[ When they're successfully able to move past the other acolytes to the secret path out, Steve feels like he can at least release one of the breaths he'd been holding. As the tunnel narrows, he gestures for the injured woman to come over and heaves her up into his arms without making much of a sound. Now isn't the time for it and she thankfully isn't so prideful to refuse his help.
They follow at a distance after Nero, with the acolyte between them so that she can keep an eye on both of them. So far so good, and when Steve hears Nero climbing up and out ahead of them, to say nothing of the beam of daylight streaming down through the opening, he can hardly believe it.
The acolyte climbs up next, and while Steve can't see her after that, he assumes she's keeping a wary eye out. ]
Got it. [ He steps up to the opening and gives the woman a boost up, asking her to tuck her legs in just in case so that she doesn't end up scraping against the cave wall too much as Nero grabs her from above. ] Up you go. [ He holds her up by the waist so that Nero can grab for her arms and pull her out the rest of the way. ]
no subject
They follow at a distance after Nero, with the acolyte between them so that she can keep an eye on both of them. So far so good, and when Steve hears Nero climbing up and out ahead of them, to say nothing of the beam of daylight streaming down through the opening, he can hardly believe it.
The acolyte climbs up next, and while Steve can't see her after that, he assumes she's keeping a wary eye out. ]
Got it. [ He steps up to the opening and gives the woman a boost up, asking her to tuck her legs in just in case so that she doesn't end up scraping against the cave wall too much as Nero grabs her from above. ] Up you go. [ He holds her up by the waist so that Nero can grab for her arms and pull her out the rest of the way. ]