Olivia tells me that they're ready to start against the pass and the others agree. John puts Piotr at the front. Consenting, I briefly describe the rugged, barrenness of the mountains... the long, streaked cliffs, dark with traces of ochre and rust; the rock jutting out at abrupt angles; the path growing steeper and the appearance of snow and ice upon the stony surfaces around them. I remind the party of how I had described the mountains as "rugged" when they first came over them, and how little description I had given then. "It was no bother for you, alone, to come down the narrow paths from above; it didn't bother you that the sheer stone walls pressed close around you, except that you feared some beast would attack you."
"I remember," says John.
"It's different now, with the children. Their hands are cold, their footing unsure. They have to use their hands, and the rock surfaces are cold and sharp. Within the first hour, two have received cuts on their palms from climbing."
"Do I have my cure spells from last night?" asks Rick.
I begin to say 'Yes,' but John cuts me off.
"Don't use them even if you've got them. We've got a ways to go; someone's going to fall or something; we'll need healing then. In the meantime, getting cut and bruised will have to be something they just endure." The others agree. I assure Rick that Einrugg has his spells. Susan reminds me to keep going.
Continued on The Higher Path
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