Oneshots! (Mostly Hermitcraft)

The City on the Cliff [Etho]

Febuwhump Day 5: Rope Burns ft. mountaineer!Etho

Summary:
Backpacking: a form of adventuring where hikers put everything they need to survive into large backpacks and journey into the wilderness.

Etho and Gem take a backpacking trip to escape their previous lives. Ahead of them is the City on the Cliff, a magnificent citadel atop an imposing mountain. Cliffs aren't the only danger when hiking these peaks.

TW: rope burns

Pebbles turn underfoot as they climb through the boulder field, delicately picking their way around the massive rocks and cautiously stepping on the smaller ones, shifting their weight every time one shakes underfoot. Their backpacks are heavy as they continue their journey, filled with a tent, food, kitchen supplies, sleeping bags, and emergency gear split between the two of them. Climbing ropes, carabiners, and cams are tucked in the outside pockets. Additionally, each backpacker has two litres of water on them, although one bottle is close to empty.

They crest one of the smaller peaks, looking out over the sprawling mountain range. Valleys hide pure mountain lakes and streams among their trees, and birds flock through the air, singing their songs and calling their greetings to the morning sun. The adventurers have been awake since dawn, having eaten a swift, simple breakfast, packed up their tent, and started on the trail again, although it all but disappeared in the piles of rocks.

Nevertheless, they push onwards, spurred on by the tallest mountain at the centre of the range and the glowing city atop it, high above the clouds. It is the city myths and legends are made about, each journey there an extraordinary feat of persistence and strength. Already, they are several days into their journey and roughly halfway to their utopian destination; the City on the Cliff.

Gem stops to catch her breath, resting her weight on her bones as she gives her muscles a short break. Etho does the same, helping her retrieve her water bottle from the side pocket. She nods gratefully, taking a quick drink before handing it back to him to stow away. He turns around and allows her to do the same for him, accepting the drink and wetting his parched throat.

The two are wearing long sleeves and pants, although their sleeves are pushed up above their elbows to allow the light wind to whisk their sweat away. At best, the temperature is hovering around twenty to twenty-five degrees Celsius, but their hard work is giving them more than enough warmth to continue onward.

"Ready?" Etho asks, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Gem's ear.

"Yeah," she confirms, looking down at her compass and map, realigning their course. She looks ahead of them, seeing the towering peak of the City on the Cliff rising ahead of them. Taking a deep breath, she begins her descent, picking her way through the boulders and down to the saddle between their previous mountain and the next. Etho follows her, bracing his hands against the rocks as he climbs down after her.

They manage to summit the next peak before lightning strikes in the distance, followed – several seconds later – by the concussive boom of thunder. They exchange a glance and wordlessly hike lower, finding a shelf in the boulder field to hide beneath. It is early afternoon, roughly three or four, when the downpour starts, lightning flashing around them. The two crouch together in a lightning-ready position, primed to reroute the electricity should it strike near their hiding place. Small streams begin to run through their camp, but they are otherwise dry, close together beneath that cliff.

Eventually, the storm is over, and Etho climbs out, scouting the area. He remains up there for no more than a minute, then returns to Gem's side, finally taking off his heavy, burdensome backpack.

"It's too late to try and summit the next peak, unless we want to use our headlamps to summit and find another shelter on the opposite side," he reports, opening the top flap and withdrawing their balled-up tent and collapsed aluminium poles.