Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Wilderness ❯ Drop ( Chapter 16 )

 

Wilderness

By Dentelle_Noir

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, duh. Don't you find this as redundant as I? I hope so.

 

Warning: Eventual yaoi. Man bashing.

 

NOTE: I'm giving Wilderness a bit of a re-haul and edit! Mostly from the middle on arethelarger changes, but the earlier chapters have more format and minor wording changes.

 

Summary: AU. 3x4. Stuck on a Wilderness vacation, Father `toughening him up', a deadly coincidence brings a forest ranger and the trouble following him, into their group. Quatre will have to prove to everyone just what the nancy-boy can do.

 

 

 

Chapter Sixteen: Drop

 

Aching, sore muscles were finally given respite once it was too dark to tell the river from the sky. Quatre was glad the day was done, but his tiredness and soreness was a happily born pain. He hadn't ever worked like that before. His aches told him he had done a day's work. He had done something worthwhile and felt a warmness blooming through him at the thought. Sore and exhausted as he was, he couldn't wait to get up tomorrow and do it all over again.

 

Heero hadn't razzed him the whole day, he didn't even look his way; but that was a plus in his book. Quatre was starting to understand Treize's joy at having Wufei hate him. It was the same as having Heero ignore him. It was better than hatred. One step, but a step none the less!

 

The next morning, he woke to cooking bacon and, anxious to go, began to pack so he could eat and leave. Heero plopped a plate down beside his bag as he rolled it. The only thing he got from Heero was a “Come On, you girl. Get up, Winner” when he tripped over a badger hole while they were trying to search the caves. But the surprising part came when Heero walked over and actually grabbed him by the scruff of his coat and hauled him up with a grunt. But an amused grunt, not a condescending grunt. Quatre was ecstatic.

 

That night, they all settled into another cave and Duo amused them all with shadow puppets that were made grotesque by the cave walls and dripping water that slid down the side. Then they all went to bed again, Wufei's sleeping bag next to Trowa who was next to Treize. He was getting over it, Treize assured him. Wufei still refused to say his name.

 

On the third day of the trip for Quatre, (the other four's week and three quarters) the group started to distress over the lack of bat. They had found evidence the bat had once been in some of the places they had visited, Trowa, (he assumed was the resident animal expert, equal with Heero) had even said the bat had been there the day before by the left over stuff. The day before! But they still hadn't found one.

 

Muscles protesting and legs burning, Quatre and Heero carried a canoe, holding the sides so the big aluminum thing was over their heads. You had to balance the height, and surprising to the group present, Quatre was actually closer in height to Heero than Duo was, and Wufei and Duo carried perfectly. Treize, being the expert at the forest trails and such, guided with the portieres following his heels. Trowa, now canoe-less, was carrying all the surplus packs that the others were able to con him into carrying.

 

Since Heero and Quatre were leading with a huge metal hat, they were front and center, being pelted with the worst of the brush and snapping it off before the other three got to it. And they got to find the pit holes and craters in the floor so the others didn't trip on them. Joy.

 

Quatre didn't understand why they had to portage this stretch. The rapids didn't look that bad. He wasn't sure why they were classified as Fives, he thought it rather silly. But even Heero-the-infallible had no problem with carrying the canoes and gear to the next put in point. Heero said there were no caves around to check, so they had to get to the next spot the fastest to catch up to their prey (“Hopefully”, Wufei muttered, pulling twigs from his hair).

 

They trudged rather slowly, the canoes hindering their progress. But worst was the rocky terrain; it was slippery under last fall's decayed leaves and slick with the spring snow runoff. Even Trowa lost his footing a few times. So the fact that Quatre slid on his ass and got knocked by the canoe on the head for his efforts didn't faze him, or the others, for that matter.

 

Right after, before they could even start to laugh at his misfortune, Duo slid right out from under the canoe he and Wufei carried and slid halfway down the rocky slope on his ass before hitting a tree and hanging on to stop himself. Oh yes. It was fun to laugh at someone else for a change. And he also noticed, that despite their laughter, it was a different kind of laughter. Friendly laughter. Duo was laughing as well. And it was understood that anyone could have done the same and would be laughed at just the same. It was refreshing for Quatre who had always been laughed AT.

