“Are you ready?”

Sasaki nodded solemnly as I whispered.

The cave was flowing with prickling cold air, it filled my nostril with its unique murky stench plus a hint of blood. Instead of feeling the cold, sweat trickling down from my head.

We were standing at the entry, which was at the far corner of the cave. It will take almost half a kilometre to reach our destination. It’s not that far away, but to move forward in a sneaky style, will take more times.

The terrain of the cave was jagged unevenly, with only a few walkable narrow dirt path. We have to climb up and down through a few small obstacle. While all needed to be done in the most noiseless way possible. It will be a long tiring walk.

I glanced at Sasaki.

She strained all her focus into observing the area. She didn’t look like she was playing around. I’ve never seen her being that serious. That expression of her was assuring.

Sasaki put in her promptly made weapon into her skirt pocket. It wasn’t much, I split the scissor of her into half, and got us two sharp blades. The blade is long enough to be called a short knife except it was slender and had a scissor handle.

I didn’t hope to be engaged into a situation where we have to use the blade. The blade was cute compared to the size of the monsters. Furthermore, I doubt that we could penetrate through its rough scale with it. But, I have something else in mind if the monsters really attacked us.

It was better than going in there barehanded. Who knows that there might be another monster in the cave. I can’t fully scan the cave as some areas were blocked by the rocks. Despite that, I didn't see any moving creatures beside the dragon headed snake.

“Psst...” I made a sound to Sasaki as a sign of the beginning of our plan.

I placed down my first step into the cave, while focusing on what’s ahead. With Sasaki closely following my back, we started moving into the cave.

There were few big rocks along the way. We constantly sneak and hid behind the big rock which blocked the sight between us and the sleeping soundly monsters.

The cave was occasionally vibrated with their hissing snore. It was an advantage, as it let us know whether the monsters were still asleep or not. We hasten our feet everytime that sound resonated within the cave.

The plan was running smooth so far, the monsters couldn’t hear our tip toeing steps or they might hear it but didn’t care about harmless creatures passing by.

It was all good, until when we reached to a part where a wide crack on the ground blocked our way and spikes of rock decorated at the bottom of it. I didn’t see the crack from afar as the other side of the ground was lower than this side. I formerly thought that it was just a slope down.

Going around the wide crack was impossible as the path around it stood a whole jag of bristly tall rocks, which left no space to be weaved. Climbing on the spiky textured tall rock will be reckless. None of us are pro climber, we could fall down or worse. Walking back to go on another route is a better choice for the current situation. We could take our time as long as we didn’t rouse the monsters up.

I decided.

But then, Sasaki gently tugged my sleeve to gain my attention.

She briefly opened her mouth, almost going to talk, but she realised the rule I set about not talking in the cave. So, she shut her mouth tight and started gesturing with her hands.

She opened the palm of her left hand, placing the tip of her index and middle finger from her right hand straight on the palm. Then she moved her fingers, imitating a walking person, and jumped through the little space she made in between her left fingers.

She wanted us to jump over the crack.

I immediately shook my head in disagreement. That would produce too much sound. The cave is sensitive to sound, the thudding sound after we jumped and landed on the ground would be echoed all over the place. It will put us in risk, if it awaken the monsters.

A look of irk furrowed her brow, she leaned close to me. Staring straight into my eyes. Her sharp grey eyes were filled with eagerness.

I glanced at the crack again. The height difference between the ground is around a meter while the wide is roughly a meter and a half. It wouldn’t be a hard jump. But still, I didn’t want to risk it even if the chance of waking up the monsters was low. Besides, we were close to the center of the cave now.

I trod away from Sasaki as an act of denial.

But then, Sasaki strode pass and stopped right in front me as she turned around with both eyes glaring at me. After a short while, she steadily moved her right foot behind, hunched her back slightly and arched her lips into a smirk. Her eyes focused on what’s behind me.

In a blink of an eye, she brushed through my side, followed by a gust of wind. She jumped with the momentum she created by running off the slanted edge.

I turned around with eyes locked on Sasaki, who leapt through into mid air with her hands raised over her head, leg bent and feet pointing straight to the ground, toward the implied area while her hair danced through the air.

