Slowly, with all combined scratching and digging, they were chipping away at the ice and snow bit by bit from both sides. The muffled voices from inside were growing clearer, and it was clear there was some panic but both leaders seemed to have everything in control. Aponi was able to break through a crucial layer like a battering ram, and he reminded himself to never mess with a mother trying to save her child. Then, it seemed with efforts from the inside they were able to break a hole completely through. More digging widened it enough to allow someone through, and it seemed Kyna would be the guinea pig. First her head poked through, then her torso followed but it seemed she was having some trouble at that point. The boy took a step forward as it to go help her, but with a final grunt she managed to free herself and stumble forward in a spray of snow.
The hole still wasn’t big enough, it seemed, for the rest of them to get through so it was back to work for those on the outside. Bearing his weight down, he made at the sides of the hole slowly breaking it off chip by chip until Leotie was able to weasel her way through as well. After she was out, the rest seemed sure to follow so Kino assumed his job was done. Backed up a bit, he waited for further instruction. Everyone might be out, but the den still needed to be dug out the rest of the way which was a whole other task in itself.
Fade