They were all asleep. She made sure of it, listened for each individual, distinctive breathing rhythm before crawling to her feet. The fire had smoldered down to the last coals, throwing haunting shadows against the cave walls and their faces. Her stomach knotted as she unhooked her belt, let it and the weapons it contained slip to the ground next to the other packs. She wouldn't need it where she was going.
She left the weapons for them, and the water bottle. And then she pulled off her necklace and left that, too. If they wanted to get sentimental over it, that was up to them. She just didn't want to worry about it jingling or shit. It still felt final, though, as the silver chain slipped like liquid through her fingers.
She was doing this for them, she reminded herself one more time. So that none of them had to do it. She wasn't going to let it get that far. So she took a deep breath and crept lightly through the cave, stepping over them one at a time, glancing down at each face. She paused at the last one. "So long, old friend," she whispered, crouching down briefly. "It's been a blast."
And then she stepped out of the rock prison, into the night, and began her eternal walk down the mountain.
