Rescue Pursuit

chapter 7

Grant and Ree dismounted from Willow, their eyes wide as they took in the breathtaking landscape. The towering cliffs and glowing caverns created a surreal, almost magical setting. The serenity of the open cave, illuminated by the natural skylight, provided a stark contrast to the tension and chaos they had recently faced.

"This place is incredible," Ree said, his voice filled with awe as he looked around. "It's like something out of a dream."

Grant nodded, his expression a mix of wonder and caution. "Yeah, it's beautiful. But we have to stay focused. We don't know what we might find here."

The clear blue water flowing gently through the rocky floor added to the tranquil atmosphere of the cavern. The sound of the water was soothing, providing a moment of respite from their recent ordeals. Grant and Ree moved cautiously through the cave, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger.

As they walk, their feet will sometimes get into a shallow hole from time to time that looks like flat ground, illusioned by the tall grass. Then, there this hole is a little too deep, Ree got his foot and got caught off guard by it, and sprained his ankle as soon as he stepped into the hole.

Ree let out a sharp gasp as his foot twisted painfully in the hole, sending a jolt of pain up his leg. He stumbled, grabbing onto Grant's arm for support but ended up pulling Grant down with him.

Ree chuckled. "Sorry, I got myself into those holes again and this one is a bit deeper."

"Oh. Warn me sometimes. Are you alright?" Grant asked, getting back up and helping Ree standing up. Ree winced a bit when he put pressure on one of his ankles.

"Feel sting on my ankle."

"Which one?"

"This one."

Grant knelt down, carefully examining Ree's ankle. The area was already beginning to swell slightly, and Ree winced as Grant gently pressed around the injured spot.

"Definitely looks like a sprain," Grant said, concern evident in his voice. "We should take a break, wrap it up, and let you rest for a bit."

Ree nodded, gritting his teeth as he tried to shift his weight off the injured ankle. 

Grant reached into his pack, pulling out a small first-aid kit. "Let's get this wrapped up, and then don't move," Grand instructed and Ree just nodded.

As Grant began wrapping Ree's ankle with a bandage, Ree glanced around the cave. "This place... It's too serene. Almost feels like a trap, you know? Like it's trying to lure us into a false sense of security."

Grant chuckled softly, trying to keep the mood light despite the pain. "I faced more nasties in disguise."

Ree is intrigued and leans forward a bit. "Like what?"

"Hm... Not a place. A flower that I found and I heard the petals have a lot of healing properties and I wanna have it and then it suddenly snapped at me like a carnivorous plant," Grant continued, his tone light but with a hint of seriousness. "Turned out it wasn't just any flower. It was a rare species that mimicked its environment to lure in unsuspecting prey. Took a good chunk out of my arm before I managed to get away."

Ree's eyes widened in surprise. "A flower that bites? That's wild. Did you manage to get any of it in the end?"

Grant grinned, finishing up the bandage on Ree's ankle. "I did. After I learned its pattern, I came back with better tools and more caution. Managed to harvest some of the petals without getting bitten again. But it taught me a valuable lesson: in places like this, beauty can be as dangerous as it is alluring."