"I think it's this way."

"No, that was the long way, remember?"

"No, it's a loop! We came back to camp on this one."

"It doesn't look familiar."

"Duh! It's dark out."

"What do you think, Impulse?" Tango looked to him in the dark, keeping his voice a steadier whisper.

"I don't know!" Impulse whispered with furrowed eyebrows. "We were so focused on coming up with that story to distract Cleo that I didn't pay enough attention to the area."

There was a silence as they shuffled around, holding their breaths as they tried to find the start of the trail, which they were only now realizing was pretty horribly marked. Not like they were meant for walking on at night of course, but even in the day, you had to know where they were to find them, which was poorly planned.

"Was it near the Architect's tent? Or Pearl and Gems?" Zed asked. "I wish it was lighter, so I could see the colors of them better."

"We can't use the flashlights until we're far enough from camp." Tango said, slightly defeated as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. It was a pretty warm night, but still cooler than the day, and the slight breeze whistling through the camp clearing was only emphasizing that.

"Let's just go one direction and see if it takes 20 minutes to get there. We either get lucky or turn back after 20minutes. We have the whole night anyway." Tango said, breaking the night atmosphere with a whisper.

"Yeah."

"Ok."

They walked slowly, careful to avoid sticks or tripping. Silence hung in the air as they watched their step, trying as hard as they could to avoid waking anyone up. Farther from the camp was where both trails started, and they stopped walking to choose one.

"Do you guys-...." Impulse shuffled slightly closer, ducking his head a little. "... feel like we're being watched?"

"Don't get paranoid on us Impy! We can't start hearing voices or seeing eyes in the woods before we even start." Tango stated.

"No no, I feel it too." Zed said, pupils darting around in the dark.

"Guys don't start now!" Tango groaned quietly.

Shadowy figures slipped up behind the group and Zed whipped around, hands out in front defensively.

"Come on Zed." Tango turned around with an unamused face. "You can't be.... That... scared ...." He felt a slight breeze behind him, from the direction of the forest. "Of.... the dark." He squeaked.

Zed and Impulse both froze, looking over Tango's shoulder.

A hand clamped over Tango's mouth and he screamed.

"Shoot, sorry, shoot, quiet down." Beef broke through the shadows, waving his hands as he whispered loudly and tried to calm Tango down.

Tango stopped screaming just as quickly as he started, casting his eyes down to look at the fingerless gloved hand slowly letting go. He turned around to see Etho giving him an apologetic look as 3 more stepped from the shadows. Tango sighed deeply, trying to get his heart rate back to normal. Oh god that was terrifying.

Doc, Bdubs, and Keralis were standing next to Beef now, and somehow Etho had slipped from being behind Tango to the others as well. Zed and Impulse stood next to Tango, opposite of the rest.

"What are you guys doing out here?" Zed whispered loudly with a pointing finger and accusing tone.

"We could ask you the same thing." Doc said slowly, squinting his eyes at the trio.

"Uhm, using the bathroom?" Impulse said slightly too quickly and too many octaves high to sound convincing. Tango wanted to sigh, but held back. Zed facepalmed.

"In the wrong direction away from camp?" Bdubs asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh Bdubs, didn't see you there!" Tango mentioned, chuckling in a whisper.

"You dare say a thing about my height-"

"Shhhhh!" Like three voices shushed him, to which he recoiled and rolled his eyes. Keralis giggled next to him.

"Well we answered," Zed said, ignoring how obvious Impulse's lie was. "Now what are you doing here?"

"Midnight snack?" Etho offered, just as bad as Impulse really.

"Mmhm." Tango nodded. "With half the hermits following you?"

They stared at each other, neither willing to break first. Beef rolled eyes and stepped between them.

"Ok it's obvious all of us wanted to go out into the woods." Beef interrupted the staredown. "Wanna just go together?"

"So you are going into the woods." Impulse said. "Ha! I knew you guys were acting weird earlier-"

"SHHHHHH."

"Right, right, sorry!" He shrunk back sheepishly. "But I still knew it!" He whispered triumphantly.

"Wait you didn't tell anyone else right?" Bdubs asked quickly, both about them acting weird and going on the trail.

"Nope!" Zed said.

"If X knew, he would kill us." Tango whisper-chuckled.

"Ok, agreed that we all keep hush on this?" Doc said. Everyone nodded and looked at each other. Etho stole an extra long look at Bdubs, who noticed and rolled his eyes with his arms folded.

"What was that look for?" Tango looked between them.

"Etho's being obnoxious." Bdubs answered.

"Oh I didn't know you knew that word." Etho teased.

"Why I oughta!"

"Shhhhh!"

"Ol' Bubbles here didn't want to go at first. Making sure he doesn't try to tell." Etho explained calmly. He adjusted the headphones hanging around his neck.

