Safe Return Doubtful

Up and up through the forest they went, the lithe brown dog leading and encouraging the old broken man behind.

The dog knows patience. The maze of tree roots that he had leapt over with agility cause problems for the man.

He lies, gnawing a tree branch. Why rush anyway.

Eventually they emerge above the treeline to a bright new world.

Jagged fangs of rock dominate the horizon. The beauty is lost on the dog whose sole quest is locating a fallen branch. More difficult now the trees are beneath.

And there’s water. At last. A stream swollen by last night’s storms.

Then the descent, both of them moving more quickly now. Anticipating lunch. A lazy afternoon.

A satisfying day. The man’s limitations thrown to one side, responding to the dog’s coaxing.

Wispy cloud. Windless. Other people a rarity. Striking panoramas. The warm hues of fall foliage. An abundance of sticks.