THUD!

Her feet landed first and the force made her scrunched her body down with both hands counterbalanced on the ground supporting the weight of her body. She safely crossed the crack.

Tense spread throughout my body as the sound she caused reached my ears. I immediately closed my distance to the side of the rocks. Trying to hide myself in case the monsters were awakened. They could see me if they stood up above that big rocky hill.

Sasaki rolled to the nearby boulder, with the same intention.

We both waited for reaction, but a minute or two had passed. Nothing happened. Furthermore, the occasional hissing sound could be heard like usual.

I glanced at Sasaki who was already standing on her feet. She glanced back at me with a contented smile. While standing proudly, she raised a hand up to her eye level, pointing at me, she curled her forefinger and beckoned me in a taunting way.

Seeing her attitude made me inhaled and exhaled a long deep breath. What she just did could have endangered us. There was no remorse in her face, it only showed arrogance.

I will teach her a ‘lesson’ after we exited this cave

Still, I didn’t like the idea of the sound which produced when landing. But, seeing Sasaki who already stood across the crack. I have no choice but to follow her. I couldn’t just leave her to her own and go back to find another route myself. Her impetuous trait needed to be constantly watched over, or else, she could be ended up being snacked by the monster.

Maybe that’s a good idea, she will act as a decoy as I sprint to the exit

An evil thought crossed my mind, but I know that I won’t do that. I need her bottle to stock on water too.

I moved to the position where Sasaki previously stood to build the same momentum. I imitated the way she did, stepping one foot back, curling my back. Then I put all the power on my front foot and pushed the ground strongly, I ran through the slanted ground and jumped like what Sasaki did.

I closely followed Sasaki’s movement in my mind but I actually landed further than what I supposed to. I lose my balance and tumbled on the ground. Sasaki threw herself to the side to avoid collision. While I almost groaned in pain as I slid on the ground roughly.

Damn it, I didn’t expect that

I quickly rolled myself to the side, knowing I just messed up. The sound I made was two times noisier and longer than what Sasaki did. She was startled and instantly dropped herself down to a crouching position. Anxious filled in her face. She gulped in dread.

I was surprised by the blunder I made. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. I calculated the distance carefully. I should be landed at that spot, but my jump actually went further than I predicted. My body felt lighter than usual when I pushed off the ground. I was bewildered.

For the second time, we dare not move even an inch waiting for the worst possible outcome. But, this time, the tension felt heavier.

A few minutes passed, there was no sound could be heard. Both of us still hiding behind the rocks, uneasiness plastered on our face.

There was around an inch of space between the rocks I clung to. So, I slowly move my head and positioned one of my eye to that narrow crack. The pupil of my eye contracted as the light hit me.

What’s beyond that definitely not a sight I wanted to see.

One of the monster was put into alert. It was standing while observing the surrounding. It slithered around the hill, on top of its own kind with its head slowly turned around, as it gaze upon the cave ground.

The hearing of the monster wasn’t as good as I thought it could be. It didn’t know where we were located at all. The monster didn’t catch the source of the sound from the echoes. Good thing that it didn’t have the perfect hearing like a bat do. I assumed that the monster here will be accustomed by the echoes of the cave. But it seemed like that’s not the case.

I glanced at the exit which was still half way further. The rocks for blocking the sight between us is lesser around the exit. But, it was a lot nearby the monsters. So, we could carefully tread our way pass the monsters while hidden behind the rocky walls.

The problem is that at the end of the cave, where there were less rocks that could be used to hide. Especially at the further end, the length of the closest rocks to the exit is roughly one hundred meters away. It was a wide open space there. I didn’t know the speed of that dragon headed snake but I bet that it could easily leapt through and caught us cold upon discovering us.

Now with one of the monster alerted, we can’t do reckless thing like before anymore.

I hand signed at Sasaki, to inform her about the awaken monster. She reacted by clutching her hands tight to her mouth after she learned about it. She was petrified. Even so, we still had to move forward.

The area around the monsters were enclosed by a lot of big rough rocks, as if they chose the area intentionally for their own practicality.