"I'd get in trouble too idiot. I'm down to go now." Bdubs retorted.

"Mhm." Etho hummed.

"You didn't want to go?" Keralis asked softly.

"Were you afraid? It's fine if you were." Tango asked at the same time.

"No!" Bdubs kept his voice at a whisper. "Didn't want to ruin my sleep schedule, is all. But yeah now I want to do this too."

"Well we want to see the glowing flowers by the waterfall." Zed said. "I want a sample for my microscope." He pulled out the vial and bag to show them off. "What are you guys doing?"

"Oh we want to see the flowers too!" Keralis chirped quietly. "Vintage Kebab and Eto were very straightforward when they woke me and Bubbles up a few minutes ago."

"Oh so you just decided to go? Well then I guess we're the more prepared group!" Tango said confidently, putting his hand to his chest.

"Right so, which way is the trail then?" Doc hummed with a smug look.

"One of these directions?" Zed pointed to the two back and forth. Which one were they picking first again? They hadn't decided before the others showed up actually.

"So..... you don't know then." Doc said.

"Uhm, guess and check?" Tango offered.

"Mhm." Doc hummed. "Follow me."

He stepped in front to lead the group onto the correct trail. Zed, Tango, and Impulse looked at each other, shrugged, and followed him, everyone else filing in after.

Ok, so they were going as one huge big group now! Safety in numbers, not that this was dangerous or anything though, of course, obviously. Hey, they all wanted to see the flowers anyways, this was just more efficient!

Etho slipped towards Tango near the front of the group. He wanted to just turn on his music and walk, but figured he should probably apologize for freaking him out earlier in a classic kidnapping scene.

"Hey sorry I grabbed you like that. I was afraid you'd scream louder if you just bumped into us."

"Ah it's fine. I totally would have if you didn't stop me. Props to being so quiet though."

Etho did a mock bow and Tango chuckled quietly.

"So are you saving the samples for when we get back? Or did you bring a mini microscope along the trip?" Beef asked. They were far enough from the tents now as they started the trail, and so voices could raise slightly above a whisper now, which strained his voice less.

"I'm saving them. That is, if they actually glow." Zed turned slightly to Impulse next to him.

"Hey, I swear they do. Gem said so, and she's the nature expert!"

"But why did she tell you they do, especially if she didn't decide to go out at night too."

"I caught her whispering with Pearl and traded an IOU for the secret."

"You are going to regret that!"

"Not if these things glow as brightly as they say." Impulse said.

"Doc told me and Etho that Gem told him, but he's not stupid enough to give those two an IOU." Beef said.

"Hey!"

"I wonder why she told him." Beef thought aloud.

"Considering he's probably saving us an hour of walking, I'm not complaining." Zed said. "Plus only him and Impulse have to pay whatever to Gem; I'm just here for the ride and the science!"

Doc felt proud. Maybe it was something about going into the woods at night, or being the one to lead the entire group that had the confidence flowing through his veins, but he sorta felt like he could rule the world. He was going to show everyone bioluminescent flowers around the waterfall, and on top of that, get a bouquet of them for Ren back at camp.

He didn't tell Ren they were going out because a small part of him was afraid they wouldn't glow and that he had screwed up somewhere, and he didn't want to be the guy to hype up everything and let Ren down. Just bringing him some would be enough. Plus, if they did glow like he hoped, he could show Ren early in the morning before the sun was up with Gem still. It was a win-win, with a little rebellious adventure sprinkled in with the nHo and Keralis and ZIT.

The details of how he got so many could be explained to Gem or Xisuma later on, but that was future him's problem, and right now, his only goal was to move forwards.

Keralis and Bdubs were at the back of the pack, taking in more of the moment than the others. Etho was in front of them a bit away, headphones on and oblivious to their soft conversation.

The front of the group had started turning on flashlights since they were far enough from camp now, so Bdubs and Keralis followed suit, going through their pockets to find-

"Oh no, I forgot my flashlight Bubbles." Keralis realized, turning his pocket inside out.

"It's ok Ker, we can share mine." Bdubs nodded, flipping it on and pointing it towards the ground in front of them.

"Oh you're so sweet, sweet-face."

Bdubs grinned, subtly inching a step closer to Keralis. The atmosphere was clear and refreshing, and Bdubs didn't feel so bad about losing sleep anymore. The crunch of dead leaves and small branches under their feet was the only thing that said they were even there.

It was quiet. It was nice.

Keralis had grabbed Bdubs hand at one point, and Bdubs was so excited and content, he didn't even notice until he stopped for a second to look around, and felt the accidental tug on his arm forwards.

Oh.

They were holding hands.

Keralis was smiling, and Bdubs remembered that they were walking forwards, and so he kept going in the direction of the fading voices and dimming lights moving ahead of them. He didn't quite care that they were falling behind. It was a one way trail anyway.

