Heatwave

Summer came and this year decided to try to fry all living things. Many are trying to keep cool in the blistering heat. Schimmel took it as a chance to explore more caves. They brought Juno along after another successful day tending their Ay plants. "We should try to find a shady spot soon," Schimmel said glancing down at their companion. He was starting to have a hard time keeping up because of the heat. Juno let out a small chirp in agreeance. They both looked around for a place they could possibly sit for a while before starting out again. Juno tilted his head seeing a weird indent in the ground a little ways away. He started over to it sniffing as he walked. He had found a rocky opening into the ground. He sniffed at it a few more times before looking up to find where he left Schimmel. He chirped while jumping trying to get their attention. Schimmel turned towards the commotion. "What is it, Juno?" As they walked over, Juno stopped jumping and started jabbing a claw towards the opening. "Well, what is this?" Schimmel asked looking down at the hole. It looked like it was just big enough for Schimmel to squeeze through. Juno sniffed at the entrance again before climbing through himself. "Hey! Juno! Wait!" Schimmel panicked. They didn't know what was down there. What if Juno got hurt and they couldn't get to him in time? Schimmel pushed their way through the rocky entrance after Juno.

Once inside the underground cavern, Schimmel stopped. Their jaw dropped as they looked around. The stone that made up the walls seemed to glitter with a faint pulsing glow like stars in a clear night sky. Even the stalagmites and stalactites glittered. "Wow... Juno... Are you seeing this...?" Schimmel asked. That's when they remembered that Juno had entered before they had. They looked around for the Sikeri but didn't see them. "Juno!" they called out. They heard a chirp from farther in the cave. "Juno?" Schimmel started walking in the direction of the noise. Then there was a screech. Schimmel started running. "Juno!" They jumped over a small ledge and slid to a stop next to their Sikeri. "Are you alright?" Schimmel huffed out of breath.

Juno looked up at his Katragoon tilting his head with a chirp. Then he stepped aside so Schimmel could see the small bat that he had found. The bat screeched again flapping their wings but not getting off the ground. "Oh!" Schimmel exclaimed. "Poor little thing." They looked around to see if they could find other bats while Juno nudged the little bat with his nose. When the Katragoon saw no one else, they looked down with a sigh. "Is this where you had found them?" they asked the Sikeri. Juno nodded with a small chirp. "I wonder where they might have come from." Schimmel tapped their chin deep in thought. Juno sniffed at the bat and then sniffed at the air. He chirped at Schimmel and pointed farther into the cavern. They looked down at her tilting their head. "They came from that way?" He nodded and then gently nudged the bat with his nose before looking back up at Schimmel again. "Well, of course, I'll carry them." They picked the little bat up and Juno turned walking away. He sniffed the air as he went following the unseen trail. Schimmel followed close behind.

As they walked deeper into the cavern, Juno started to slow. "What is it, Juno?" Schimmel asked noticing the Sikeri slowing his pace. He replied with a nervous chirp and then stopped moving altogether. Schimmel tilted their head taking in the strange behavior. Wait! Schimmel looked around hearing something. Was that running water? They stopped moving, straining to listen. It was! They glanced down at their Sikeri. He wasn't paralyzed with fear so maybe they could convince him to keep moving forward. "It's alright, Juno. We won't have to go near the water. We just need to find this little guy's family." They gently patted the Sikeri's head in a reassuring manner. Juno let out another nervous chirp. "Come on." Schimmel took a few steps forward and glanced back to make sure Juno was following them. Juno took a few shaky steps and the three of them continued forward in search of the bat's family.

Even with Schimmel's reassurance, the trail led them to an underground stream. Juno half hid behind Schimmel when they approached. "Hmm..." Schimmel tapped their chin again in thought. They looked around to see if they could find something to help them cross. They didn't want to frighten their friend even more than they already were but they didn't want to leave the bat alone either. They turned to face Juno. "What do you think?" they asked. As if in reply to Schimmel's question, there was a screech from the other side of the stream. Schimmel and Juno jumped in surprise at the sound as a bat flew at them. The little bat that Schimmel had been carrying was starting to struggle in their arms. "Oh! Are they part of your family?" they asked the squirming creature. The bat landed between Juno and Schimmel and screeched at the Katragoon. They set the little bat down. "I'm sorry. We didn't mean any harm. We found them and we were trying to bring them home." The two bats embraced before taking off back across the stream. "Well, that was an adventure. Let's get back home, Juno. What do you say?" Juno chirped and bounded off the way they came. "Hey wait up!" Schimmel called out taking after him.