|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ted with wind-sculpted mesquite and sagebrush. Every step, clusters of dry rabbitbrush scraped their legs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"This is really beautiful," Kyna said. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cyrus was watching the fluid way she moved, the way her calves tightened as she took a step and at how her shorts tightened across her behind. "Yeah. It's not bad." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"You should get out more. See the wonders of nature." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cyrus was beginning to feel like a pervert so he tore his eyes away from Kyna and looked around. She was rightit was beautiful. And quiet. The muted colors soothed the eye and even the wind seemed to work to their advantage, blowing at their backs and keeping the bugs away. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
They went over and around withered brusha harsh testimony to the scarcity of rainfalland finally down into a small valley. The footing was tricky and they had to concentrate to keep from turning their ankles on the loose stones. About twenty minutes into the hike Kyna suddenly stopped and whispered, "Shush! Look." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the far ridge, a female mule deer was grazing on the smelly leaves of a rabbitbrush plant. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Wow," Cyrus whispered. "And it doesn't even have a collar." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All at once, the deer's head popped up and it stood so still that the hill behind it looked like it was moving. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"You think she heard us?" Kyna whispered. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The deer spun around and, with her black-tipped tail tucked tightly against her behind, bounded over the ridge and out of sight. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"What do you suppose spooked her?" Cyrus asked. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At that instant, the sun slipped below the hills to the west and the sky quickly went from daffodil to iris. With the sun's departure, the evening breeze turned mean and ran like wild-fire through the dry wash. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Maybe we better head back," Cyrus suggested. "I hear it gets cold awfully fast in these hills after dark." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kyna sighed, but then nodded and they began to retrace their steps up the path, their feet kicking up tiny nuclear clouds |
|
|
|
|
|