Unintended

25

No more machines had found their way up to the level ground where the tunnel was situated. The lifeless forms which were the machines they first fought when arriving were now having snow land and cover them. Nureka's eyes passed over them quickly as they walked past, it seemed like an almost impossible thought that somewhere out here, Bluegleam would be present. All it needed was the right situation, the right freezing temperatures and of course a machine or two. Although as soon as this thought came did it go again; the weather out this way had been as unbalanced as it was back home, the rare frozen machine fluid had become ever rarer.

Her rather pondering expression wasn't missed by Kotallo, sensing him looking her way had her awkwardly glancing his way and then away again as they reached the edge of the cliff. Nureka crouched down and looked at the descent, inhaling slowly she shrugged before turning and shimmying downwards to find a good foothold. She was opting to not share her thoughts this one time, she didn't exactly want to bore Kotallo of her dwelling sentimentality.

As if it was completely normal, an almost every day experience even, Nureka crossed her arms against the snowy edge and popped her chin against her gauntlets. "One of us should get in touch with Gaia. She needs to know we've been successful, my drawn out plans were all well and good, but she had refined them and could prepare a place to work. Although, I feel this may be your room, perhaps..." Nureka commented and voiced her musings as if she was standing beside him, and not hanging over the side of a cliff completely nonchalant.

Kotallo just shook his head, crouching and being on his haunches, he rested his forearm over his knee and nodded downwards at her. "Perhaps something that we can do when we're at least back on level ground and heading back to the base?" Sure, he was in the position to do as she suggested, but it did seem like a much better idea to do that once on the homewards journey. "I am also sure I can bear to share the space," he said with the slightest hint of humour in his voice, he got a sideward look sent his way and a quiet scoff, and then Nureka was gone and climbing downwards.

"Would be rude not to, seems this is all for you, Kotallo!" Her voice echoed upwards on the wind accompanied by flakes of snow.

He could spy her making the climb look easy, the self-proclaimed mountain goat would surely not struggle here, it was clear climbing was second nature to her, first nature might be just being one with a mountain somewhere, he didn't know. The climb down was going to perhaps be a bit harder than the journey up. At least going upwards, Kotallo could see the path, forever looking over his shoulder and pausing was irritating to him, but adapting to the lack of an arm had him mastering his own way of climbing.

"I would say allowing me to come watch it get tested out, is payment enough. So, no need to worry!" Nureka's voice was distinctly close and it wasn't until Kotallo heard scrambling below and then to the side, did he realise she had paused to allow him to catch up. Not that she needed to, but the ease of almost hanging there gripping on with one hand as the other waved in the air, was definitely something to be at least a little envious over. But then it wasn't like he wasn't used to personal struggles, and this was just one that he'd overcome.

Kotallo had found decent enough holds to pause and look her way, he didn't exactly wish to hang around on the side of a mountain for long though. "I wasn't worrying."

Nureka smiled his way and looked over her shoulder and frowned, they still had a way to go yet. "Of course, you weren't, when are you ever?" Literally, her estimations of him didn't exactly get utterly proven otherwise. Even if his calmness could come off as serious indifference, but that was a minor thing. "You are okay, right?" She sounded hesitant; he was rather sharp with replying to Aloy earlier when she asked.

"The sooner we're down, the better." Kotallo didn't need to hint anymore, Nureka placed her spare hand gently against his shoulder and gave a nod before sliding from his side and managing to scurry with ease. He had grown up in cavernous mountainsides too, but even he didn't have the quick dexterity she did with climbing, with or without both of his arms.