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“We’re here,” Yarpen announces as he lead the group to a ledge.
Jaskier stood next to him, pressing himself against the rocky wall. “Yeah, you’re right, this is a shortcut… to death.”
“You wanna beat those Reavers or not?”
Yennefer had to admit, when the dwarves said they knew a shortcut, she had hoped they meant an actual path. Not a few narrow planks haphazardly placed along the sheer face of the cliff with only a rusty chain to hold on to. Geralt stood behind her. She could practically feel how tense he was about the prospect of simply attempting to cross. “We should turn back,” he said.
“No!” Borch snapped. “We’re very close.”
“How could you possibly know that?” Jaskier asked.
“’Tis a perfectly fine route,” Yarpen said before Borch could answer Jaskier’s question.
“For a dwarf,” Yennefer said.
“Ah! Stifle your mewlin’. You’ll manage.” Yarpen leant over the edge, glancing down before turning back to them, grinning. “As long as you don’t look down.” With that, he jabbed Jaskier in the side, causing the bard to flinch and press himself back against the rock. “See ya on the other side!” the dwarf called back as he led his party down the narrow path.
As much as Yennefer would like to go back and take the long route, there was no way she’d catch up to the reavers in time and her final hope at regaining her womb would be lost. She had to cross the cliffs or this whole expedition would be for naught.
“Uh… ladies first,” Jaskier said, looking back at Yennefer. He was still clinging to the wall of rock behind him. Out of all of them, he seemed the least steady, though whether that was because he was closest to the edge or because he would have to go first, she wasn't sure.
Instead of replying, she gave him a little shove, just to get him moving. Except she shoved a little too hard, and Jaskier wasn’t expecting it. Before he could react, Jaskier lost his footing, slipping over the edge. With a sudden spike of adrenaline, Yennefer moved immediately, reaching out to grab him. She caught a fistful of his shirt and held on for dear life. She may not hold any particular fondness for him, but she would be damned if she would be the cause of his death over something so silly.
Yennefer in no way could completely stop him from falling, but she did manage to yank him back toward the cliff's edge, giving him enough time to twist around and catch himself with his arms, bringing himself to a stop. “Help! P-please!” he begged, desperately trying to find traction in the dust and gravel. Yennefer had gone down with him and was now lying in the dirt, one hand still clenched in his shirt while the other grabbed on to his arm. Borch likewise took his other arm. Geralt moved to help Yen while Tea and Vea helped their master.
Between the five of them, they managed to pull Jaskier up to safety. He lay on his back while the others sat nearby, panting for breath. “I’m never doing that again. Fuck this “shortcut”, I’d happily go the long way around.”
Geralt knelt by him, offering a hand to help him sit up. Jaskier took it gratefully, allowing Geralt to pull him upright. “You alright?” he asked.
“Other than almost dying thanks to the witch? Yeah, I guess so.”
Yennefer didn’t react to his jab. It wasn't like he was wrong, though she could point out that if it wasn't for her quick reaction, he probably wouldn't have managed to catch himself.
“We’ll go around," Geralt said.
“We don’t have time for that,” Borch snapped.
“You can’t expect us to set foot on that death trap now," Yennefer said. "One wrong move and we could all plummet to our deaths."
“You can take your “weapons” and go on ahead. Jaskier and I are going around,” Geralt said.
“And you, mage? Where will you go?”
“I’m with them.” She didn't know if she was going because of what had just happened or that she didn't want to part from Geralt just yet. Perhaps a little of both.
“If those Reavers reach the dragon first—”
“We’ll travel through the night, overtake them,” Geralt said.
Borch crossed his arms and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine, but we have to keep moving through the night," he said after a moment, his voice clipped.
Yennefer shrugged. "Fine by me."
Geralt gave Jaskier a hand up, the bard still a little shaky from his near-death experience. Borch led the way back toward the main path, closely followed by Tea and Vea. Yennefer let Geralt and Jaskier go ahead.
Travelling overnight wasn't much fun but they eventually came across the Reavers' camp, the fire burnt down low as they slept. After a minor detour to avoid drawing their attention, the party continued on until they finally came across the dwarves, their camp on the edge of yet another cliff. Yennefer couldn't help but notice how Jaskier stayed as far from the edge as he could. She felt like she ought to apologise, but doing so now would only feel awkward for the both of them.