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Authors: Robin Roseau
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in."
"Stay close," Lara said. "We'll join you."
We had a nice time out on the lake, paddling around for another hour before heading in for breakfast.
* * * *
After breakfast, we gathered together. Everyone seemed to know what the plan was, but no one would tell me. Brooke seemed particularly concerned about my leg and hip, but I assured her I was fine and up for anything short of a full marathon. She finally believed me.
After breakfast we climbed into the cars and took a twenty minute drive. We pulled into a small parking lot to find Simone waiting for us. "Gear in these packs," she sai d, gesturing to four heavy backpacks. I walked over to one and tried to lift it.
"I think, Michaela," Brooke said, "that perhaps this is a time you let wolves be wolves." She lifted one of the packs and set it over Serena's shoulders. Karen got one, Gia got one, and Brooke took the last one. Simone checked everyone then set off down a trail, the rest of us following.
We hiked for an hour. It was a nice hike for me, even in the mountain air. The heavy backpacks slowed down the wolves, but no one complained.
I spent the time looking around. We traveled through a valley, the ridges and peaks towering above us, and it was beautiful. To our right was a small lake, and I detected a stream feeding into it. I heard a small herd of deer, or deer-like animals, but I never saw them. There were other small animals and a variety of birds, and it was nice to be outside.
We reached the end of the valley, and it turned out to be a canyon, terminating against a sheer rock face. I stared at the rock wall, looking up to the top. Brooke stepped up beside me.
"It's a hundred feet," she said. "Straight up. It's not a difficult climb. Well, not for a wolf. Maybe for a fox." I grinned at her.
Lara was standing on my other side, and I leaned against her, pulling her arm into place around my shoulders. I looked up at her and said, "Please kiss me."
She did.
Brooke and Simone began helping each of us put on gear. None of the rest of us knew what we were doing. They had climbing shoes for us; Lara had shared our sizes ahead of time. We each put on a helmet and slipped into a harness around our legs and waists. Simone checked all our gear, then Brooke came along behind her and checked again. Then they both slipped into their own gear.
Simone and Brooke gave us a lesson in climbing.
They taught us about all the gear and the terminology, then gave us lessons in the basics of climbing. We learned how to find toe and footholds . After that we learned how to belay. When one person is climbing, the other person is their safety net, so to speak, managing the free end of the rope.
"Simone," Brooke finally said. "You are in charge." Simone nodded. "I'll free climb this."
"Go ahead," she said. "I'll give them the rest of the lesson."
Brooke found a small backpack, checked the contents, then approached the rock face. I watched as she began climbing. Once she started moving, she didn't stop, and it was a joy to watch.
Simone encouraged us to practice short climbs, no higher than ten feet. We each practiced climbing a short distance and moving back and forth, left to right. She encouraged us to experiment. I slipped once but caught myself with my fingertips in a narrow crack. I climbed back down and healed the damage. Gia fell from ten feet, but bounced to her feet and blushed. "I missed that hold," she said.
"If you were human," Simone said, "You would be roped up for this."
From above, Brooke yelled down at us. "Beware the rope!"
Simone pulled us all well away from the face of the cliff, then Brooke dropped a rope down to us, maintaining possession of one end. Brooke dropped another rope as well, so there were two, side by side, with one of the ropes being one length, one of the ropes we had both ends.
Simone gathered up one rope then said, "Who wants to belay Brooke for her descent?"
"I do," I said.
Simone took one look at me.
"I'm small," I said. "But I
"Stay close," Lara said. "We'll join you."
We had a nice time out on the lake, paddling around for another hour before heading in for breakfast.
* * * *
After breakfast, we gathered together. Everyone seemed to know what the plan was, but no one would tell me. Brooke seemed particularly concerned about my leg and hip, but I assured her I was fine and up for anything short of a full marathon. She finally believed me.
After breakfast we climbed into the cars and took a twenty minute drive. We pulled into a small parking lot to find Simone waiting for us. "Gear in these packs," she sai d, gesturing to four heavy backpacks. I walked over to one and tried to lift it.
"I think, Michaela," Brooke said, "that perhaps this is a time you let wolves be wolves." She lifted one of the packs and set it over Serena's shoulders. Karen got one, Gia got one, and Brooke took the last one. Simone checked everyone then set off down a trail, the rest of us following.
We hiked for an hour. It was a nice hike for me, even in the mountain air. The heavy backpacks slowed down the wolves, but no one complained.
I spent the time looking around. We traveled through a valley, the ridges and peaks towering above us, and it was beautiful. To our right was a small lake, and I detected a stream feeding into it. I heard a small herd of deer, or deer-like animals, but I never saw them. There were other small animals and a variety of birds, and it was nice to be outside.
We reached the end of the valley, and it turned out to be a canyon, terminating against a sheer rock face. I stared at the rock wall, looking up to the top. Brooke stepped up beside me.
"It's a hundred feet," she said. "Straight up. It's not a difficult climb. Well, not for a wolf. Maybe for a fox." I grinned at her.
Lara was standing on my other side, and I leaned against her, pulling her arm into place around my shoulders. I looked up at her and said, "Please kiss me."
She did.
Brooke and Simone began helping each of us put on gear. None of the rest of us knew what we were doing. They had climbing shoes for us; Lara had shared our sizes ahead of time. We each put on a helmet and slipped into a harness around our legs and waists. Simone checked all our gear, then Brooke came along behind her and checked again. Then they both slipped into their own gear.
Simone and Brooke gave us a lesson in climbing.
They taught us about all the gear and the terminology, then gave us lessons in the basics of climbing. We learned how to find toe and footholds . After that we learned how to belay. When one person is climbing, the other person is their safety net, so to speak, managing the free end of the rope.
"Simone," Brooke finally said. "You are in charge." Simone nodded. "I'll free climb this."
"Go ahead," she said. "I'll give them the rest of the lesson."
Brooke found a small backpack, checked the contents, then approached the rock face. I watched as she began climbing. Once she started moving, she didn't stop, and it was a joy to watch.
Simone encouraged us to practice short climbs, no higher than ten feet. We each practiced climbing a short distance and moving back and forth, left to right. She encouraged us to experiment. I slipped once but caught myself with my fingertips in a narrow crack. I climbed back down and healed the damage. Gia fell from ten feet, but bounced to her feet and blushed. "I missed that hold," she said.
"If you were human," Simone said, "You would be roped up for this."
From above, Brooke yelled down at us. "Beware the rope!"
Simone pulled us all well away from the face of the cliff, then Brooke dropped a rope down to us, maintaining possession of one end. Brooke dropped another rope as well, so there were two, side by side, with one of the ropes being one length, one of the ropes we had both ends.
Simone gathered up one rope then said, "Who wants to belay Brooke for her descent?"
"I do," I said.
Simone took one look at me.
"I'm small," I said. "But I
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