Lyner tried to run away but their memories were always just simmering below the surface. The disgusted whispering, the praising, the thouces. Lyner had almost broken themselves over backwards to be the best hunter for the hive, still, they would never be forgiven for picking a fight against the enforcers.

"Their tyranny must end. Are you willing to stand up for the people you love?"

Those were the words their noble rebel leader would say. Inspiring them to believe in change. They were the underdogs fighting the authoritative system. One cycle they were demanding their rights, and then… It was an impossible situation. Lyner was captured with some other hostages. There would have been a bloodbath if Lyner didn't hand over their idealistic war-ready leader. It was the right choice. It was cowardly. It was for the people. It was selfish. It was done.

"Traitor. May your sins will crawl on your back."

The words being shouted at Lyner as the enforcers dragged their leader away to the mines branded Lyner like they were whip lashes. Lyner had never heard anyone shout until that moment. It made all voices directed at them afterwards feel wrong and haunted the hunter in their sleep, even now after so much time. So Lyner kept running, using all of their training to keep focused on their goal.

***

The next morning Add woke up to a burning sensation in their left arm and with a dizzying fever. It might have been smart in the short run to leave the rod in so Add didn't bleed out but their body wasn't responding well to the freeloader.

Surprisingly, Add found Lyner was still asleep, tossing and turning with a pained expression. It had not occurred to Add that this strange, extraordinary person might have nightmares.

Add scooted over to their older companion and put their hand on Lyner's chest. Pressure and heat would hopefully calm their anxious mind. Add did not expect for Lyner to immediately wake up, grab their hand and wrestle Add to the ground, pinning their arms to their back and with a blade at their throat.

"Ajajaj-!" The pain in Add's arm was glowing white hot.

Lyner opened their eyes and quickly realized their mistake. They rolled off to the side and took three stabilizing breaths.

"Apologies. Did I hurt you?" Lyner signed with careful movements.

"No, no. It's alright. You are.. " Add rubbed at their neck and tried to find a sign through their hazy mind but settled on saying out loud ".. intense."

Lyner grunted with a hint of embarrassment and offered Add the waterskin. Add gulped down greedily while Lyner prepared some more meat.

Not being able to stand the awkward air, Add coughed and began to sign.

"Did you sleep well?"

"This was a good hiding spot. I slept."

"What were you dreaming about?"

"Unnecessary things."

Add sipped on some more water to swallow down the whiplash from conversing with this rock wall.

"I slept fine, thank you for asking.” Add smiled sarcastically. “What is the plan now?"

"We stay here and recover. Then we climb up the chasm."

"Is there no other way up?"

"Not one that is known to us."

"I guess that makes sense. And maybe we could save some people on the way."

Add did not like the idea of climbing that horrible chasm, but with some help it could work out.

"Do you know how to ---"

Add did not recognize the word, unless Lyner was asking if Add knew how to scissor, but they had a suspicion Lyner was not asking anything sexual.

"I don't know ---" Add mimicked the intertwining scissor movement.

The two continued to eat. Once they were done Add laid down to rest, the fever taking its toll.

Lyner got out a small kit from their bag with some small vials, thread and needles.

"Drink."

Lyner handed over one of the vials and Add gulped down the cool clear liquid without a second thought.

Lyner undid their bloody bandages and carefully shaved their head with the knife that could cut through steel. Closing their eyes and feeling their way around. With the hair out of the way, Lyner cleaned their wound with the contents of another bottle, bit down on the dirty cloth, and stitched the wound together.

Add could do nothing but to watch in morbid fascination. The drugs dissolved their pain bit by bit and made them slightly groggy.

For a while they continued to just stay in the cave and tend to their wounds. It became clear to them both that they needed to do something about the pole in Add's forearm.

"The arm needs to be cut off. We don't have the means of saving it."

"Woaw now. Isn't that a bit extreme." Add felt queasy just thinking about it, though they knew their reluctance came from a primal, illogical place in their mind.

"It will get worse if it stays like this. I have sedatives if you are worried about the procedure."

Add did not know some of the words but could figure them out with context. They looked at their off hand with worry.

"Be quick."

"I will. I shall honor your trust in me."

With great ceremony Lyner injected Add's arm with the sedative and began the operation. Add was instructed to look away and stared intently at a glimmering spot on the stone wall.

There was no pain. Add barely knew that the deed had been done at all until Lyner was putting away their tools.