Sedona
Rain
Chapter
11
Morning
came earlier than usual for Samantha, and even before getting out of bed,
she felt the exercise from the day before in her legs and feet.
"I
never knew I had so many muscles," she complained as she rolled to the edge
of the bed and sat up. "You would think with all the practicing I do with
Tae Kwon Doe and the wall, everything would be limber." Sitting with her legs
dangling, she stared at Alex in disbelief. "Why aren't you complaining about
a sore body?"
"Guess
I'm in better shape than you are." Sapphire eyes sparkled with mischief, as
the dark-haired beauty walked to the bed and handed Samantha a tube of cream
for sore muscles.
"We're
going to buy you a pair of hiking boots before we leave for the trip; that's
one of your problems. You can't be climbing rocks and stepping on stones all
day in those sneakers of yours and not expect your feet and legs to feel the
abuse the next day."
"Now
you tell me," Samantha whimpered. "At least my arms seem to have taken the
exertion without screaming too much. You could have let me in on your little
secret before I had the sore feet and muscles."
"Sorry."
Alex bent down and kissed Samantha's head. "I'm sure the Jacuzzi last night
kept the aching to a minimum. Would you like me to kiss the sore spots and
make them all better?"
"You
do and I can guarantee we will not
be leaving for a camping trip this morning." She drew her lover closer,
her arms wrapped firmly around Alex's waist. "Just you, me, and nature, huh?"
"You
got it, kiddo, just the three of us. So, it's time to get up, dressed, and
going. We have supplies to pick up from downstairs, a few more things to purchase
in town, and of course, breakfast."
"Of
course, breakfast; that's the most important part," Samantha exclaimed as
she let loose of the taller woman and got out of bed.
"I
wouldn't go that far, Samantha, but it is high on the list."
After
a long discussion over not taking a change of clothing, Alex finally got through
to Samantha that they would be "roughing it", no bells and whistles, just
the necessities, and after a small amount of begging, Samantha got her writing
equipment added to the list.
"Bards!"
An exasperated Alex gave up, shaking her head. "When you're going to find
time to write, I have no idea, but by all means take the tools of the trade.
Other than that, are we ready?"
"Yes."
Samantha packed her small journal and pens in her backpack and lifted it onto
her shoulders.
"Will
you be able to travel easily with that on your back?"
"Yeah.
Why?"
"Because
we're going to be adding more to it. You know, food, matches, water, survival
stuff."
"How
much more, Alex?"
"A
few pounds, but it'll diminish as we use the supplies up. I'll take the brunt
of the weight, but I will need you to carry a little more than you have in
there right now. Do you think you'll be able to manage?"
"Sure,
it will be on my back so that takes a lot of the weight off. No problem, I
can do anything once!" She smiled
at her lover and gave the signal that she had everything she needed.
Since
the dining room was already open, it seemed like the best place to eat, and
when they were finished with breakfast, Alex lead them to the storage room
where Gary kept the camping equipment. Everything needed for a weekend with
nature was stockpiled in the tiny room. Alex filled Samantha's backpack first
with the smaller items, such as cooking utensils, a pot, matches, rope, and
knife. She then added some packages of freeze-dried foods. Each of them picked
up a sports bottle with a filter that enabled them to purify their drinking
and cooking water. The last item Alex loaded onto Samantha's back was a sleeping
bag. She then asked if the load felt too heavy or cumbersome to deal with.
"No,
I think I'll do just fine. Now I know we're supposed to be roughing it, but
I see a roll of camping toilet paper over there; could we please take that
and some hand wipes with us?"
The
taller woman laughed, but she reached up and retrieved a roll of the camping
paper and a few packages of the waterless hand wipes. "Nothing like taking
a tenderfoot with me into the depths of nature. How would you ever survive
in the forests of the Amazon, far from civilization?"
"Why
in Tartarus would I want to survive in the forests of the Amazon? Do I look
like a native to you? Besides, Miss Camper-of-the-Year, have you ever gone
traipsing through the Amazonian jungle?" Emerald eyes sparkled with the challenge
as she waited patiently for a reply.
"Actually
. . . no . . . but I think I would survive just fine. I have done some extensive
hiking and camping in my day." Sapphire eyes met the question with a hint
of rascality. "Besides, you would never be in the Amazon forest alone; I would
always be there to protect you."
"My
dark hero, always around to save me." There was a smile on the fair face,
but the sentiment went heart deep.
"You
betcha! Now let's go get a few more goodies to eat and buy you a pair of decent
hiking shoes."
On
the way out of the room Alex grabbed a flashlight and some batteries. She
waved them at Samantha. "Just to be on the safe sideççdon't want you to be
afraid of the dark." She smiled at her lover and closed the door behind her.
