“How you talked me into this; I do not know.” Mumbled Hongo.

“Cheer up Hongo, after we cross that ridge, and then probably the next one, we’ll most likely be close to being halfway there.” Hunter replied with labored breathing.

“We could have taken the tourist route, you know.” Chimed in Tiyana.

“Where would the fun be in that?” Asked Hunter.

They hiked in silence for a while.

“It’s so beautiful.” Remarked Tiyana.

She gazed out over the valley. They had hiked close to the top of a mountain range. As she took in the surreal panorama before her, she felt both small and grand at the same time. A quarter of a mile below them, a stream gently cut its way through the trees and rock. The sides of the mountains were covered in a blend of tan sand, grey rock, green trees and shrubs, and crested with white snowy tops.

“It’s the Himalayas.” Said Hunter. “They call it the roof of the world.”

The majestic mountain range needed no further explanation. They walked on. They eventually stopped for lunch.

“Gotta love the two-day old sandwiches.” Tiyana sardonically remarked.

“You could always eat one of these delicious two-day old hardboiled eggs.” Hunter retorted.

Tiyana laughed.

“Where are we, Hunter?” Asked Hongo, as he munched away on his ham and cheese.

Hunter took out his new tablet GPS device, tapped the screen in a couple of places, and watched the earth rotate for a split second before the perspective zoomed in to about a quarter of a mile above their heads. With another couple of screen taps, a yellow line appeared. It showed him their plotted route to Oracle Lake.

“Close Hongo; I was kind of pulling your leg earlier. It’s actually just over this ridge. Wait a minute; did you just call me Hunter?”

“Ndiyo bwana.”

“Well, what do you know? You’re finally ready to eschew the formalities. You are a principled man; you know that Hongo?”

“Silewe.”

“Right, well, are the two of you ready to finally see Oracle Lake?”

“Completely.” Said Tiyana.

With that, they packed up and crested the ridge.

----------

Please vote for this chapter if you like it!