*insert caving song here*

Norman led the way into the new area. He gently made his way forward into the ever encompassing dimness of the new area. He felt gusts of wind pull at the clothing on his body, a chilly air that made it feel as if he were inside a cave. Holding his knife straight out, Norman stopped to wait on Aspen. He was unsure of exactly where he was heading, but he doubted that the Gamemakers would let him fall if it were ever to come to it. He was unable to see much in front of him, just enough to make out walls going off in either direction. Moving to the left, placing a hand on the wall behind him, he waited on Aspen. Interesting. Think its a cave?" he asked her. Glancing down, he petted Deno, "In a few, buddy, and then you'll be out," he told the creature.

Norman glanced around the cave as the light seemed to brighten. Ahead of the duo, Norman noted a large canyon in the ground. Biting his bottom lip, Norman glanced to either side on noticed metal beams crossing the canyon; but they were just that, beams. No way to walk across them. Turning to Aspen, "Whelp, that makes things more difficult," he said, stating the obvious. Standing between the wall and the ledge, Norman noted how deep the ravine was: deep enough to not be able to see the bottom. "Dead end," he muttered aloud. Norman looked down both directions of their side of the ravine, looking for an easier crossing.

"It could always be another trap, too," Norman began. Norman dropped to a crouch a looked at the beams. Aspen had mentioned using their brains, "I ain't got much of those," he muttered. Running his hands on the edge of the beam, he noted small hooks. "Didn't you get the rope from the tree in the beginning? Maybe we could use that to loop around these hooks," he said, indicating the small hooks on the side of the beam. Standing, he turned to look at Aspen in the still pretty dim light.

Norman watched as Aspen pulled the bag of string from his bag. He acknowledged Deno's escape attempt, and chuckled slightly when Aspen pulled the bag's flap over the creatures head. "Well, that don't look like it'll be much to get us across," he stated, "But if you think it'll do the trick, then I'm willing to try." He chuckled disturbed at his thought, "The worst that can happen is we die." Watching Aspen, he croaked, "Just tell me what you need me to do."

Norman grabbed the rope that Aspen had tied around her waist. Standing, he held his feet firm on the ledge as she made her way across the beam. "So that's how it was supposed to go..." he said aloud. "I'd have never figured that out on my own, Aspen," he chuckled. Norman watched Aspen, and as he did so noticed the quiet around him. "That's oddly comforting," he muttered, "The silence, ya know?" Norman felt his shoulders tense unintentionally. Even with the silence, he was worried that Aspen might fall.

Norman continued looking around the ravine, taking in the rocky sides that seemed never ending. He nodded to Aspen's reply, not really taking it into anything. Norman moved to get off his feet. Dropping to one knee, and then to both, he placed his back even with the ravine wall. He held tight to the rope supporting Aspen, making sure he didn't get her killed. "I'm really feeling that fight, now," he said aloud. Glancing around once more, Norman watched Aspen still weaving string. "About a third of the way there, Aspen," he said to her. He twisted his head to each side in an attempt to pop it.

Watching Aspen further, Norman nodded. "I understand keeping going no matter what, I'm just used to a different type of exertion than a fight," he explained. Rubbing the back of shoulder, he changed rope hands from his left to right. "I was never made to live in the woods, in contrast. I chose to. My parents wanted me to live under there protective blanket but I chose not to," he reminisces, "And looking back, it was the best damn choice." He watched Aspen weave her way across, "Almost there," he encouraged.

Norman shrugged in response to Aspen question about other family. "None that coulda helped me then. When I decided to work, I simply asked for the money to purchase food day to day. I still lived in their house, but didn't take part in any of the fancy stuff they had going," he explained. Lifting his head, Norman watched Aspen reach the other side. Smiling, he stood back on his feet. Stepping towards the webbed rails, Norman felt uneasy. Tying his end of the rope through one of his belt loops, he muttered, "My turn." Dropping to his knees, Norman laid across the string on his stomach. Crawling along his stomach, he made his way across to Aspen. He didn't dare look towards the end, as that might send he scrambling towards it. Keeping his eyes steady on the darkness below, Norman crawled straight ahead.