It
didn't take long to pack up the Jeep, and soon the weekend adventure was about
to begin. Alex informed Gary that they would be somewhere in Secret Canyon
and told him if they hadn't shown up back at the Resort by Sunday evening
to come looking for them. Secrecy was always a part of her little hiking expedition
in the past, but this time she had Samantha to think about as well. She didn't
want them to be caught out somewhere with no one knowing where to even begin
a search if something went amiss.
A
few hours later all the extra supplies were purchased and packed, and Samantha
was sporting a new pair of shoes.
"I'm
sorry I didn't think about your feet and legs before we got here, Samantha."
Alex apologized.
"That's
okay, I've got the right equipment now," Samantha answered.
"Yes,
but you should have been able to wear them for a few days and break them in
before needing them so desperately. At least the salesperson seemed knowledgeable
enough to fit you properly and promised that they wouldn't cause blisters.
He will be one sorry so-and-so if they do." The dark-haired beauty put her
hand on the smaller woman's thigh. "We're almost there; I know you're going
to love this place. There are all sorts of caves riddled throughout the area
and it's so off the beaten path that there are hardly any other hikers around.
They
had traveled down Highway West 89A until turning onto Dry Creek Road, and
now Alex was turning onto a dirt road with a sign that read FR 152.
"Just
a few more miles and we'll reach the parking lot where I told Gary we would
leave the Jeep. In case of an emergency, he'll know where to begin looking."
Panic
filled sea-green eyes as they flashed up to meet those of her lover. "Emergency?"
"Samantha,
I don't anticipate any problems, but we are going to be out in nature, and
it would be stupid to not have at least one person know where we started out."
The
blonde relaxed back into her seat. "You're right, of course; it's just that
the word emergency has such a panicked ring to it."
"Okay,
sorry for the use of such a strong word. I forgot how easily words affect
you, my bard."
From
where Alex was parking the Jeep they could barely see a marked sign reading
"Secret Canyon #121."
"We're
here. Let's get packed up and on the go."
They
helped each other on with the backpacks and sleeping bags, making sure to
attach their filled water bottles to their pant loops. Alex's camping shorts
pockets were filled with small incidentals: matches, Swiss Army knife, a snakebite
kit, and a compass. Samantha's camping shorts pockets were filled with hard
candies, antiseptic wipes, lip balm, and insect bite ointment. The blonde
made sure the toilet tissue, her journal, and a pen were all easily accessible.
It was quite obvious what each of the women's priorities were.
The
path was fairly easy to follow in the beginning, leading them through tall
grass scattered throughout with yellow Blanketflower. A little further on,
after crossing a dry wash laced with Jimsonweed, they passed a small stream
bubbling merrily along at a quick pace. Looking up, they were constantly surrounded
by the beautiful red rock cliffs that rose high above everything else and
enclosed them in a world of wonder and beauty.
A
short distance down the path it forked, and the two women decided to take
the trail that looked less traveled. It had them weaving and twisting along
the rocky cliffs, interspersed with Scarlet Creeper, and they continued on
an uphill climb. Since they had nowhere special in mind to go, they paced
themselves, enjoying the fragrance of the seasonal flowers, which included
the blue Machaeranthera with its brilliant azure petals and yellow center.
If they listened closely they could hear the cries of the Bluejay and the
song of the Painted Redstarts, while occasionally catching a glimpse of a
native Black Hawk flying high overhead. After a while the path wound back
around and then started to descend, plunging them into a section of deep woods.
"I
don't think I've ever seen so much beauty in one place," Samantha murmured
as they walked side-by-side on a trail leading them through the pines. "I
mean, there's the lake and woods in Washington and the ocean and beaches in
California, but this is so different."
"It's
like being in a world that civilization has yet to have found, isn't it?"
"That's it exactly, Alex. It's like we're explorers; the first ones here to see all these wonders of nature."
The
tall trees were filtering the amount of sunlight they allowed to drift through,
and in Samantha's bardic imagination, she spotted many a fairy ring as they
walked through the fragrant woods. The sounds of the woodland birds created
a symphony of nature as the lovers walked unhurriedly through the lush undergrowth
on the forest floor.
About
the time Samantha's stomach started rumbling, they found themselves at the
end of the path, which filtered into an almost dry creek bed. Had it not been
for the daily showers, it would more than likely have dried up long ago. Alex
looked at her watch.
"I
see you managed to bring that little item of civilization along with you?"
Samantha teased.
Acknowledging
the sarcasm by merely a raised eyebrow and a smile, Alex asked, "Do you want
to stop for some lunch now or continue on down the wash and see where it leads?"
"I
don't know. What time is it?"