He just kept walking, holding hands with his best friend in the forest, at night.

"Are we there yet?"

"Well, have you been keeping track of how long we've been walking?"

"Are you sure we didn't go on the wrong trail?"

"Guys it's just taking longer because we can't see where we're going so we're walking slower."

"Well then let's pick up the pace a little, they'll stop glowing when the suns up!"

"And Xisuma will wake up."

And that last statement was enough to get the front of the group to all walk a little bit faster, more energy in their steps. The trail was thinning, so they went into single file to easily avoid the steep side on one side. It wasn't particularly dangerous or anything, but it would be a bit of a squish to fit two people next to each other, and Tango really didn't want to touch stinging nettle again.

Etho couldn't hear anything except his music, and it was so nice. He had a flashlight, and could see the hermits in front of him walking a little faster, so he did too, but he didn't exactly know or care why.

Thump

Thump

Thump

His head nodded as the base dropped, and he smiled under his mask, skipping a step forwards in time with the music. This was the life.

The group was getting just a little too far away for comfort. Keralis and Bdubs silently agreed to pick up the pace, still with the flashlight on towards the ground and hands together.

Keralis was looking forwards, trying to catch sight of wayward flashlights or bits of conversation of the group ahead. His foot tripped on a root stretching across the trail.

"Ah-"

Bdubs was quick to react, dropping the flashlight to dip in front of Keralis and catch him, still holding his hand.

"Woah woah I got you!"

Bdubs was holding one hand up in the air, while the other was holding his other arm fully. Keralis's hand was on Bdubs' shoulder, and Bdubs' was under his arm, gripping his back.

They stood there, breathing more heavily from the quick adrenaline rush than anything, until Keralis broke the stare with a cackle.

Bdubs dropped their hands and laughed too, still holding him close in the awkward half hug.

"Thank you Bubbles!" Keralis laughed, loosening the grip on Bdubs' shoulder without letting go. Bdubs dropped his hand as well, getting a better foot as they both laughed.

"That was a close call," Bdubs was smiling. "Couldn't have you dragging me down too."

He let go of Keralis completely for a second, switching sides so he was the one closer to the edge instead, and picked up the flashlight from where he dropped it. It also helped with the slightly clammy feeling in their hands by switching them, and was more comfortable as they were both trying to calm down.

"Let's catch up with the group." Kerais said in his last huff of laughter, gently squeezing their intertwined hands.

"Heh, yeah. At this rate they'll be ready to head back by the time we even get there." Bdubs laughed, stepping forwards carelessly as he continued to gap the silence with rambling.

"Imagine they see the flowers before us and never let us live it down! I mean Beef might not tease, but know Doc and Etho-"

His foot caught on a root, more harshly this time, and as he tried to catch himself with his other leg, it only slipped to the side really uncomfortably and increased his momentum.

In a split second, Keralis tried to pull him back up by grabbing his other arm, but only managed to flail as his shoe slipped on an unlucky spot of mud and moss, bringing him down with Bdubs off the trail. 

The only coherent thought Bdubs had was to let go of Keralis's hand as to not dislodge anything, and maybe let them both shield their heads better. He tried digging his heels into the dirt to slow down, but nothing seemed to work as his head spun and couldn't tell up from down.

It was only a few seconds of tumbling downhill, until a 4 foot drop dumped Bdubs on his side on flater land.

"Ack!"

He was breathing heavily, holding his head as the world spun.

He heard a faint "Ahhhh!" start to get louder, and before he could even think to move, another body fell on top of his legs. Keralis grunted, dropping his arms from around his head when he was sure he had stopped moving.

They both stayed still, panting and trying to catch their breaths slowly to avoid hyperventilation.

"Keralis." Bdubs whispered. "Are you ok?"

There was no response for a few seconds, and Bdubs heart started pounding faster as he panicked.

"Yeah." Came the breathy answer. "Yeah I'm ok Bubbles." Keralis sat up, rolling off of Bdubs as carefully as he could.

"Are you ok Sweetface?"

Bdubs lifted his upper body up, "Yeah I think-" He moved his ankle to the side to stand and gasped sharply as a bolt of pain ran up his leg. Tears pricked at his eyes instantly as he took a shaky breath in.

Keralis looked at him with furrowed brows and a worried expression.

"I don't think my foot's ok." Bdubs whispered.

------ 

(2723 words!)

I have been waiting to write that scene literally since I decided to write this. HAHA THE ACTION IS STARTING!!! Only took me 108 pages to get here!

Hey if you liked it, voting, commenting, or sharing with friends would be incredibly appreciated! These take a long time to make, and you would have no idea how much a single comment can motivate me to write so much more, which makes me feel happy and gives the rest of you chapters faster! So please do, and have a great day or night all of you! (I'm assuming you're having a better night than Keralis and Bdubs at least!)