 

Treize made his way up another hilly incline, the leaves littering the ground sliding out from under steps to reveal... Rocks! Who'd a thought! But this incline was more of a cliff. Extra caution was needed. To the side off the ridge was a drop eight times their height. It made Quatre nervous just to know they were up that high.

 

He didn't want to admit it, but this trip was bringing his fear of heights into sharp relief. And he didn't like the results. Treize had to step lightly and was careful to judge the best route they could all take up this one. The last one they had to turn around because Duo and Fei's canoe got caught in the tree branches, hence why they were close enough that Quatre realized there was a ledge. He had been blessedly oblivious before!

 

Taking a wobbly step onto the rock, leaves immediately giving under his weight and sliding off the smooth hard surface, Quatre felt his nerves go on edge. It was called `Rock hard' for a reason. And he didn't have a good feeling about this exactly.

 

Then, Quatre stepped again and his stomach pitched upwards and he felt nothing but air under him. Terror gripped his throat as his back and shoulder slammed down onto the grey slippery hardness.

 

The cutting pain was nothing compared to the uncontrollable terror of the force pushing him towards the side of the rock, gaining speed as he neared the huge drop on the edge. He couldn't even get a grip and each kick and grab he made to slow his terrific pace left him with bunches of slimy leaves piling on his hands and arms, speeding him up even more.

 

He could hear canoes dropping and his name shouted, but he was sliding for the edge too quickly for any efforts to be of any help.

 

Digging his heels into the rock painfully to try and grasp something, anything, to slow him, small cracks that jarred his locked knees sent him skidding off to the side and twisting uncontrollably.

 

Suddenly there was nothing under him at all, a sick tearing sound and the stale stench of decayed air punching his lungs with their sour smell. Any remaining air was slammed from his body as he hit, a force enough to almost break his clattering jaw and enough to smash the pads of his hands so hard that his arms buckled under him to the shoulder. His body began to roll, skidding across the solid ground flopping like a rag doll.

 

The world was black, and became even darker as his body, starved for air, couldn't take anymore.

 

“Quatre!” he heard through watery ears. “QUATRE!” It screamed again, this time the sound was clearer as he woke and tried to calm his swarming head.

 

It was black all around him, so black he thought maybe he was crazy and he really hadn't opened his eyes at all. He tried to focus and saw a small shoot of light a few feet away, with the shadow of heads frantically moving around the entrance and sending the light dancing into his confused senses. Once he was sure he was seeing correctly, he tried to stand.

 

His whole body ached deeply, his shoulders especially, and his ribs. But he was able to move all his limbs, as sore as it was. He lifted himself to his quivery legs, stalking towards the light; the only thing he could make out in the surrounding darkness.

 

“CAT? Shit, I'm going down there!” Trowa's voice called, frantic as one of the shadows braced against the shadow sides of the light.

 

“I'm Okay!” He rasped, but no one heard. “I'm OKAY!” He strangled out louder, his voice echoing all around him.

 

“Cat?” Trowa's voice shook in hope, Wufei and Duo shouting down questions franticly.

 

“I'm alright. All limbs here.” Quatre finally made it to the light, letting the white brightness wash over him and bath him in light.

 

“Oh God. You look horrible. Are you okay? Can you get back up? Quatre?” That was Wufei, gripping the edge of the hole in the roof. Quatre realized he had probably made the hole with his kicking and flailing, and then fell into it. Talk about make you own bed and lie in it!

 

He was underground. It just donned on him. He was slowly recovering from his aches and was able to clearly take stock of his situation. He wasn't sure where he was. Heero had said there wasn't supposed to be any caves around the area. Looking around he could tell he was obviously in one.

 

And the roof was moving!

 

Little shining pin pricks opened, shifting and tapping. Quatre immediately stepped back, stumbling over some of the debris that fell in with him. He thudded back down onto his ass again and let out a startled shout that reverberated off the walls and ceiling.