"You
want me to cheat and look at this timepiece on my arm that you've just been
sarcastic about or give you the time by the sun?"
"No
fair, Alex, I already saw you look at your watch; we can play that little
game later in the afternoon when I'm sure you haven't already cheated."
"Clever
girl, aren't you? Believe it or not, we've been walking around for about two-and-a-half-hours;
it's a little after one. We could have some lunch and rest for a bit and then
travel back up toward the cliffs if you want."
"Hey,
I'm just along for the hike; you're the tour guide. Time really does fly when
you're having fun; I wouldn't have thought so much time had elapsed. I'll
go along with whatever you say."
"Oh,
that can be riskyççwhatever I say?"
"Within
reason." The blonde smiled over at her lover.
"There
you go, putting restrictions." Alex stopped and took her backpack off then
helped Samantha off with hers. "I'm really not a tour guide here, Samantha.
This is virgin territory for me as well; I've never been back through these
woods."
"That's
fantastic! Now we're someplace where neither one of us has ever been before.
I like that idea; it makes this even more special."
"It
doesn't take much to make you happy, does it?" She gave her lover a kiss on
the cheek. "Seriously, Samantha, I do know that sometimes, though it seems
we've been traveling forever and the time speeds by, the trails occasionally
backtrack on themselves. So, even if it takes us two to three hours to get
somewhere, there's always the possibility that another path would take us
back quicker. I've been trying to keep an eye on where we've gone so we don't
get totally lost."
"Getting
lost would definitely not be a fun way to spend the weekend." Samantha agreed.
"Let
me tell you now so I don't forget later." She pointed to one of the large
red rock towers. "See that turret up there, Samantha?"
Sam's
eyes followed the pointing finger. "Yes."
"Okay,
the Jeep is parked directly south of that spire, so if anything . . ."
"It's
enough to know that it's there, Alex. I'm sure I won't ever have to use that
information."
The
following couple of hours were spent having a leisurely lunch, talking, and
enjoying the scenery. After eating, they piled up a bunch of pine needles
and threw one of the sleeping bags over them, making a soft area to lie down
and talk some more. During one particularly quiet moment, Alex made a quick
move to sit and put her fingers to her mouth to keep Samantha from speaking.
Then she motioned for the blonde to sit up and pointed down the creek, while
leaning over and whispering into her lover's ear. "Look down there to the
right, Samantha, an entire family of deer."
It
didn't take long to see what her lover was pointing at. Not more than fifty
feet down the creek bed stood a doe and two fawns, nibbling on the shrubbery.
A bit further down in the same direction they could barely see the antlers
of a buck.
"They're
absolutely beautiful," Sam whispered back to Alex. "Thank you for bringing
me here."
The
answer to the thank you was a sweet kiss to her lover's cheek. She pulled
Samantha back down onto the bedding beside her. Baby kisses caressed the fair
cheeks that were pink from the afternoon sun. "Ya know, Mom once told me,
in one of our mother-and-daughter talks, about the way she felt when she and
Kelley first got together. I always thought she was exaggerating about the
feeling of never wanting to let Kelley out of her sight. I used to think to
myself that surely she couldn't mean that she wanted to have physical contact
with her constantly. Now I know exactly what she was trying to convey to me.
Whenever you're near, I feel the need to be beside you, to touch you, caress
you, and to tell you how much I love you." Alex, with her arms around her
world, drew Samantha closer and kissed her passionately. "You know, I've had
good sex before . . ."
"Oh,
you have, have you?" the petite woman teased.
"Samantha,
I'm being serious."
"Yeah,"
blonde locks nodded in affirmation, "I know."
"But
with you it's almost like . . . an obsession . . . it's not just sex, its
nourishment." She sighed deeply, "Now listen to who's sounding deep and bardic."
"I
know what you're saying, Alex; I feel it, too. It's like when you're touching
me, we're complete."
"Exactly,"
Alex agreed.
For
minutes they laid quietly, side-by-side, facing each other and simply looking
into each other's eyes. Letting their hearts do the talking through their
windows to the soul.
Finally,
two small hands could no longer keep still and began to roam the taller woman's
body. When Samantha slipped her fingers under Alex's shorts and squeezed the
firm round buttocks, the raven-haired beauty felt the material between her
legs become suddenly damp as a shudder ran through her body, and she started
to sit up.
"Samantha,
as much as I want to . . ."
The
smaller woman ignored the protestation and pushed Alex onto her back. She
rolled on top of her and muttered into her lover's ear, "My turn." Then she
sat up and straddled her mate, while she unbuttoned and unzipped Alex's shorts.
Two
strong hands quickly clasped the smaller ones. "Samantha, we need to keep
moving if we're going to find a place to make camp before sunset. You want
to see the sunset, don't you?"
