How long had it been since they'd seen the sun? Days? Weeks? They didn't know, they just wanted out, wanted to go home and feel safe again.

Every day one of them was taken out of their cells and tortured. Sometimes they'd pass out and sometimes they'd be let off easy. No matter what happened, they'd wake up tired and hungry. They'd not eaten since they got there. Lurch figured they were trying to make them suffer because it was some how amusing.

Farkas wasn't fairing so good after about the fifth day. He was weak and sick. Eventually, the Silver Hand left Farkas alone, preferring to let the man die of illness. Vilkas cringed every time he saw puss coming out of his brother's wounds. The wounds were infected and it seemed that that was what was countering Farkas's beast blood, which should have kept him from getting sick.

Vilkas shuddered as he kept asking Talos to send help. If not for him, then for Farkas. As long as Farkas was safe that's all that mattered to him. Of course Farkas saw it the other way around. But in the end, neither wanted to die. At least not alone in a cell without their twin close enough to touch. They were each other's strength in their prison.

Vilkas sighed as he heard Lurch sobbing. Poor Lurch. He was so alone. Talking to himself seemed to help at first, but he started insulting himself, leading to fits of tears. Eventually, he just stopped talking all together. And that terrified the twins. Sure, Lurch wasn't as talkative as Cicero, but boy did he talk.

So, when they stopped hearing Lurch speak, they panicked. This situation was really bad if even Lurch didn't speak.

Vilkas hugged his knees and sighed again. This was all becoming just too much for him to handle. He ached all over and he had to watch as his brother lay dying and as Lurch went mad. He suddenly remembered Cicero. Cicero must have not been taken! And of course the insane little jester would never leave Lurch to rot. It was very likely Cicero had used the little bit of logic he had and went for help.

Well, of course Vilkas could only hope that's what had happened. All he had to do was wait.

Hours flew by and no one came and got any of them to torture. Maybe they'd decided to just let them rot, let them die slowly.

Farkas coughed harshly, catching Vilkas's attention. "Are you alright, brother?" Vilkas asked, once the coughing subsided. Farkas shook his head. He was in pain. His wounds burned and itched. His head hurt so bad the room spun. His lungs felt like they'd explode when ever he breathed. So, no. He wasn't not alright. He wanted to die,but he wouldn't. Not without getting to hold his brother one last time.

He coughed again. This time blood came up. It didn't scare him, just made him angry. He was dying and he knew it, but he couldn't die yet. He refused to let go of life until he was home.

Farkas thought over Vilkas's choice to leave the Companions about five times, until he realized... They should leave. With their condition now, and their condition after they healed, they'd be useless in fights. So, Farkas agreed. Of course, they'd still visit Jorrvaskr, they just couldn't live there anymore. Aela would have to add a few new members to the Circle and Lurch... Well,they didn't know if Lurch was going to be okay after this.

Farkas lied down on the cold stone floor of his cell and closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep so badly. His eyes had been drooping all day, but he had to wait for the torture. But seeing as no one was coming to get them, he was going to sleep for the first time in three days.

Sleep did not come easy though with his aches and pains, but eventually he did fall asleep. He didn't expect to dream. He rarely ever dreamed. But this time, as he slept, he heard his own voice calling out fr Aela. He saw flashes of her sleeping on the ground, Cicero on the other side of the camp fire. He called out to her again again, but she did not wake.

He then whispered to her...

Aela's eyes snapped open and she shot up, drawing her dagger... No one was there and Cicero still lay in fitful sleep. The voice that had whispered her name... It sounded like Farkas... But he was no where to be found. Okay maybe she was going mad. The voice got louder though. "Follow my voice." it said. Aela quickly got Cicero up and ran after the direction of the voice.

Cicero whined as he tried to keep up. What in the world was that mad-woman chasing?! Then they stopped.

The fortress... The one the Listener was being held in.

Farkas opened his eyes and yawned. Okay, so his dreams were weird. But they always seemed so real. He sat up and shrugged. He'd figure it out later. "Hey, uh, Vilkas?" Vilkas looked tiredly to his twin. "Yes?"

"Slide that bone over here."

Vilkas raised an eyebrow but did as the other asked. Farkas quickly picked up the bone and broke one end off. Vilkas thought his brother was going to eat the marrow but he soon realized that Farkas was making a lock pick out of the bone. Vilkas watched in awe as Farkas carefully shaped and carved the bone. Sure, he'd seen his brother like this before, but he still felt like it was a great honor to see Farkas so focused and crafty. This was one of the reasons why Vilkas was glad his brother was best at being a thief.

"Lurch." Farkas called out. Lurch lifted his head. "I need you to keep a look out for guards. You're closest to the door." Lurch mumbled an okay and adjusted himself so he could see to door. Farkas then got to work on the lock to his cell. He was very, very careful. If the bone pick broke while he was trying to pick the lock, that wouldn't end up good. Sure, there were other bones around, but bone got stuck in locks far more easy than metal.

How did he know that? Well, it wasn't like this was the first time he'd been locked up.

He smirked when he heard the tell tale click of the lock. He quickly opened his cell door and went to lock the doors on either end of the hall. Vilkas stared in awe at his brother. He had to learn that! Farkas worked as fast as he could to unlock Lurch and Vilkas's cells. Once the cells were unlocked, he went over to a chest at the end of the hall.

Lurch quickly followed the bigger twin and waited patiently for a weapon. Farkas handed Lurch the man's glass sword and took two silver swords for himself and Vilkas. Vilkas put a hand on Farkas's shoulder, making the lager man turn. He chuckled and shook his head. "I'll hug you when we get out of here." Farkas smiled and nodded. "Of course, brother."

The trio jumped as an explosion went off. Lurch smirked and chuckled darkly. "So it seems to me the Keeper has found the Listener." he muttered. Farkas grinned and looked to his brother, who was also smiling a bit.

Farkas kicked down one of the doors and started for the exit, Vilkas and Lurch close behind.

Aela pulled her dagger out of the throat of one of the guards and looked around for her friends. No where in sight yet. It was getting annoying how many guards there were. She called out her friends' names, hopng they'd hear her over all the chaos.

"Aela?!" The huntress turned to see Vilkas and Farkas. Neither of them looked good. She hurried over to them and hugged them both. "I've missed you both so much!" The twins smiled and hugged back.

"Listener!" The hugging trio jumped as Cicero tackled Lurch, who screamed. "Not my face! No! Cicero! Cic-! EWWWW!" The twins snorted and chuckled as Cicero kissed Lurch's cheek in a moment of joy.

Aela shook her head and sighed. "Let's get you all home."