Sasaki and I started sneaking through the side of the rocky wall, clung close to it like our dear life is betted on it, so that our head won’t be seen from above. We started moving at the slowest speed than ever, to prevent any more unneeded loud sound. Deliberately strode over the rocky obstacles and periodically peeked at the center of the cave.

And sometimes, I spotted a few drop of dried blood on the surface of the rocks. But, it didn’t matter to me now, so I continued forward.

Right now, the monster rested its head at the highest peak of the rocky hill with eyes opened, as if it was guarding its nest, but in a groggy way.

We had gone pass by the monsters now. Our location was approximately three fourths to the exit, where the lake could be seen clearly and the exit was just a sprint ahead. Reminding one of the purpose of coming in to the cave was to stock the water supply. So, I started observing the lakeside.

There were no tall rocks that could hide our entire body by the side of the lake. But, there was a small rock which could practically hide one person if crouched low, it was located exactly within hand reach to the lake.

The problem is that the terrain around the lake would be hard to travel as the ground was pitted with a lot of nasty cracks and uneven rocky surface. One misstep would be fatal, as the monster was alerted enough to be able to hear the sound this time.

I peeked at the monster again. The awakened one was virtually facing the other side of the cave, opposite from where we stood. Which is an advantage.

I waved at Sasaki to follow me closely, we will be heading toward the nearest tall rocks that’s closest to the lake side. I intended on filling the water by myself as that blind spot beside the lake can only hid a person. So, I will tell Sasaki to wait for me as I swiftly go to finish the task and then will move back on track.

Along the way there, Sasaki and I caught a vague panting voice nearby. It was drawing near as we moved closer to the destination. We looked at each other puzzled as the sound seemed to be produced by a human’s vocal cord.

It’s been a while since we last met another people. But, unfortunately as we made a turn at that rock. What’s lying there startled both of us.

“Mi-!! Mmmfftt!!”

Knowing how she would react, I quickly grabbed on Sasaki and forcefully blocked her mouth with my hand. She struggled and stumbled on her feet, while trying to get my hand off. I dragged her away from the source of her shock, out off her sight. Then I forced her to scrunch down with me, laying low at the ground. I held her tight and close to me, resistance can be felt from how strongly she gripped on my arm until her nails dug into my skin. It hurt but I have to.

What’s lying there were her friends, both Mika and Aya, on top of a pool of their own blood. They were both gravely injured, in the cruellest way possible. Aya seemed to be lying cold already, the lower part of her body was ripped gone, exposing the bone and her innards, her chest was holed from probably sharp fangs, exactly where the heart was positioned.

On the other side, Mika was still breathing with blood dripped down from her mouth corner. Her consciousness started to fade. The injury she got was no small matter, not even the newest medical technology could save her anymore. The shocking part was that she actually managed to stay alive in that state, but alive wasn’t the correct definition for her anymore, she was practically half dead.

Blood painted all over her left chest down to her stomach which had been flattened inward, it was an injury caused by blunt force. I remember caught a glimpse of the bloody wall beside her, she was probably hurled down from up high and got her side pounded hard on the top of the rock then bounced down to the ground. Her right arm was nowhere to be found, left a bloody free flowing opening.

They must had ran into the same entrance from the previous incident and somehow caught themselves into another nasty mess in this cave.

“h...he...lp” with all the strength she could muster, she weakly pleaded help as she noticed us. I doubt that she knew who we were. She probably noticed us from the voice Sasaki made.

But, observing her state, there was no way we could do to help her.

Hiiiissssssssss..........

As I expected, the monster did notice the noise.

Cold sweat started to drip and the temperature of my body started to raise together with my heartbeat.

Forgot the struggle, Sasaki had realised her slipup and started to tremble in fear. She was snapped out from the shock only to face with another shock which caused her to froze and became dead silent.

A big cast of shadow could be seen lurking in on the ground just ahead of us. A long tall slender shadow, which is of the monster. It was now positioned exactly behind the tall rock we clung dearly to.

I released the hand which I held Sasaki tight as she had calmed down. We were both in a very tight position. Where any tiny mistake will be marked death for us.