"Nice
try, Alex." Samantha jerked her hands away from those that were not wholehearted
in their objections. "We have plenty of time; this won't take long. Consider
it my dessert." With the shorts unzipped, she slipped a hand between the material
and her lover's body, bypassing the curly locks and encroaching on the moistened
area below.
She
smiled and gently pushed on the center of her lover's passion. "Now, I'm sure
it won't take long," she teased. Slipping one finger gingerly between the
nether lips and up inside the cave of desire, her thumb began gently massaging
the already growing nub situated above the entrance. "Don't you think we ought
to get these shorts off? They're awfully wet, Alex. You don't want to become
chafed; you don't seem to have any underwear on to absorb the dampness." Again
she grinned down into the face she loved, and seeing no signs of resistance,
continued removing the hindering clothing.
Alex
had already taken her outer shirt off and was wearing only a sleeveless tee,
but seconds later that, too, was lying on the ground beside them.
"You
know, I've never made love in the woods," Samantha began then looked over
to where the family of deer was still grazing, "especially with a live audience."
She giggled before leaning over and taking one of her lover's now hard nipples
in her mouth. "Ah. Dessert."
Under
the watchful and warm eyes of the afternoon sun and with the help of a gentle
breeze to cool their passions, the two continued to make love beneath the
tall pines, oblivious to the stares from the animals unfamiliar with the mating
habits of humans.
After
they had taken the time to appreciate each other, they lay on their backs,
drinking in the fresh air and playing imagination games with the clouds.
Alex
was the first to suggest they dress and get started. They had spent more time
than anticipated having lunch.
The
duo followed the creek bank for a little while longer and filled their half-emptied
water bottles with the crystal clear liquid. Almost an hour had past as they
continued walking through the woods, trying to identify the ferns, flowers,
and wild mushrooms they encountered along the way. Soon the wooded area gave
way to a small grove of red-barked manzanita trees. Searching the area, Alex
spotted what looked like a natural trail that led further up into the rocks.
"I've
always appreciated the pine trees and ferns more than these little buggers,"
the dark-haired beauty mumbled stepping around one of the small trees.
"Be
careful not to get too close; they enjoy eating clothing and love the taste
of skin," Alex warned as she pointed to the tiny trees lining either side
of the newly found path.
"Will
do, especially since you didn't let me bring any change of clothes."
"Don't
go there, Samantha! I might just have to introduce you to a manzanita tree."
She gave the "I'm only kidding"
sign, and they continued on toward the cliff facing.
"Look
up there, Samantha," Alex pointed a little way in front and above them. "That
looks like it might be a nice size ledge and a cave."
"What
about bears, Alex? We saw deer here, so I know there's wildlife. Are there
bears?"
"None
to really speak about. In a few of the areas there have been brown bear sightings,
but I don't think this region is one of them."
"You
don't think?"
"Samantha,
if you're uncomfortable with doing this, we still have time to head back toward
the Jeep, and we can sleep in a nice soft bed instead of on the hard ground,
out in the open air, under the stars, with not another soul around . . ."
"Okay,
okay, I definitely get the picture. No bears to be afraid of. Gotcha!"
Within
minutes they had started to climb the face of the rocks that would lead them
up to a ledge approximately six feet above their heads. Luckily for them the
facing was not slick but had many handgrips and crevices. Samantha went first
and Alex watched carefully each advance the smaller woman made.
"You're
really rather good at that, you know, Samantha?" the raven-haired beauty shouted
up to her mate before joining her in the climb. "You're almost there. I'm
going to go ahead and start."
Hand
and foot coordination was definitely a plus when trying to climb the irregular
cliff wall. When Alex pulled herself onto the ledge, Samantha was sitting
there taking a picture.
"Did
you get my best angle," Alex asked as she finished scrambling onto the ledge.
"Every
angle is your best," Samantha complimented. "Just look at the view from here.
You were right; a little longer down on the floor of the forest and we would
have missed the sunset.
"Thanks
for the bit of confidence. I think there's plenty of time now to set up a
camp. This is a nice size ledge, and it looks like there's even an indentation
we can use for a fire pit."
The
women took off their backpacks and deposited everything they needed for the
evening into a pile close to the fire pit. With part of the water from their
bottles, they reconstituted the evening meal. All that was left to do was
to heat it. Together they scavenged around and found enough felled wood to
support a fire, and while Alex was busy priming for the cooking stage, Samantha
sat down with her journal.
"I
can either see Bell Rock from here, or there is another formation that is
very close to it in structure." Samantha pointed to the east and Alex followed
the blonde's direction with her eyes.
"I'm
not really sure, Samantha."
