Heart of Ice, Soul of Fire

Chapter 5: The moss has a secret

"That-" Keith smirked. "Was exhilarating."

"Hell yeah it was." Lance smiled, eyes glowing with a renewed vigor.

"Guys, can you stop flirting? I think it's making Shiro veeery uncomfortable." Hunk pointed to said person who coughed awkwardly.

"What? Me? No way." Shiro chuckled fakely.

"We should probably get going, we still have three more of these weird gems to find." Pidge muttered, dryly gesturing to the map where they had yet to cross off their two of five gems. They sighed, Keith taking the map from Pidge unhappily.

"Guess we better get going, maybe we should try for the green one next." Hunk shrugged, looping the leather cord attached to the stone around his neck. Pidge nodded in agreement. Shiro shrugged, unsure whether or not they should really be looking for these strange stones.

The team made their way across the dusty and rugged landscape, their packs were heavy against their backs and their leg muscles strained against the weight. Shiro volunteered to carry Pidge on his back first when they passed out, Keith took their pack as his own- he was the most familiar with Pidge and their strange contraptions they had packed. When they finally arrived at the place they should have been several long years ago they could walk no longer and took refuge in a lush garden-like cave.

Ivy covered the entrance, obscuring them from the view of any predators and the walls and floors were covered in a strange iridescent moss, bright green in color and glowing gently around them. Slowly they made camp, gathering leaves and bark for a fire, setting out the sheets they had stripped from the institute bunks as sleeping bags, and then, one by one, finally falling asleep.

Pidge was the first to wake, blinking wearily as sunlight filtered gently through the cave entrance.

Where am I? The question filtered through my head, making the cave seem ten times brighter. "Lance?" I called out, shifting from my position tucked haphazardly in a sleeping bag made of blindingly white cotton sheets and black duffels acting as pillows to cushion the ground.

The others were around, stacked carelessly against one another, Lance leaning on Hunk- Keith curled up between Shiro and Allura.

Coran had done as told, covering their exit. Allura shifted uncomfortably, only managing to squish Keith further between Shiro's chest and her waist.

I shuffled to my feet, blearily blinking the sleep from my eyes. I observed the walls of the cave, small rocks and slightly larger rocks all held together by the roots of a magnificent tree. The bark of the tree was solid and smooth, unlike any of the bark I had ever seen, even before my time at the institute. The nature all around me called, animals in the trees and a river hidden in the brush. The scenery was beautiful, such lush greenery any nature bender would be jealous. I pulled myself into the foliage of a nearby tree and pressed my palm against it's trunk. The roots at my feet parted, revealing a small green stone.

"Pidge, where are you?" Keith's voice called from below.

"Right here!" I fell from the foliage with a flourish, landing on the ground with a loud "O O F"

Keith rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest as Lance laughed at something in the background.

"Wanna go for a walk? My back is stiff as hell." He sighed, rolling his shoulders smoothly and glaring at Allura who was still tucked between a woke Shiro and the cave wall, snoozing away.

"Sure, I already found the crystal thing we were here for anyway." I shrugged, taking his offered hand and pulling myself up from the ground. He smiled, clapping me over the back proudly and wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Great job Pidge, I know Matt and Sam would be so proud of you." His smile was genuine, taking on a whole new level of emotions I hadn't seen in him since Lance arrived.

"Thanks bro." I laughed, smiling at the choice name I used for my nonbinary form.

His laugh was genuine as well, a sparkle in his eye as he ruffled my hair affectionately.