[Despite his earlier teasing, Felix nods in acknowledgement. He respects Claude's honesty more than the bit of satisfaction he got from observing his struggle with hiking.]
We're just about there, anyway.
[And he's not kidding. There, several dozen feet down and tucked at the bottom of aslope and surrounded by few patches of shrubbery is the crooked mouth to a cave. And if not for the small pool of crystalline water at its opening, it could easily avoid the untrained eye.
Like the finish line to a race, seeing the cave puts a spring into Felix's step and though he doesn't break out into a jog or anything, he's moving considerably faster. Claude'll catch up, he tells himself. It's fine.
He glances over a shoulder, the ghost of a grin lingering there for too long for it to be considered anything but, then fixes his gaze ahead.]
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We're just about there, anyway.
[And he's not kidding. There, several dozen feet down and tucked at the bottom of aslope and surrounded by few patches of shrubbery is the crooked mouth to a cave. And if not for the small pool of crystalline water at its opening, it could easily avoid the untrained eye.
Like the finish line to a race, seeing the cave puts a spring into Felix's step and though he doesn't break out into a jog or anything, he's moving considerably faster. Claude'll catch up, he tells himself. It's fine.
He glances over a shoulder, the ghost of a grin lingering there for too long for it to be considered anything but, then fixes his gaze ahead.]
C'mon. Don't get left behind.