"Well,
I've had this poem running through my head since the day we visited there,
and I think I'll write it out while your finishing up there. Is that okay
with you?"
"Sure,
there's nothing you can do to help. The kindling has caught, and we just need
enough of a flame to start cooking.
Samantha
sat down with her journal in her lap. The rhyme had been flowing through her
head all day and it was a relief to get it down on paper.
Bell
Rock Rock
I
sat within the silence in the blazing autumn sun
My
soul began to listen to a different drummer's beat
I
found myself a rocking in the sweltering autumn heat
'Twas
a song just written for me, and my soul began to sway
Though
my ears could hear no music, I could feel it anyway
The
energy ran through me as each note was deftly played
Now
the melody escapes me, but the feeling will not fade
The
bard finished writing, sighed deeply, and put down her pen. She picked up
the journal and reread the poem.
"Want
to hear what I wrote, Alex?"
"Sure
. . . you sound like I wouldn't want to hear it, why?"
"I
don't know, because it's poetry?"
"I
want to hear anything you pen, Samantha. Go ahead, read it to me, while I
put these pots over the fire. It shouldn't take long to heat everything up."
The
blonde began reciting her poem. She read the title out loud and then stopped
and tilted her head, as if listening to something almost inaudible. "Did you
hear that?"
"What?"
Alex wanted to know.
"That
drumming sound."
"No.
All I heard was the title of your poem."
"Okay,
must have been the way the wind was whistling past my face." The small blonde
began again. "Bell Rock Rock . . . there . . . there it is again, Alex . .
. listen."
Alex
tilted her head, closed her eyes, and concentrated. "I don't hear anything,
honey. Why don't you just go ahead and finish the poem. Maybe nature is accompanying
you." She smiled in the direction of her mate.
"You're
smiling, but it's kinda giving me the creeps." The blonde shivered and then
looked again at the bit of creativity in her hand. "Okay, here goes . . ."
For
the final time, Samantha began the poem elicited by the peace and serenity
of the area. Again she heard the slight beating of rhythmic drums, muted instead
of echoed by the surrounding canyon. She did not look up until she had uttered
the last word of the poem and then looked into the stunned face of her lover.
"Was
it that
bad?" The poet questioned.
"Um
. . . no . . . um . . . the poem was really good, Samantha; it captured the
magic that surrounds this area." She looked down at what she was now cooking
and stirred the pot of vegetable stew.
"So,
what's with the inability to answer then, Alex? Why the weird look, huh?"
Samantha already knew the answer to her question; she just wanted Alex to
admit to it.
"I
guess it's just that when you were reading your poem . . . I . . . nah . .
. it was the power of suggestion."
"What
was the power of suggestion? Just tell me." Samantha walked over to the fire
and placed her hand on Alex's arm. "You heard it too, didn't you?"
The
taller woman nodded yes, crooking her head to listen to the wind.
"I
don't hear anything now." She looked down into eyes confused as her own.
"I
heard it the entire time I was reading. It was as though the beat was following
my words." She shivered and held her arms out for her lover to see the goose
flesh that was covering them. "It gave me the willies! What do you supposed
caused it?"
"Probably
the way the wind was rushing though the trees, hitting the caves, or bouncing
off the rocks."
"Yeah,
right. Alex the wind does not make drum
sounds."
"Well,
maybe there's another hiking party somewhere in the canyon today and they're
drummers. Yeah, that sounds reasonable." She smiled thinking perhaps she had
finally hit on a logical explanation. The she laughed nervously. "Listen to
us, thinking we're the only visitors to this entire area. I'll bet that's
what it was, drummers practicing their Indian drumming."
"Is
that so?" The blonde was none too sure of Alex's certainty. "Then, oh wise
camper, tell me why we don't hear them any more?"
The
air was hushed and silent as the two strained their ears to catch the distant
sound of drumming . . . of any sound . . . but now, not even the birds were
singing.
"Whatever,
Samantha." Alex waved it off. "Let's just wait and see if it returns again
before the evening's over." Quickly changing the topic she pointed to their
bowls. "I think this stew is warm enough to eat, wanna bring those over?"
They
sat together with legs dangling over the ledge pointing out what was most
important to each of them. Samantha gave Alex an incredulous look when the
dark-haired woman took the bowls and wiped them out with leaves.
"I
know we're roughing it, Alex, but . . ."
"Samantha,
we're going to need the water in our bottles for drinking, not for washing
dishes, unless you want to climb back down to the creek bed to clean up tonight?"
"No."
The blonde admitted. "It's just I've never had my bowl cleaned with a leaf
before. You going to do the same with the pot?"
