During their trek across the Deth Plains they stopped usually at old campsites used by others that had gone—or come—before. They encountered only one indication of mishap, and that was shortly before they arrived at the first thrusting peaks of the Ironcut Mountains. It was a Riotori skeleton. The bones had been picked clean, mostly, by the scavenging jackerwals and the black-winged crozards. They could see the teeth marks of the former on some of the larger bones and the beak scrapings of the latter on the ribs.
One of the larger lower leg bones was broken, the jagged ends severely displaced. The twins surmised that the traveler had broken his leg in a fall from the last peak and then crawled as far as he could, no doubt hoping to meet another traveler that would help him.
It was near sunset when they arrived at the break in the cliffs where they would begin their ascent. They decided to make camp and have all of the next day for climbing. They would need to rearrange their gear for the climb. The ropes and hammers and pitons would be moved from the bottom of the packs, along with the climbing belts to hold them, and those would be worn in the morning.
There were no hoporils or other food sources at this campsite. The men ate some of their reserve—dried meat and vegetables—and pitched their tents, one on each side of the small break in the wall. After the meager meal they lay down on the dusty ground and watched the sky grow darker as Shul, the sun, dived slowly behind the mountains and allowed the stars to regain their places in the sky.
Gypsum dug a piece of turgus root out of his pack, bit it in half, and tossed half to his brother. The root had a pleasant oily taste and the two chewed contentedly for almost an hour before swallowing the fibrous root and climbed into their tents for sleep.
One of the larger lower leg bones was broken, the jagged ends severely displaced. The twins surmised that the traveler had broken his leg in a fall from the last peak and then crawled as far as he could, no doubt hoping to meet another traveler that would help him.
It was near sunset when they arrived at the break in the cliffs where they would begin their ascent. They decided to make camp and have all of the next day for climbing. They would need to rearrange their gear for the climb. The ropes and hammers and pitons would be moved from the bottom of the packs, along with the climbing belts to hold them, and those would be worn in the morning.
There were no hoporils or other food sources at this campsite. The men ate some of their reserve—dried meat and vegetables—and pitched their tents, one on each side of the small break in the wall. After the meager meal they lay down on the dusty ground and watched the sky grow darker as Shul, the sun, dived slowly behind the mountains and allowed the stars to regain their places in the sky.
Gypsum dug a piece of turgus root out of his pack, bit it in half, and tossed half to his brother. The root had a pleasant oily taste and the two chewed contentedly for almost an hour before swallowing the fibrous root and climbed into their tents for sleep.
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