 

Suddenly, the walls came alive, the sky fell on him in one sure rush and his ears burned with the high pitched call of thousands of screams.

 

Fluttering, clawing, hairy bats woke and panicked, taking haphazard flight. Hundreds of the winged beasts frantically targeted the hole above the intruder's head and made their break. Quatre was in the center of a hurricane; he couldn't do a thing, so he clamped his hands over his ears and tucked into his lap, trying to save his head from the worst of the bats slamming into the obstacle between them and the outside.

 

The group above flew backwards from the entrance as the black mass penetrated, spewing out hundreds of black winged creatures screeching and howling at each other and the world. Every one ducked as far down as they could go, Heero and Trowa trying to vain to distinguish one species from any of the others. But they were all just a frantic mass of fluttering, frightened bats.

 

After an agonizingly long time, the last of the screeches and howls calmed inside the cave. There were still a great many bats surrounding Quatre, but they seemed more intent on napping than attacking the stock still figure hunched in the brightness. Bats were night creatures, they didn't like the light.

 

Gasping breaths as quiet as he could, he tried to calm himself without moving much. The sound didn't make any bats fly, so he let himself breathe a little louder, then tried normal breath. He shuffled, moving his legs, then arms, untangling himself from his ball. Knowing he was being watched, Quatre starred up to the sky, catching the eye of Treize, who was frantically starring, and Quatre moved his arm up to wave, signaling he was alright. He could just hear some colorful swearing from above and figured someone (Duo, from the language) was hurt up there. Treize was the medic here, Quatre wanted to make sure he was where he was needed. His own aching limps were just sore, nothing broken, with a few cuts, nothing deadly.

 

He stood onto shaky legs and took a step into the darkness. His eyes had already begun to adjust, so it was easier for him to see around. The cave was sprawling, but short. The cavern he fell into seemed to be the biggest part of it, the roof was over four times his height and the hole just happened to be at the, like, highest frickan' point!

 

He had to find a nice walkable way out. He couldn't get out the same way he got in. He would NEVER go that high up even if it was against a wall with Trowa holding his hips and in a nice supposedly safe harness, (which he knew they didn't have, anyway). No way in HELL!

 

Once used to the darkness, he was able to take a good look up. There were a few bats, maybe a dozen or so huddled in corners, but nothing like the sheer wall of the creatures that had been.

 

But.

 

But there was another cavern off of the one he was in, and another shooting off from the opposite side. And there was another little archway, no higher than his waist, than ran into another cavity. He could hear something stirring, especially in the archway. He felt a wave of joy; it could be more bats, and maybe a Virginia Big eared!

 

Or. Then he filled with fear. Or it could be a hibernating bear, just waking up. Or a family of not-friendly raccoons bent on eating his flesh! OR it could be the lair of that evil squirrel eating fox! And the evil squirrel eating fox's evil squirrel eating family!

 

“Quatre?” It was Wufei's voice from the light.

 

Quatre walked, pushing down his urge to run in case he woke the bat-demons, to the hole in the roof. “Fei, there's more openings in here. I think their may be more bats. A lot more.” He said slow and clear so he wouldn't have to raise his voice and frighten the spawns of Satan.

 

He heard a murmuring from above, some sort of debate. Then Heero's face was bathed in the light. “Be sure. Are their or aren't their more bats in there? If you can look, check to see if you can ID them.” His voice was tight and strained. Obviously Heero was the voice of pessimism in the group.

 

Quatre nodded and took back to the shadows, deciding to look at the cavity to his left so that he wouldn't have to crawl hands and knees into the unknown borough of the evil squirrel eating foxes.

 

He quietly moved into the larger cavern, his heartbeat resounding in his ears. The entrance was relatively clear, but it was so far removed from the light of the hole that he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. But the roof-- it moved. Just like the other cavern's roof had earlier, before the sky filled with the blackness of the winged beasts.

 

More bats? Oh, hell yes!