"Yes,
that's what I intended. They really get fairly clean this way, look." She
held out one of the bowls for her lover to inspect.
"Not
surprisingly, Alex, you're right." When they were finished, she placed the
bowl inside the finished pot along with the other one. "It's so quiet out
here. At home, there's always the rush of the waves beating on the shore.
Here there's a silence so still you can hear your heartbeat."
"This
is beautiful country. Why don't we figure where we want to sleep and put the
sleeping bags down and then look around a little before sunset?"
"Great
idea."
The
main choice was between setting the bedding inside the cave or outside on
the ledge. Samantha wanted the full impact of sleeping under the stars, so
they agreed to place them close to the entrance in case it rained but just
outside the mouth of the alcove. Alex had a small battery operated camping
lantern that she turned on as they slowly entered the cavern. When proceeding
through the entrance, the statuesque brunette found the need to duck, but
once inside, the area opened up showing ceilings that reached slightly beyond
her six feet. Beyond the irregularly shaped cave the women entered, they spotted
two tunnels leading further into the heart of the red rock. One of the passages
went forward with a sharp turn to the left and the other forward and just
slightly to the right.
"You
know, it's weird that these caves are so close to the cliff dwellings we saw,
and yet there is no acknowledgement of ancient habitats in this Canyon."
"I
would imagine this might have been more of a spiritual place," Alex commented.
"Why
would you think that?"
"I
don't know," the dark-haired beauty shrugged her shoulders as the two continued
to walk toward the left turn. "It just seemed like a logical reason to me,
I guess."
"Look
at this, Alex." Samantha bent down and picked up a stick that had some kind
of moss stuck to it. "Kind of resembles a torch, dontcha think?"
"Yes."
Alex admitted. "It would be a great torch if it's dry enough and the stuff
on it doesn't burn too quickly. Want to try it and see? It would save batteries."
She took the torch from Samantha and used the matches she had in her camp
shorts to see if it would catch. They were in luck; the moss was dry enough
to catch with the first try.
"That's
great. It really throws a lot of light into the cave." Samantha acknowledged.
"Where do you think something like this would lead?" she asked, pointing further
down the tunnel.
"It
seems to be following the outer rim of the mountain." Alex guessed.
The
passage was fairly level with perhaps a slight decline. As they continued
to walk, Alex began to notice that the passage was shrinking in size. "Looks
like we might be running out of tunnel up here a little way. Isn't it remarkable
how these rocks are spotted with caves and tunnels like this? Unfortunately,
this one looks barren." She turned and spun the torch around to see if there
was any writing on the walls. There was none, so she asked Samantha if she
had had enough adventuring for the evening and if she was ready to see the
sunset.
"I've
already cheated and looked at my watch," Alex confessed. "We should have just
enough time to get back out there before old Sol goes down."
Alex
was definitely right on the time frame; just as they were emerging from the
cave, they caught the last glimpses of the sun as it began its descent below
the rocks of the Secret Canyon. The brunette carefully extinguished the torch
so they would be able to use it again tomorrow when they explored the other
side of the cave. After placing it back inside the cave, she walked over,
stood behind her lover, and draped her arms over the smaller woman's shoulders.
"So,
will this do for one of your memorable sunsets?"
"Most
definitely, Alex." Samantha leaned back onto Alex's chest. "But it goes so
quickly once it hits a certain point."
"That
it does, Samantha, almost like it was dropping from the sky." She could still
smell the fragrance of cologne in Samantha's hair as she inhaled fully. "I
love the way you smell."
The
blonde giggled. "Oh, yeah. Especially after I've been walking around in the
woods the entire day. I must smell fragrant."
"As
a matter of fact, you do," Alex countered as she drew her lover close and
sniffed. "You smell like fresh air and pine."
Unfortunately,
there were no pine needles to soften the hard ground the sleeping bags were
now unrolled on for the evening. They sat down and Alex brought out the wineskin
she carried in her backpack.
"Open
your mouth, Samantha."
Being
quite experienced at aiming the stream of liquid that was quickly escaping
from the skin, she maneuvered the elixir so that not a drop was lost as it
found its way into Samantha's mouth.
"Ah
... that tastes marvelous. What a way to end an evening. Watching a sunset made
for the movies, sitting at the top of the world, drinking the nectar of the
gods, and all with the person I most want to be with in the entire universe.
Who could ask for anything more?"
Alex
grinned, took a drink of wine, and edged closer to Samantha. "My sentiments
exactly," she agreed. "I take it you think today was successful?"
"Absolutely!"
The blonde beamed from ear to ear. "This is beautiful country out here in
the middle of nowhere, Alex."
"That
it is, my love, that it is." Alex agreed. She gave Samantha another mouthful
of wine and took another for herself. "Just how tired are you?"
