Ellis got to the peak, breathing hard as he looked around with wide eyes before looking down at Blaise following behind him. "Holy *squee!*," he said quietly. The view was breathtaking, with a light fog painting the valley below with misty purples and silvers. Dark green fir trees peaked out from the blanket, their image formidable and mysterious. About forty feet below, a crystal stream flowed down to the river below, the gurgles soft to their ears. In fact, the world around them was mostly silent, as if the whole forest was holding its breath.
She looked out across the view, her eyes wide with amazement as she stared. "This is amazing," she murmured slowly, taking in the scene.
He took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers as they stood in quiet contemplation. Minutes passed before he shook his head, breaking the spell and letting go of her hand. "Okay. Camping time."
He frowned, tilting his head. "Let me do that," he said, taking the tent out from her hands. "You should sit down."
He squinted at her, raising one eyebrow. "No. You should sit down. You had a long day and you woke up abruptly."
She glowered at him playfully. "My day was just as long as yours, so I'm gonna go get some stuff for a fire."
She was gone for a short while before returning with items to make a fire pit, setting them up brightly.
He had made quick work, the tent set up and bedrolls spread out. He had begun to clear away rocks for the fire pit, looking up at her. "Hey. You're back."
"Of course," he said, standing up and dusting his hands off on his pants. He squinted across the horizon, frowning thoughtfully. "I used to go camping with Emerson and his father when we were kids. Emerson would go out and gather materials and explore the paths with his dad, and I'd stay at the camp and make it more homelike."