 

Quatre ran, well he walked quickly and quietly away. (They say madness is doing things the same way over and over and expecting different results. He was not mad. He learned, damn it!)

 

Back into the safety of the light, Quatre shivered under it, Heero watching. “There are defiantly more. A lot more. Hundreds of thousands. They're all sleeping on the roof. And that was just the one cavern.” He spoke calmly, eloquently, and slowly.

 

“Cat, you have to calm down.” Trowa called down, being very, very scared by that tone.

 

Back up top, Treize was wrapping Duo's arm that had been torn open by one of the shrieking bats flying away. Duo was sniffling up a storm to win his boyfriend's pity, but failing miserably since Heero was more interested in what was down that hole.

 

“Thought there weren't any caves around here, oh great spelunker.” Treize taunted a pouting Duo.

 

“Well you know what. The worst is we don't have time to explore it proper! I need to get down there. My spelunker reputation is at stake to seek out new worlds and new civilizations. To boldly go where no spelunker has-”

 

“Shut up, Duo.” Heero's voice was mean and Duo pouted, that had been totally uncalled- “Quatre is still down there and our loud voices may frighten the bats again. We can run. He can't.”

 

Duo shut up immediately, a dark embarrassed flush covering his face.

 

“We have to go down there.” Treize said calmly, putting away his medical supplies.

 

Heero nodded, “Just what about the canoe's and supplies? I don't think we can just bring them with us down there.”

 

Duo chimed in, “If we leave them up here without us we should just leave a fucking calling card. `Hi, were down inside this cave, come and pick us off one by one.' I don't think so.”

 

“We have to get him up from there, or go down. We can't just leave him all alone in a huge cave alone and unprotected. We don't even know what's down there, Heero. There could be bears or poisonous snakes, and he doesn't even have any gear.” Trowa demanded, piercing Heero with a glare and waiting for him to make some crack about Quatre's incompetence. He also knew that Quatre wouldn't know the difference between a real threat and a mouse, but he chose not to say that.

 

Heero nodded, “We don't know what's down there and being alone is incredibly dangerous, no matter how experienced you are.” Heero responded, not catching the shock off Trowa's face because he was being fair to the blonde.

 

“Alright,” Heero said, pulling everyone's attention to himself, including Quatre down below, “We need ideas.”

 

 

 

 

“It sure sounds like another one of his crazy ideas.” Whispered a blonde man that held more self love than smarts.

 

“Shut up, Alex.” The recipient answered equally quiet. They had been caught whispering by their leader before: He threw them out of the boat for it.

 

“I'm serious, Brother. He had us attack that tourist group and almost get caught by them, for what? Nothing, that's what. If the stupid tree-hugging ranger gang hadn't been so worried about the tourists, like we were planning they wouldn't be, remember, they would have spotted us. They were right on top of us! We would've been dead ducks if his plan had gone like he wanted. We were out in the open just waiting. And you know psyco-jap is packing.” Alex hissed to his brother.

 

Both eyed their leader, Nichol, who was blazing in front of them, leading them towards “an ambush those rangers will never expect.”

 

But they were skeptical. Nichol was smart when it came to advanced planning, he was a downright genius when it came to strategizing. But when it came to doing it, he sucked. He couldn't, for the life of him, change. They were supposed to have cover from where they shot the tourist raft, but the tree that used to be there and would provide that cover had been cut down. So, they were told to just go where they were supposed to be originally. Nichol didn't even scout for another location! He was too worried that it would throw off the whole scale of his advanced plan. And they were simpletons to disagree. They didn't see the whole picture, he said; they didn't understand the complexity of the plan, he said. Whatever. They were no more stupid than he.

 

They continued down the river, Nichol's canoe in front of theirs, digging into the rapids and coming up to a portage spot that they would need to climb out for.

 

They pulled into the sand and jumped out of their canoes. Taking a good grip of the side, even as they were soaked up to their waist, they followed orders. This was part of Nichol's plans. This was where they were supposed to get ahead of the tree-huggers by not portaging into the forest carrying the canoes, but by keeping to the very edge of the raging river and walking past the rapids.