I started unconsciously breathed in and out in the slowest possible way which caused my chest to be so uncomfortable from the lack of air. I slowly pulled out the blade I made and gripped on the handle tightly with the blade pointing straight down from my fist.

Judging from the shadow, the monster slithered pass to the place where Mika and Aya bodies laying.

Sound of its rough scale brushing through the rock surfaces could be clearly heard. The rattling and hissing sound was louder than ever.

“hhh...” Mika grunted as the monster stopped rattling.

“....!!!!!!”

As if shouting, she shrieked and yowled in pain, almost voiceless.

I couldn’t see what’s happening there, but it seemed that the monster was doing something with her body, like digging its fang in. Alongside the groaning sound Mika made, I could hear merciless squelching and splatting sound.

I glanced at the shadow far near the turning where the bodies was located. From that, I saw the dragon head picked Mika up with only one of her leg in its jaw and the body dangled upside down.

After that, the monster shook its prey from left to right in an astounding force until the body was ripped and detached from the leg. Mika was flung away, landed and rolled to just about few meters away from us. With her horrendously battered body facing the other side and her broken head facing our side. Her eyes coincidently staring straight at us, lifeless.

“Nooooooooo!!! Mikaaa!!” Sasaki started screaming and leapt forward seeing the horrible state of her friend.

I reached out my hand only to caught the empty air as Sasaki drifted away from me. I was too late to be able to caught her. She threw herself down to Mika’s side. Then, she gently held her bloody broken body up close to her trembling self.

“No...No...Noooo... Ayaa... Mika!!” She wailed painfully and lamentedly, forgot whatever formerly filled her mind with fear.

I moved forward to uncover the line of sight between me and the monster. That dragon headed snake slowly slithering close to Sasaki.

“Run!!” I shouted at Sasaki with the loudest voice I could howl. But, she couldn’t hear me amidst her grief.

The monster now stood high above Sasaki. But, she didn’t notice nor realise about her position at all. Their friendship must have been so deep that’s enough to put Sasaki in great anguish upon seeing her dead friend.

Two monsters which were asleep in the center of the cave have now been aroused. They were inching closer in just a blink of eye. Like a hungry predator found its prey.

Without further hesitation, I immediately leapt forward inching close to Sasaki.

“Sasaki!! Please!!” I shouted at her again but got no respond.

I pulled her up, but she put up a resistant and staggered on her feet.

GROOAAAAAARRRR

I glanced above, the monster had opened its jaw wide, bloody saliva spurted everywhere, ready to pounce on us.

I immediately pushed Sasaki away, caused her to tumble far from me, followed by turning myself away, trying to leapt. But, my speed was overwhelmed. The monster hauled me in between its strong jaw. One of its long sharp fang forcefully penetrated deep into my stomach, jolt of pain started to throb throughout me and my ribs felt like it's about to burst. It was so hard to breathe that I gasped for air.

The stalagmites on the ceiling were closing to my sight, I was lifted up high, beneath the monster's jaw. Every second of the time, felt so long and heavy to me. My body started to feel so hot, its boiling hot, it's getting extremely unbearable hot. I coughed out whatever that bubbled up to my throat. My vision gradually leaving me. Knowing how bad the situation I was in. I mustered all my strength and swung the hand which still clenching the blade tightly, it was so tight that I might have sliced my palm.

ROOOAAAAAAAAAARRRR

I stabbed deep into its eye socket and managed to twist once before that monster tossed me away with force.

"Shiratsuki!!" I could hear Sasaki had snapped out from her grief and once again to only face with another agony. She screamed my name repeatedly, with her almost dried out voice.

I felt the wind breezed through as I flung away. Then, the next thing I know, my back was slammed and splashed onto the lake surface.

By that time, my body has fully stopped receiving order from my mind, I couldn't move my limbs, I couldn't breathe. I saw bubble floating up as I sank, along with my blood flowing in this cold dark lake. My head was pounding, every cell in my body was screaming for air. But then, my consciousness began to betray me. I was sinking down, however, in just a mere blink of eye, a flash of light suddenly lit on top of the lake surfaces. With no state of mind to ponder, I drifted further from that light and then my vision engulfed with darkness.