Mount Leli was different. Climbing up the crater to the side of the pass that led to the highest crater wasn’t too difficult, with ropes. Slow, sure. Ivan focused on climbing up. They reached the crater top, and realized a dilemma. The crater was incredibly steep, and the edges eroded when they touched them. They would have to climb down a bit and circle the crater.
“It’s already mid-afternoon,” Igor said, concerned. “And if we fall, we will be stuck in the bottom of the crater.”
“We won’t make it all the way back tonight,” Ivan said.
“Do we want to admit failure?”
“This will be our first failure.”
Ivan led the way. But it was too difficult. The crater walls eroded at his touch. The rock pick was useless.
“Let’s turn back,” Igor suggested.
Ivan followed.
Maybe it was the disappointment. Maybe it was the long day of strenuous climbing. Maybe it was the altitude and the wind. It didn’t matter. Whatever the reason, Ivan missed a step and started falling into the deep blue void below. The rope hadn’t been fastened right, and before Ivan felt the full jerk of it stopping him, he found himself falling further.
Fortunately for Ivan, they had been close to the pass. He didn’t have to fall far. It was far enough for him to hear his ankle snap. He looked up, in pain, to see Igor’s horrified face. He looked down. His ankle was definitely broken.
This was before helicopters were used for mountain rescues, and, anyways, there wasn’t a single one in Rhetia. Igor and Ivan had flown in on a private plane to Lilaca Island, along with several other explorers likewise exploring the world between college and the real world. They had moved their stuff by boat since.
Igor climbed down. He pulled a dazed Ivan up and they three-legged it to the end of the pass.
“I don’t know that I can carry you down,” he said.
Ivan whimpered. He hated looking weak, but there was no choice. The pain was blindingly intense. “There’s no shelter.”
“Maybe I can get help,” Igor said. But both knew that help was below the first crater, and wouldn’t reach the top by nightfall.
The pass also led to a sloping path. Ivan pointed.
“Maybe that’s a viable path,” Igor said. He walked down it. “It looks far longer, and I think it goes around the crater, but we could walk it. Maybe it comes out down there.” He pointed to a stream down below.
They started walking down. The path showed signs of humans or animals treading it down, but they saw nothing. Ivan tried to remember if there were any predators on this island. He thought there weren’t. How would they have gotten there?
The grasses grew around the path, with pretty flowers. Ivan wished they’d realized this trail existed; even though it was a gentler slope, it would have been faster. It was dinner-time when they made it to the stream. Ivan was still in pain. Igor suggested they camp there. “I don’t know that we’ll find better, and stumbling around with you unable to walk is just too difficult.”
Ivan couldn’t disagree. Igor set up the blankets. The south side of the mountain was sheltered from the wind.
Ivan didn’t know how he fell asleep, but he woke up to the sound of Igor and a woman’s voice talking in the local language. He tried to concentrate on the words, even though he felt the pain afresh.
“We fell, and his ankle is badly broken.”
“Did you set it?”
“I don’t know how.”
“You try to climb up high mountains, but you don’t bother to learn how to set a bone? I will set it. Go down to the tree area, and find a stick. Lots of sticks, nice and strong. Follow the stream, but it joins the Alaer just above the tree line. Be sure to remember the way. I don’t see you by the time I finish picking my herbs, I’ll leave your friend here.”
The woman walked closer to Ivan. She had long, greying black hair tied up in green ribbons that matched the sash of her grey dress. “Hello, do you speak Rhetian?”
Ivan nodded.
“Very good. My name is Gertrunania. Your friend is going to get a splint. I will set your bone. Do you have this kind of medical care in your country?”
“Yes.” His voice sounded pitifully weak.
“Ready?”
Richenda 