"What
did you have in mind?"
"Maybe
just lying back and doing a little star gazing."
"Sounds
good to me," Samantha replied. "Astronomy was one of my favorite subjects
in high school."
Once
the sun fell below the rocks of the canyon, the sky darkened quickly. Before
long the stars were peeking through the velvet sky like so many tiny spotlights.
Samantha
turned to Alex with a serious expression. "I don't want to spoil the evening,
but I have a question."
"Okay?"
"Do
you think we'll be bothered by any animals, sleeping out here in the open
like this?"
There
was no hesitation in Alex's answer. "We're pretty safe up this high, Samantha.
If we were sleeping on the ground, we might expect to have night visitors,
but not up here. Besides, I'm here to protect you."
Samantha
giggled and put her arm around Alex's waist. "Silly me, I forgot. At least
I feel better after asking."
"Good,"
Alex exclaimed. She then changed the subject as she volunteered to begin the
heavenly discussion by pointing into the night sky, "There's the Big Dipper."
"That
may be the common name for it, but what did ancient civilizations call the
constellation?" Samantha did the arched eyebrow look with a slightly sarcastic
grin, as she gazed into Alex's face.
"Did
I ever mention that astrology was not
one of my most studied of subjects?" Alex admitted.
The
smaller woman laughed, and Alex held her close, while they looked up into
the evening sky. "Why don't you fill me in on the folklore and all that stuff?
I'm a captive audience."
"I
can do that," Samantha boasted. "Well, at least you had no trouble finding
it. Let's see, the ancient Greeks referred to it as the Bear, and the Romans
called it Ursa Major or the Great Bear; I guess they agreed on something,
huh? Let me think ... I'm sure you already know that it's one of the most visible
and best known of the constellations and that it shows up in the Northern
Hemisphere all year long. The story goes that Calisto was changed by Zeus
into a bear because of jealousy and put into the night sky. I don't know much
more about that one."
"Well,
that happens to be the only one I do know anything about. The last time I
was here in Sedona, I was speaking to an old Lakota Indian at one of those
vista points I told you about, where the Indians sell handmade jewelry. It
was getting close to dusk and we could already see some of the stars peeking
through the early evening sky. She told me that the Lakota call the constellation
Wichakiyuhapi." She laughed and apologized for the possible mispronunciation.
"As
if I would know the difference," Samantha giggled back.
"Anyhow,
that name for the constellation means Dipper.
They consider it the dipper used to carry water for the sweat lodge and pipe
ceremonies that take place up in the sky. When an Indian dies, the same dipper
is used to carry their spiritual essence across the Milky Way, which they
call the Road of Spirits, and deposit
it at its final destination in the spirit world. The very same configuration
of stars is called by different names as they perform different functions
for the Lakota men and women."
"Wow."
Samantha looked up at the constellation and tried to imagine having her spirit
body carried across the stars as it journeyed to its final destination. "That's
really interesting."
Alex
squeezed Sam gently. "That's all I know, so I guess it's your turn again."
"Okay,"
the blonde chimed in. "My favorite is Cassiopeia. I'm sure you've heard of
her."
"Yes,"
Alex admitted. "But I don't know the story behind the lady in the rocking
chair." She pointed up into the now dark night sky. "Actually, I can even
point her out."
Samantha
followed Alex's fingers and smiled. "You got it; the great big 'W' in the
sky. Some call it a rocking chair, but in mythology, it's labeled a throne."
She sighed deeply
and then began her story. "Okay, here we go back to the Greeks. Queen Cassiopeia
was married to King Cepheus of thiopia, and they had a beautiful daughter
by the name of Andromeda. Now all the stories differ a little from here, except
for the fact that they all maintain that Queen Cassiopeia was an extremely
vain woman. Some say that she bragged about her own beauty; some say it was
about Andromeda's beauty and others state that she boasted about the two of
them. One day while they were walking along the shoreline she went a little
overboard and gloated that their beauty far surpassed even that of the sea
nymphs. One of the water creatures overheard the boast and went running to
Poseidon. The angry god threatened to send a raging flood upon the land and
a sea monster, Cetus, to retaliate. King Cepheus was beside himself and asked
an oracle what he could do to stop the slaughter of his people because of
his wife's vanity. He was told he must sacrifice his daughter by stripping
her naked ..."
"That
sounds interesting," Alex interjected.
"Alex!"
"I'm
sorry, go on."
"Where
was I? Okay, he had to strip her naked and chain her to the rocks by the shoreline
where the monster would come and devour her. But the sacrifice was thwarted
when Perseus, with his winged sandals, came flying over her on his way home
from slaying Medusa. Instantly he fell in love with the beautiful Andromeda.
