily for air. He felt a soft touch brush his lips open and he moved to the corner of the wall.
            “Chase?” Zuma asked. He was still panting for what happened in a second. Everything was dark and he couldn’t see a thing. All he heard was Chase’s voice.
            “Shh,” he said and it felt like he was a close few inches away from Zuma’s mouth. “Just close your eyes…” he whispered.
            Zuma closed his eyes and felt Chase softly kiss him on the exterior… just the outside of his mouth and he could feel himself want more than that. He slightly opened his mouth giving Chase more area to brush against until he himself didn’t notice his tongue slightly react to Chase’s kiss.
            In a few seconds, Chase managed to control himself and he felt Zuma tremble. “Don’t be afraid… I won’t do it like the last time… just close your eyes.”
            Chase’s words traveled down Zuma’s body, calming him of his nervousness and he started to calm down. His breathing was no longer broken and he just felt his eyes close on its own.
            Chase didn’t go deeper as to kissing the outside of Zuma’s mouth but most of him just wants ravage him with pleasure… but he was still guilty of harassing Zuma on their first kiss which is why he’s afraid to enter.
            Zuma got impatient at Chase’s action. He didn’t know why but he wanted him to enter his mouth badly. He was craving the kiss and he was hungry for it. He slightly withdrew and blew a gust of his breath before finally kissing back.
            The whole time it was Chase who kept on kissing. He acted passive and waited for Chase’s kiss but he didn’t know that Chase was afraid. The moment Chase’s tongue slid past his lower lip, he bit it gently and caressed it with his tongue.
            Chase’s eyes widened. None of them could see their expressions in the darkness clearly which is why they were free to feel anything. When he felt his tongue got bit by Zuma, he felt his eyes close and he deliberately kissed the way from before… but this time reluctant and trying. He entered deeper but withdrew every time.
            Zuma could feel everything. He felt Chase’s reluctance and he could feel that he wasn’t kissing like before.
            “Am I really afraid?” Zuma asked when he withdrew his mouth a far inch away from Chase’s. “Kiss me like you did before…” he whispered hoarsely.
            Chase’s ears perked up and his tail stiffened. Zuma wants the kiss? When Chase realized his feelings for Zuma, he felt guilty for harassing him and he didn’t want to kiss him the way from before. All those time, he thought Zuma didn’t want his kiss and the reason for Zuma staying put was because Zuma couldn’t fight back. But it’s different now… Zuma wants him.
            He cupped Zuma’s body with his paw all the way to his neck. His paw arrived to Zuma’s jaw and he tilted him upwards before giving him the kiss he wanted.  He brushed his tongue all the way inside Zuma as he responded passionately. If in the past, Zuma was reluctant, now he’s not. He responded every time to the brush of Chase’s tongue and he accepted every foreign sensation that rushed within his body.
            They were both stimulated with each other and they tasted their passion with accepted delight. Chase stopped inside Zuma’s mouth and they both opened their eyes at the same time… the glowing stones were back.
            Their eyes met and they saw each other’s face. Chase wasn’t that rude cynical pup he showed Zuma he was and Zuma wasn’t that mischievous thief he convinced Chase for him to be. What they were seeing were their true selves – their ego that they tried to confide to each other but now that they’ve seen who they were trying to hide, they grew more attracted to one another.
            Chase slowly pulled over giving Zuma the last caress of his tongue. It was silent again but not awkward. Maybe there were awkward silences between them because they weren’t completely honest with each other and that they were both trying to hide who they were.
            Zuma felt the same about Chase. Yes, it was silent but not awkward. He was the first to break the silence by giving a laugh – a giggle with one paw raised in his mouth.
            Chase started laughing as well and they both made lots of noises stronger than Chase’s yell but it didn’t turn the glowing stones off. It was as if the purpose of the stones wasn’t just to illuminate the dark path of the tunnel but also to illuminate the darkness corrupting in each traveler’s heart.
            Eventually, they came at the end of the tunnel and it was another paradise to be seen. The place has a gigantic pond, some exotic fruit bearing trees and a few other living-creatures all living in harmony.
            Zuma rushed without a moment’s hesitation to the place and started splashing on the shallow waters. He kept on discovering the plants and playing with them. He was just like an ordinary pup playing and Chase almost forgot he was a thief.
            As he watched Zuma play in the chamber, he heard whispers from beside him. It ran all the way back inside the tunnel from where they exit. Chase was curious to find out and he was left unmoving from where he stood.
            “Chase!” Zuma called out to him. “Let’s play!” he yelled.
            Chase reacted easily and waved his paw at Zuma. “I’ll be right back, Zuma! Wait for me here.”
            When he saw Zuma nod his head, he followed the whispers that echoed throughout the cave. It seemed like the glowing stones reacted with the whisper. He stood on one spot and waited for the whisper to run past him.
            They’re coming.
            “They’re coming?” Chase repeated and what did the whispers mean?
            Escape… run.
            Chase didn’t know why but he’s sure to trust his instinct now. He dashed back to the end of the tunnel and ran towards Zuma.
            “We gotta go, now!” Chase panted. Zuma gave him a curious look and they were running out of time.
            Chase didn’t waste another second passing. He raised Zuma in the air and carried him on his back. “Trust me,” Chase said and they entered another tunnel where they settled to peek at whatever’s coming.
            From the very tunnel where they came from, exited a large eyeless creature. It walked on four legs and it had razor sharp teeth. Its fur was bristly and Chase could smell that it reeked with decay.
            As Zuma was about to speak, Chase silenced him with his paw and curt nodded his head that they use this tunnel to escape. With the creature’s sharp teeth, Chase assumed it was carnivorous and with its eyeless head, he assumed that its senses were greater than any creature.
            Just when they were far from where the creature was, Zuma asked, “What was that?”
            Chase caught up with his breath and answered shortly, “I don’t know… but I’m guessing it eats anything.”
            They both heard a loud roar and they sprinted out to another tunnel.
            It was after them.