" "You look a little precarious," Pat stated." "You look a little precarious," Pat stated. "It's only three meters from where you are. Just jump!" Garth turned his head, looking down. Pat was gesturing with both hands. "Come on!" Garth turned slowly, easing himself away from the rockface, then pushed off. The ground came up very fast. "Ooof!" He hit, rolled, and came to a stop. "Ouch." "You okay? Nothing twisted?" Garth looked up, brushing bits of forest floor off his whiskers. "I'm fine, Pat." Turning over and sitting down, he examined himself more carefully. "Everything's in one piece. The next time you give that advice, please remember that we Terrans don't bounce back quite as quickly as you do." Pat laughed, a sound Garth was beginning to enjoy regardless of the circumstance. "I'll do that. Come on. Here's your pack." Garth stood up slowly, groaning, and shouldered the heavy pack, locking the belt around his back and settling it onto his hips. "Anyway, she was a really interesting person. I had a few girlfriends for the past two years, but I was really concerned for Kolya and Furry 'cause Kolya and Liz were doing so well." "But he left her for Furry, right?" Pat led the way down along the streamside that seemed to be heading in the direction of the black cylinder, now visible. Garth thought it looked a long way off, but Pat kept assuring him they'd make it long before nightfall. It was only four lome' as it was; they had gone to bed much earlier than Garth had suspected, and both had awoken over an hour before dawn. That had given them time to wash and have breakfast and break camp long before the first flash of morning light. "I sort of arranged things that way. I had an email conversation with her. I made her realize just how important Kolya and Furry were to each other. I was surprised. She took it really well." "Does she love him?" "I think so," Garth said. "Even though by his own words he's 'off limits' to me, I can understand why people like him. He's very honest, very open." "I can understand why that would lead people to like him, too," Pat replied, smiling. "Hold up." "What?" "Look." Pat pointed. Ahead of the them, the stream turned to the left suddenly, going in exactly the wrong direction for them. |