 

They pulled their canoes away from the tide and dragging water, the low shallow they were forced to walk in was enough to keep their canoes from going out to river, as long as they held onto their canoes tight. And as their shoes filled with the grainy water, and they slid all over the slippery rocks under foot, Alex and Muller were ready to begin their conversation about mutiny again while they followed their insane leader through the not-quite rapids. They were both almost sucked under a few times. But it was better than the towering cliffs above, they figured. At least they didn't have to portage the area like the ranger boys would.

 

They were shaking in their boots. The whirling white water was coating every inch of their bodies with its ice spray. And they had to hug themselves so close to the steep jagged rocks that they were bloody and bruised. But they made it to the put-in point in record time. No, a record of record time. So much quicker, it was like, a fraction or something! Nichol was smart, they grudgingly admitted him that.

 

They pulled into the sand and gravel shallow exhausted. They needed to get a stable bearing and drop some of the water before they would climb back in to the canoes, they decided. Nichol had no choice, really- they refused to move until they had a few seconds to breathe and relax on terra firma.

 

A twig broke.

 

All three of them froze, breath coming silent and calm. They were highly trained, after all.

 

They could hear some voices, muffled by their lack of proximity, but the steps were sure and quick. Especially quick. Whoever these people were, they were not on an everyday walk.

 

As the sounds grew nearer, the three dove for tree cover simultaneously. The military background they all possessed, and a few other tricks, kicked in as they began to hug the shadows and follow the suspicious sounds. No one was supposed to be on this side of the river. It was supposed to be sold off to their company in a scant few more days so the park was closed. Whomever they were, were trespassing. Only a select hated few would be so bold as to purposely tromp around it.

 

Smirking as an opportunity presented itself, the three followed to the same beat of their prey, but in a hurry as they were, it seemed a heard of elephants wouldn't be heard by them.

 

The ranger group slid down to the take out point just over from where Nichol's canoes lay, thankfully hidden by the angle of the riverbank and the forest. Hopefully the rangers wouldn't decide to take a walk across the beach.

 

“C'mon let's move. Drop the canoes and let's get back to Quatre.” That was defiantly the voice of the ranger. The real certified ranger; Barton. The bastard who got away from them before they got him to the boss. At least they had got his little winged rat.

 

“Hide the canoes, then we'll go right back.” That was defiantly Psycho-Jap.

 

“We left Treize down there with him. He'll take care of him. Quit being so God dammed pissy, Tro. We all know you're over the moon for him. No need to prove it again and again.” Snickered the loud braided one, Psycho-Jap's bitch.

 

“…Am not.” Barton denied after far too much deliberation.

 

Well, well, well. That was something new to the three of them. Barton had a sweetheart in the group, `Quatre', whom ever that was.

 

The four nicknamed `the bleeding heart tree-hugging rangers fags' by their nemeses, began moving almost immediately after their conversation, the ranger's canoes having been hidden under a drooping tree's leaves, all ready to go. And without the hindrance of the heavy canoes the four made it out of earshot quick.

 

The three conspirators jumped out of the bush and unveiled the now defenseless canoes, all three smirking devilishly.

 

­­­­­­­­­­­ ;­­­­­­­­­­­­&# 173;

 

Treize finished wrapping the last bandage around Quatre's arm. Quatre was not injured seriously. A lot of cuts and bruises, a particularly nasty cut on the hand that broke his fall, (He'd have a thick bandage around that for a while) but thankfully just about everything was in order. And he didn't even whine, whimper or cry. He was one step above Duo, in Treize's opinion. And people had the nerve to call him a wimp?

 

“You really got balls, Quatre.” Treize said, sitting comfortably with the blonde bathed in light from the hole in the roof above them. The atmosphere was like those slumber party truth or dare kind of feelings that made you want to open up to the person next to you that you'd never see again because it was your friend's friend's cousin or someone like that.

 

Quatre smiled a 100-watt grin, “Really?” he asked like a kid at Christmas, ecstatic at the praise.

