Scenario two: Just Let Him Fall…

This is the second way of getting them off the cliff…

Rune slipped forward even more and Yori gasped.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere,” Yori said, his voice strained. Rune felt Yori shifting in his grasp. Rune bit his lip and then slipped again. For a moment, Yori’s feet scrambled against the face of the cliff. Then, he looked up at Rune.

“Let me go, Rune,” Yori said, shaking his head. Tears welled in his eyes. “Just let me go!” He twisted his hands for a moment.

“Yori, stop,” Rune said, his voice faint. His grip was slipping.

Yori looked up at Rune. For a moment, their eyes met. Then, he said, “I love you.” Those were the last words he said, as Rune lost his grip. Yori fell, disappearing into the thick fog below.

“Yori!” Rune screamed, his voice echoing around the cliffs that surrounded them. “Fates! Yori!”

A chuckle floated up through the fog. Then the words, “I’m fine.”

“What?” Rune said, blinking in surprise.

“There’s a ledge,” Yori said. His voice sounded strained, as if he were struggling not to laugh or, maybe, cry. “I landed on a ledge.”

Rune sighed in relief. He rested his head on the grass. “Are you hurt?”

“No more than I was before I fell,” Yori said. He sighed and called back, “Is there a way to get me back up there?”

“I’ll get some rope,” Rune said.

“Rope?” Yori repeated. “You had a rope that whole time?”

Rune laughed and shook his head. Yori should know him better than that. He reached into his bag and closed his eyes. “Rope,” he said, as his hand touched something that might have been a rope before. It certainly was once he drew it out.

Running from every corner of this world and sky

Yori blinked as the wolf threw back its head and howled. He looked at Xander. “What’s that about?” he asked.

The messenger looked grim. “It’s calling in reinforcements,” he said. “They’ll come in from everywhere – every direction.”

Tensing, Yori shook his head. “This is all kinds of bad,” he said, as more howls echoed through the trees.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Xander answered.

Scenerio one: Just call Rune the “human ladder”

Here’s the first possible way to get Yori and Rune off the cliff…

Yori gasped as Rune slipped forward even more. “This isn’t getting us anywhere,” he said, his voice strained. He tried to find some kind of rock or branch he could put his feet on. He couldn’t though. Then, Rune slipped again and his feet scrambled against the face of the cliff for a moment.

His eyes widened as they found solid ground. He peered downward into the mist and sighed. A flat stone. He couldn’t tell how big it was or how long it would hold him, but it might just be enough.

“Yori?”

He looked back up. “Do you think… I might be able to climb you,” he said.

Rune’s eyes widened. He nodded. “Try it,” he said. “It’s better than hanging here, waiting for the cliff to fall out from under us.”

Yori took a deep breath and, holding onto one of Rune’s hands, he reached upward with his other hand to grasp his elbow. Rune helped by grabbing hold of his upper arm as well. He repeated the same action with his other hand.

“That’s it,” Rune said, his voice soft. “Nice and easy. Just take it slow.”

Nodding, Yori reached up once more. This time, he caught hold of Rune’s shoulder. Then he reached up with the other hand and caught Rune’s other shoulder. “A-are you all right?” he asked.

“I’ll live,” Rune said. This time, he was the one whose voice sounded strained. Being climbed like he was some sort of rope couldn’t have been too pleasant. A moment later, Rune added, “Just keep going.”

Yori took a shuddering breath. He was nearly there. He could see the top of the cliff now, and the grass beyond. He reached up, past Rune, and rested his elbow on the edge of the cliff. Then he grabbed Rune’s belt and, with a little help from Rune, he pulled the rest of his body up onto the edge once more.

Then he scrambled away from the edge. Rune followed quickly, before flopping down beside him. For a moment, they just chuckled softly. They were alive! They were safe!

Yori sighed and leaned against Rune’s shoulder. “Fates,” he breathed, “my wing hurts!”

“I know,” Rune said, his tone gentle. He drew himself up to his knees and pushed the arrow through the rest of the way. Then he broke off the head of the arrow and pulled it back out. He bound the wing and then stood.

Yori sighed softly and stood, folding his wings over his shoulders like a cloak. He shuddered. “Do you think we’re safe?” he asked.

Rune nodded. “They think they killed us,” he said. Taking Yori by the hand, he said, “Let’s get to the bottom of this mystery, so we can go home.”

Nodding, Yori fell into step beside his mate. He’d nearly died, but he still couldn’t blame the people. Fear made them do something foolish. He couldn’t feel anger towards them, only pity. However, a part of him didn’t think Rune felt the same way.