Read Online Fox Afield (Madison Wolves) by Robin Roseau - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robin Roseau
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am still a were."
Simone nodded. She had me sit down then buckled me into a harness attached firmly to a rock outcrop. "This is standard," she said. "If Brooke were going to belay Michaela, she would still buckle in." Simone again went over how to belay properly, including how to control Brooke's rate of descent. When she was sure I had it, she waved to Brooke.
"On belay!" Brooke yelled down.
"Belay on!" I yelled back.
Simone watched me carefully, and she also fed to me the rope I was letting out. If I had made any significant mistakes, I was sure she would be able to handle it. Brooke backed slowly off the crest of the cliff above, and I began lowering her down slowly.
"She wants you to go faster," Simone said. "Almost a controlled fall, but maintain control, and slow it down near the bottom."
I let the descent speed increase, then once I was sure I still had control, even a little faster.
"That's good," Simone said.
As Brooke neared the bottom, I slowed her down, and a few feet from the ground, I slowed her descent to a crawl. She drifted gently to the ground.
"Off belay," she said after a moment.
"Belay off," I replied.
Simone and Brooke took control of the rope, I unhitched, and Brooke told me, "That was perfect. Oh, that's fun!"
After that, it was time to climb. "Who is first?" Simone asked.
Everyone turned to Lara and me.
"I want to watch," I said. "I'll go last. Am I strong enough to belay?"
"Yes," said Simone. "But you need to f ocus on your job when you belay."
So Brooke hooked Lara up to the ropes, then hooked herself. Simone checked both of them, then I hooked up for belay and Simone checked me. I thought I would belay Lara, but she gave me Brooke's rope and she took Lara's. I glanced at her.
"Brooke isn't going to fall. Lara might. But we'll give you practice handling falls."
"You're the boss," I said, smiling. "But Lara isn't going to fall."
She chuckled.
Lara walked to the cliff face, eyed it for a minute, then began pulling hers elf up. Brooke scrambled up next to her, eight feet to the left. She spoke softly to her, explaining how to exert her energy more efficiently, helping her find finger and footholds, and otherwise cheering her on. I listened to every word.
Three quarters of the way to the top, Lara fell. I screamed and immediately tightened the belay on Brooke. Lara fell a very short distance before she was caught by Simone.
"The scream wasn't necessary," Simone said gently. "But good reactions. Let Brooke loose, she'll probably descend back down to Lara, but let her climb down and don't drop her."
I relaxed on the belay, and Simone held Lara until she could grab hold of the rock face and support her own weight. I heard Brooke asking Lara if she was fine.
"Just embarrassed. I tried to do what I'd seen you do, dangling from one hand, but I slipped."
"For now, keep at least two points of contact."
"Right," Lara said. And then she began climbing again.
They made it to the top without further mishap, disappearing over the lip of the cliff together. Then they both turned around and waved to us.
I couldn't hear their conversation, but they reappeared after a moment and yelled down, "On belay!"
Simone and I both answered, and they slowly stepped backwards off the cliff.
"Watch them," she said. "Now, try to lower Brooke about the same rate I am lowering Lara."
I don't think Brooke had as pleasant a ride as Lara did. I kept speeding her up and slowing her down, but I kept her by and large next to Lara the entire way down, setting her gently on her feet at the bottom.
As soon as I was off belay, I unhooked and threw myself into Lara's arms, hugging her fiercely.
"I'm okay, Little Fox," she said. "Embarrassed. Please don't do that when it's your turn."
Elisabeth and Simone climbed next with Brooke and me on belay. Elisabeth slipped badly once but caught herself. I tightened the belay for Simone , and Brooke was ready to catch Elisabeth if necessary.
Karen went next. Before they
Simone nodded. She had me sit down then buckled me into a harness attached firmly to a rock outcrop. "This is standard," she said. "If Brooke were going to belay Michaela, she would still buckle in." Simone again went over how to belay properly, including how to control Brooke's rate of descent. When she was sure I had it, she waved to Brooke.
"On belay!" Brooke yelled down.
"Belay on!" I yelled back.
Simone watched me carefully, and she also fed to me the rope I was letting out. If I had made any significant mistakes, I was sure she would be able to handle it. Brooke backed slowly off the crest of the cliff above, and I began lowering her down slowly.
"She wants you to go faster," Simone said. "Almost a controlled fall, but maintain control, and slow it down near the bottom."
I let the descent speed increase, then once I was sure I still had control, even a little faster.
"That's good," Simone said.
As Brooke neared the bottom, I slowed her down, and a few feet from the ground, I slowed her descent to a crawl. She drifted gently to the ground.
"Off belay," she said after a moment.
"Belay off," I replied.
Simone and Brooke took control of the rope, I unhitched, and Brooke told me, "That was perfect. Oh, that's fun!"
After that, it was time to climb. "Who is first?" Simone asked.
Everyone turned to Lara and me.
"I want to watch," I said. "I'll go last. Am I strong enough to belay?"
"Yes," said Simone. "But you need to f ocus on your job when you belay."
So Brooke hooked Lara up to the ropes, then hooked herself. Simone checked both of them, then I hooked up for belay and Simone checked me. I thought I would belay Lara, but she gave me Brooke's rope and she took Lara's. I glanced at her.
"Brooke isn't going to fall. Lara might. But we'll give you practice handling falls."
"You're the boss," I said, smiling. "But Lara isn't going to fall."
She chuckled.
Lara walked to the cliff face, eyed it for a minute, then began pulling hers elf up. Brooke scrambled up next to her, eight feet to the left. She spoke softly to her, explaining how to exert her energy more efficiently, helping her find finger and footholds, and otherwise cheering her on. I listened to every word.
Three quarters of the way to the top, Lara fell. I screamed and immediately tightened the belay on Brooke. Lara fell a very short distance before she was caught by Simone.
"The scream wasn't necessary," Simone said gently. "But good reactions. Let Brooke loose, she'll probably descend back down to Lara, but let her climb down and don't drop her."
I relaxed on the belay, and Simone held Lara until she could grab hold of the rock face and support her own weight. I heard Brooke asking Lara if she was fine.
"Just embarrassed. I tried to do what I'd seen you do, dangling from one hand, but I slipped."
"For now, keep at least two points of contact."
"Right," Lara said. And then she began climbing again.
They made it to the top without further mishap, disappearing over the lip of the cliff together. Then they both turned around and waved to us.
I couldn't hear their conversation, but they reappeared after a moment and yelled down, "On belay!"
Simone and I both answered, and they slowly stepped backwards off the cliff.
"Watch them," she said. "Now, try to lower Brooke about the same rate I am lowering Lara."
I don't think Brooke had as pleasant a ride as Lara did. I kept speeding her up and slowing her down, but I kept her by and large next to Lara the entire way down, setting her gently on her feet at the bottom.
As soon as I was off belay, I unhooked and threw myself into Lara's arms, hugging her fiercely.
"I'm okay, Little Fox," she said. "Embarrassed. Please don't do that when it's your turn."
Elisabeth and Simone climbed next with Brooke and me on belay. Elisabeth slipped badly once but caught herself. I tightened the belay for Simone , and Brooke was ready to catch Elisabeth if necessary.
Karen went next. Before they
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