Smoke and Mirrors

Bear Thing

'Come and swim, mullet,' said Lance, as he walked up the pink sand. 'The waters warm.'

'It's also purple,' Keith said.

'So are you when you're Galran,' Lance pointed out. 'For once just relax.'

'Relax on an alien planet we know nothing about?' asked Keith.

Allura said she didn't find anything alarming on the scans.'

'Doesn't mean there's not something here.'

Lance shook his head. 'Fine, you stand there and be your usual boring self.' Lance went back to the water and didn't see the look of hurt cross Keith's face.

Turning, Keith walked up the blue grass and sat under a tree with dark blue foliage.

He watched the others have fun, wishing he could be so carefree but he'd see some scary things on beautiful planets while with the Blade. It didn't pay to let your guard down.

It hurt that they thought he was boring. It was the story of his life really. There was always something wrong with him that people had to point out.

Krolia criticized that he was too emotional in his fighting style. Anger lead to mistakes, she always told him. Shiro agreed, always telling him to control his anger.

He just wanted someone to like him for who he was and not try to change him all the time.

Three hours later, Shiro called for them to return to the shuttle, then he followed Allura and Coran inside. Hunk and PIdge ran over laughing and chatting.

Lance was collecting his things from the sand and Keith hung back to make sure he was okay.

'Come on, mullet,' said Lance, falling in next to him. 'I'm guessing you'll train when we get back like always.'

''Um...I wasn't going to.'

'Oh,' Lance said, surprised.

Keith grabbed Lance's arm when he heard whining overhead and looked up. The whine of engines now audible to the others.

Blaster fire hit the ground between them and the shuttle.

'HURRY,' Shiro yelled, motioning for them to get to the shuttle.

There was no way they were going to make it.

Keith pulled Lance into the forest. They ran, looking for somewhere to hide.

'There.' Keith pointed to a cave in the side of the cliff.

Blaster fire followed them in and they stumbled and fell as the front of the cave collapsed behind them, plunging them into darkness. The dust made them cough and it took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the muted light. Above them, at the top of the cave wall, was an opening that let filtered light through.

'Are you okay?' Keith asked.

'No...my ankle.'

Keith crawled over to him and felt Lance's ankle and moved his foot. Lance winced.

'Probably just sprained,' said Keith. He got to his feet and gazed around. 'That looks to be the only way out.'

'Do you think they're gone?' asked Lance.

'They would have gone after the shuttle,' said Keith. 'We need to get out of here so the others can find us when they come back.'

A deep growl rumbled through the cave.

'More like so we don't get eaten,' Lance hissed.

Keith pulled Lance to his feet and helped him over to the wall. Thankfully, the climb was only about one hundred metres.