"I haven't tried climbing down rope much before," Arcata admits, though without the healthy dose of fear Bastian might like to see. "It might be a good skill to work at, if this sort of thing keeps up. But don't worry, I wouldn't think of leaving you out. In fact, if any of us go, all of us probably should. Anyone left behind could be taken hostage if anything truly bad is going on."
Her face falls a bit as she thinks things through more.
"That said...I'm not sure this is the right way to go about doing this. I feel something's off here, but...suppose that cave is just their dungeon, and the noises the sounds ordinary prisoners are making? This is the sort of thing we can't just glibly pass off. If you're right, and this is evidence of foul play, then all's well. But if you're wrong, we will have just alienated a potentially powerful ally, who can connect us to an even more powerful one still."
Now all serious, Arcata meets Sh'aah's eyes intently. "So it's not in any way me questioning your abilities when I ask you if you're sure, Sh'aah. A great deal is riding on what we do next."