The group of thirty or so weary humans finally trudged into the shade at the base of the mountain they had seen from the city where they escaped from weeks earlier. It had seemed like a godsend at first however they hadn't realized how exhausting the travel would actually be. The mountain itself rested within the corner of the known world, within the middle of the largest, most hostile desert. Saying the closest city was outside of the civilized world would have been an understatement, this area hadn't been mapped within the last hundred or more years and had largely been abandoned by even the most hardy of races. The humans however, were not here by choice, but by desperation. They had been shipped out to the city, Rikuroa, and sold to the local spice mining company. The company worked them to the bone, and was owned by a group of Skrellits, a golem-like people made from soft, expensive metals. The Skrellits abused the humans, not understanding the need for basic human necessities while looking only at their profits.
Months went by, with only a core handful of the humans surviving, and many more humans being brought to ultimately die out in the sands. One fateful day however, a couple of slaves living in the city escaped with gear necessary to escape and live within the desert for what had seemed like months at first. Cloaks to hide them in the sands, enough water skins for weeks, and more than enough travel food for all of them. They joined forces with the mining slaves and slowly began sneaking more and more people into the groups sent out to mine every day. Finally the time came that they were able to flee the Skrellits, whose plodding pace couldn't keep up with the humans long strides. The weeks afterwards had been grueling, losing members every day to thirst, hunger, or the wild creatures of the desert.
Throughout this entire time, they could see the mountain, always looming in the distance. One thing to be said about humans is that they're a determined lot, and with their goal in sight they persevered. Finally at their goal however, their hopes faded. Barnaby, their leader and organizer, looked at the motley group and sighed.
"Well, it looks like we're here, wherever that is. Who all has water left?"
Those with enough energy to glare at him did so.
"... Right, we ran out yesterday... Everyone just sit here for a moment while I think."
Most did so, relieved to finally have relief from the glaring sun and a moment to rest their legs. One of the cloaked figures began slinking off while everyone else rubbed their feet, shortly after another followed.
"Hey! Where are you going?!" A determined female voice called after the figure.
I'm going to find a cave into this thing, there has to be one with how large it is." A deep male voice answered back.
"Ustris?"
"Who else, Kleine? You should know by now that I can't stand Barnaby, let alone taking orders from him."
"You should at least take some time to rest..."
"Pfah! And sit here to wait around for another of his hare-brained schemes? No, there's a cave around here somewhere and I'm going to find it."
Kleine Feuersturm knew that when Ustris got like this, there was no arguing with him, all she could do at this point was to make sure that he didn't kill himself. Ustris Gayitu however knew for a certainty that in a mountain this large there would be a cave, with his experience being an ore miner years ago, all he had to do was find it.
"You could at least tell the rest of them where you're going."
"And get another earful of Barnaby, and how he's always right, and how it's an impenetrable mountain. I think not."
"What even makes you think that there is a cave? This could be-"
"There." Ustris pointed at a shadow about twenty feet up the face of the mountain.
"What, I don-"
"There's a cave there, and I'm going into it."
"But-"
Ustris turned around and looked at her, placing his hands on her shoulders, "Kleine, I know your mind is better than mine. I also know you've been listening to Barnaby for too long. What will happen if we don't find water within two days."
She looked at her feet, "You don't have to scold me, I understand we're in dire straits."
"You know I worked as an ore miner, you know that I've been in a few caves, even in this arid land, I know for a fact there's water in that cave. I'm going into it." With that he turned towards the cliff and began to look for natural handholds.
Kleine looked back towards the little mounds on the ground, now that she had stepped away from them she saw something that hadn't been obvious when she was with them. They all seemed... broken, even Barnaby. They all had their heads down and were ready to give up. Ustris kept on, determined to live, and she realized she didn't want to be with the others anymore.
"Hold on, I'm coming with you."
Kleine hurried after Ustris, who already had a head start. Being more lithe and agile than the larger figure, she was able to reach the ledge before the cave at the same time as him.
"Stay behind me, we don't know what's in there."
Kleine couldn't exactly explain it, but she felt something distant, as if her very fate was changing, and that she was being pulled into something larger. It made her uneasy, but anything was better than sitting around for death.
Ustris didn't want to say anything, but he was sure he had felt something exactly like Kleine was, and he was certain that the cave had suddenly appeared in front of his eyes, but he was too embarrased to say it out loud.
Whether it was the wind blowing into the cave, or their destinies pulling them further in, they slowly advanced deeper into the mountain.
OOC: Blargh, I didn't realize how much effort these things take. Anyway, small bits of railroading for the next couple of posts, shouldn't be too long. If anyone has any grammar corrections or writing critiques, go ahead and lay them on me. (Also if anyone knows how to tab that would be perfect.)