No one can practice more than a few months without seeing terrible things happen to good people. Worrying does nothing, though it's hard not to when it's someone you love.
The thought catches me off guard and it only makes my worry double. I chide myself for another brief lapse of focus and then get to work on organizing supplies.
My fingers are aching from all the tight gripping I've been doing on our runs, but I just shake my hands out and dive in. I'm deep into it when Thivoll silently walks back into the cave, causing me to jump when his shadow moves into my periphery.
I drop the oddly designed tunic I'm holding and rush over to him, wrapping him in my arms and breathing in his wild scent.
"Was she still there?"
"Yes, thankfully. I'll need your help securing her chamber to the rope. It's all still a jumble to me."
I nod at him, then go over to the rope. I work through it all again in my mind and am glad I did when I think to add a thick knot to each end.
That way it won't ever completely slip out.
With Thivoll here it doesn't matter, but I'll need to keep working through all of it to improve my approach.
I had friends interested in climbing, but with my fear of heights I didn't pay close attention to what they said. A lot of it was acronyms and terminology that didn't help in this context, but I hope what I know is enough.
"Could you hold the rope near the top? No, both sides. Perfect." I toss the first pile down.
"Does it reach the bottom?"
Thivoll leans out to look. "Yes, with spare."
"Great." I toss over the other one and turn to Thivoll so he can pull me into his arms and take us down.
Silver is indeed at the base of the rock face, the chamber catching the moonlight. I start making a sling for it, not pleased with the shape and how much rope we have to provide a suitable lattice.
I measure it out and feel dumb all over again when I see a button on one end. As suspected, it engages a mechanism that flips out an eye hook. After rolling my eyes at myself it takes only a few minutes to tie the rope to it.
"You can start pulling. Actually, I guess you should prop her up against the rock so we don't make drag marks."
He does so, then pauses. "I think I will have to pull as I climb."
I blink. The strength that would require is crazy.
I start to say that, then get his point. "Right. Otherwise she scrapes all along the rock."
I feel useless, but he manages it like it's no giant feat.
I crane my neck up to watch him as he keeps his tail wrapped around her chamber with just enough pressure to pull her away from the rocks while he slowly moves himself higher.
He has to pull on the rope until his tail can't stretch anymore, then climb while holding it taut, then repeat the process.
I'm in awe of him by the time he reaches the top. I mean, he had already impressed me and made me feel like I was completely ripped off by evolution, but this is next level.
He doesn't even seem out of breath when he comes back to get me.
It's almost disgusting, actually.
A ridiculous joke of the cosmos that I got blunt teeth, puny strength, no venom, no . . . best to stop myself there.
When we get to the top, I waste no time in moving over to where he tucked Silver just inside the main area. I engage the light on her chamber so I can see her better, then gasp.
"Yes, I thought you might not like seeing that," Thivoll comments.
He's right.
