BOOK 1: Initiation

It felt reassuring to clutch my trekking poles, even though they were useless upon steep slippery rock. I felt vaguely confused. The most important goal was to finish climbing before I could lose my nerve. Marching straight uphill, I climbed shoe-over-shoe, until an overhanging boulder forced me to halt. Glancing right and left, I found myself pinned between a steep talus chute and a slippery rock chimney.

SeeHawk saw me hesitate and called out encouragingly, “Just turn left to cross the scree, Sunshine. I’ve already climbed most of it. You’ll have an easy time, after the first part. Trust me, you’ll see.”

Obeying his command, I glanced toward the left and saw exactly what I feared. Dashing across the scree was going to feel like slipping through cornmeal.

“Go ahead,” he urged me. “I know it looks steep. That’s because it is steep, and it’s also loose, but don’t worry. You’ve crossed plenty of scree before. Don’t stop moving, or even slow down. Just keep going until you reach the other side. You know it’s going to slide, so just expect a little slipperiness and don’t worry. You’ll get across before you know it.”

Ignoring his advice, I stubbornly turned around and headed in the opposite direction.