It had been a little since rei's last misadventure, falling into that hole. they knew rationally that they should've been fucked when that happened. it's not exactly a rational decision to decide to venture deeper into the cave when you're stuck. they could've, like, yelled for help? Maybe... tried to craft a rope? or something? Waited to hear footsteps in the secluded woods above? Anything but walk along the slick, dark rocks, uneven beneath their feet, gripping onto the moss for balance. lucky enough that the passage sloped up, from darkness to faint glimmer to cool diffuse indirect light to gleaming leaf-dappled gloriously warm sun.

they'd found themself a little more careful since then. one of the first things they did was grab a long stick and march on back to the ground that crumbled beneath their step and pulled them in faster than they could process. They prodded the ground in front of them - tested for where it went from solid to soddy. it began to part much more easily, so they backed off there. they weren't interested in having more bruises and cuts on their knees, and their jeans were still damp from the last time they made that mistake.

they looked up - the moon was high up in the sky. She was today a crescent, just a couple days away from her midpoint, where the dark side would mirror the light side. funnily enough, they noticed this more readily than the lengthening of their shadows. rei regained their bearings and headed home.

they insisted it wasn't necessary, but their friend made sure they packed rope from then on. their late-treated wounds swelled with infection and frankly rei felt like shit for a few days. rayr feet still itched to venture into the woods and see the scattered dust form beautiful, elaborate beams through the leaves. they forgot to check the ground in front of them pretty quickly. and sure enough, rei found herself in another hole, and this time the only way was up. another misadventure, ray supposed - rayr yellow highlight standing out even here.