 

Treize chuckled, “Damn straight. You do what has to be done, Quatre. You come through when it matters most with your all. And that is a hell of a lot more important than being faster, or stronger, or bigger and smarter. It has to do with character, and you are one upstanding person. My Dragon doesn't give his friendship easily. It's damn near impossible to win his trust, either. But you gained both in a matter of days. Just knowing that, I would put my life on the line for you without needing to meet you myself. But I am incredibly grateful I did. Because you are a wonderful person, Quatre. I have no idea how anyone could think any differently.”

 

Quatre smiled sadly, unable to think of anything to say back to that. So he decided to be Mr. Fix it again. “You really care about Wufei.”

 

Treize smiled lovingly, albeit sadly, “I love him with all my heart and soul. I would be lost without him. He knows that. This thing with Lady Une? He truly knows I would never do such a thing. He knows it. But I also know that it hurt his pride a great deal just to question him and me. I know he also felt I publicly humiliated him when he confronted me. That hurt him deeply, even though he was one who initiated it. And his wounded pride is what is keeping him so upset.”

 

Treize smirked lopsided, relaxing further onto the cave floor, “If he apologizes, he is admitting he was wrong. If he forgives me, he is showing weakness to someone who humiliated him. It's a lose-lose situation to him, and if he stays mad, he doesn't have to face a decision just yet. And I know my Dragon, he can stay angry for a long, long, LONG time. I know that he just needs his time and space to deal with this. He isn't used to letting his feelings override his reason.”

 

Treize looked Quatre into his eyes, his lips turned in a sincere, loving smile, “But he knows how deeply I still care for him. I hope that he works himself out soon, though, because I can't bear to see him hurting.”

 

Quatre was touched. Treize's love for Wufei was boundless and it enveloped Quatre like a warm embrace. God, he wanted that for himself. He wanted to love someone so much it hurt and have them love him back twice as hard!

 

Before Quatre could break out into tears, (yeah right, like he had balls!) hurried footsteps practically stampeded above their heads. Treize and Quatre both ducked in hopes of saving themselves from the bats. But thankfully, only a few screeches of protest were heard and there was no wild flight to freedom.

 

“Quatre?” That was Trowa's voice.

 

Treize smirked, winking at Quatre, “He really likes you.” Treize mouthed, smirking like the devil himself when Quatre blushed neon red.

 

Before Treize could tease him anymore, though, a thick yellow nylon rope swung down into the light, and a body followed, then another, and another.

 

Trowa jumped from the rope only half way down and went directly to check Treize's handiwork on Quatre's injuries himself.

 

Once Heero, the last in the line, got onto the ground, everyone crowded around. “Let's get this checked out. Three groups. Duo and I, Treize and Wufei, Quatre and Trowa. We'll go-”

 

“I refuse to be in a group with that man!” Wufei hissed.

 

Heero glared, “We need ONE person in each group who can recognize the bat, and those three are Me, Treize and Trowa. I am working with Duo because I said so, and Quatre is still Trowa's responsibility. Get over it, Chang, your little tiff is becoming a liability to the mission and I will not allow it to get in the way.” Heero demanded. It was practical, and Heero knew Wufei just as well as the rest. He was being nothing but stubborn and it was starting to irk him. Wufei was hissing towards Treize and glaring daggers at Heero with his eyes.

 

Heero addressed the whole group again, “Duo and I will take the cavern behind the arch because we are the smallest and Duo has the best cave searching gear. Trowa, you and Quatre take the left side of the big cave. Treize, you and Wufei take the right. Meet back at this light in one hour. And If I hear any problems, I'll leave whoever caused it behind!” Heero reacted to Wufei's not-even disguised loathing with a snarl. He was mad. Pissed. Quatre was glad that look was not pinned on him, but could feel for Wufei.

 

Wufei nodded tightly, not daring to second guess Heero's decision. There was a reason Heero was the leader, and it wasn't just because he was smart. He knew how to put them all into place.

 

They split up, each group given a flashlight and their orders.

 

Their hour glass of opportunity was draining quicker than they anticipated.