Work Text:
"Natation"
Most missions Keith had gone on with his pack were to bases orbiting planets or on ships. However, the current mission was actually on a planet. Keith knew quiet missions were preferable in their line of work, but he longed for a good confrontation. The smallest Blade should have been careful what he wished for.
Mere vargas later, Keith and his entire pack were fighting sentries and a flesh and blood Galra (Lieutenant Krur and Commander Troder) on the top of a cliff. Below the cliff was a deep body of water (which was a lake Keith had seen earlier).
Keith had been taking out sentry after sentry using his Marmora blade with his pack between him and the lieutenant and commander. Using his speed and agility, Keith threw himself around, sometimes even jumping onto the sentry to embed his sword in its torso. However, it was one of these times that caused him to tumble off the edge of the cliff.
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Ulaz saw Keith's fall as it happened. He had been keeping an eye on the kit, leaving the fighting to his pack mates, who were in more fights than he was. He knew Keith was prone to throwing himself around during a fight, but that was what led to the kit being too close to the cliff and the next dive took Keith over the cliff. He couldn't help but call out, "Kit!"
His yell halted the fight as all of the sentries were taken down. All five of the Galra had stopped fighting at the yell. The lieutenant and commander may have been part of the Empire and hadn't realized that the smallest Blade was a kit. "Kit? You had a kit with you?"
Thace and Kolivan rushed over to the cliff, in hopes that maybe Keith hadn't fallen all the way yet. Antok, however, growled at the lieutenant and commander. "You better leave now or we won't promise you'll be able to leave later."
Commander Troder led his lieutenant away while the Blades rushed down to the lake's edge.
"What are we going to do, Kolivan?" Thace asked. "Our kit fell in there!"
"He most likely sunk down and there's no way we'd be able to rescue him."
"He's lost?" Antok sounded heartbroken.
Suddenly, the surface of the lake rippled, and Keith broke through the surface. He gasped and was treading the water while trying to catch his breath.
"Kit?" Ulaz called out in disbelief.
Keith turned to see his pack on the lake bank and smiled. He swam to the edge of the lake and crawled out. He was immediately scooped up by Thace and found himself surrounded by his pack members. He was being sniffed and inspected for lasting injuries.
"Guys! I'm okay. The water wasn't that shallow. Okay, maybe that wasn't the best way to phrase it, but I'm okay. I can swim."
Keith's explanation fell on deaf ears as the Blades were still concerned about their kit. Keith realized this and did the only thing he knew would get their attention. He trilled, a pure kit noise that attracted the attention of any nearby, living Galra.
The four Blades looked at their kit, who was still being held up off his feet. Thace reluctantly set Keith down but kept a hand on his kit's shoulder.
"I'm okay."
"But, kit, you fell into the water!" Antok exclaimed.
"Yeah, but I can swim."
The Blades were confused. Kolivan was the one that asked the question they were all thinking. "Kit, when did you learn to swim?"
"My Dad taught me. He was a fireman, and every summer, the whole department taught life saving techniques, including swimming. I apparently was so good at it that my Dad took me to a beach, so I could learn how to swim in the ocean." Keith paused. "Do Galra not know how to swim?"
"No, kit. Most of us are furry, which weighs us down when wet, so we never learned," Thace replied.
"Makes sense." Keith shook his head in order to rid himself of the excess water in his hair, which resulted in water being flung at his pack.
"Kit!" all four Blades chorused.
Antok scooped up Keith and flung him over his shoulder before he started heading back to their ship, the other three following. Keith knew his pack wasn't upset with him for dousing them with the water from his hair but were taking him back to their nest in order to soothe their instincts. He also knew that he was going to be stuck between all four members, and there was no place he'd rather be.
Fin