He spotted the monster Cetus coming toward her and vowed to save her if he
could have her hand in marriage. King Cepheus agreed, and Perseus, using the
Gorgon's head, turned the monster to stone. When Cassiopeia and Cepheus died,
Poseidon gave them a place of honor in the sky near one another. Athena placed
Perseus and Andromeda among the stars when they died. The lovers were placed
near Andromeda's parents, the King and Queen. Of course Cetus, the sea monster,
was already up there waiting for the beautiful woman he never got to devour
in life, and to this day, he chases Andromeda around the sky, with Perseus,
carrying the Medusa's head, continuing to guard his lover."
"So
then Cassiopeia never was really punished for being a vain bitch?" Alex asked
at the end of the story. "She got put up into the heavens anyway?"
"Kind
of. Some say Poseidon's punishment was to humiliate her and condemn her to
spend half of eternity upside down, which is why sometimes the constellation
looks like a 'W' and at other times it looks like an 'M'. When she is upside
down, that's a very undignified position for a Queen to be in."
"Oh,
I see." Alex snickered. "Could it be the direction you're looking from when
you stare up into the night sky?"
"Alex!
Must you always look at everything from the practical side? It's a myth."
"Oh,
yeah, I forgot. Point out the lovers to me, will you?"
Samantha
studied the now pitch black sky, tracing the stars with her fingers. "There
they are." She pointed in the direction she wanted Alex to look. See, there's
Cassiopeia, and if you just move a smidgen over, you can see the two lovers."
"Enough
about the stars, how about the two lovers down here on this ledge?" Alex turned
to face Samantha and pulled the smaller woman into an embrace. "I would rather
concentrate on the relationship at hand than to go back in time to the days
of gods and warriors."
Samantha
eagerly wrapped her arms around the taller woman's neck. "You have my undivided
attention," she hummed.
The
night was cool, but not cold, and the anticipation of making love beneath
the stars produced warming thoughts.
"Want
to get naked under the constellations?" Alex whispered into Samantha's ear.
Her
answer was nonverbal as she changed her position and began to unbutton Alex's
shorts.
"I
guess that's a 'yes.'" Alex pulled away and quickly finished taking her shoes,
socks, shorts, and top off. She turned to help Samantha with her undressing
only to find that the blonde was lying back on the sleeping bags devoid of
clothing.
"Now
that's a sight to be placed into the heavens for eternity," Alex declared,
before she positioned herself on top of the naked beauty.
"I
thought I would be cold, but I think you could take the chill out of the arctic
night air." Samantha giggled. "Did we come out here to be with nature or to
discover how many new and unusual places we could find to make love?"
"I
think the answer to that is, 'yes!'" Alex ran her hands down the smooth curves
of her lover's body, feeling the skin ripple when she touched a particularly
erogenous spot. There was no giving of the ground beneath them, so precautions
would have to be taken not to end up with bruises by the time they were finished.
"I
don't know if this is just an excuse, but having you out here in the wilderness
all to myself is definitely a turn on," Alex murmured into her lover's ear.
Samantha
smiled up into eyes that showered love down upon her. "I don't know either,
but I feel the same way. I think the scenery brings out the animal in us."
She again placed her arms around Alex's neck and drew her into an embrace.
Lips,
marginally chapped from exposure to the elements all day, ignored the slight
tactile discomfort, as they quickly proceeded into the realm of desire. Long,
muscular fingers played harmoniously down the blonde's torso, causing miniscule
peaks to appear wherever they roamed.
A
symphony of moans and breathless whispers filled the night air as the seduction
continued.
Currents
of electricity traveled through both bodies as a game of tag and tell ignited
primordial cravings.
"People
try to kid themselves as to why they're attracted to each other," Alex interjected
between kisses. "The animal instincts we still harbor are more a part of our
DNA than we usually care to acknowledge. I'm intoxicated by the mere thought
of you." She kissed the smaller woman's shoulder. "The smell of you is stimulating,"
she whispered into Samantha's ear. "And your scent grows stronger the more
impassioned you become, driving me absolutely crazy with a hunger that needs
to be fed."
Her
body remained stationary while her hands traveled skillfully down the pliable
body beneath her, coming to rest on the golden mound of fleece. As one hand
encompassed the entire area and slowly applied pressure, the raven-haired
beauty confessed, "We aren't all that different from the creatures of the
wild, Samantha. We have merely been tamed into thinking we're civilized."
Her
fingers traced an outline around the mouth of Samantha's nether lips, as they
tenderly begged leave to enter into the moist den of pleasure that resided
therein. Seconds later admittance had been granted, and Samantha's body rocked,
gently at first and then fiercely as climax became inevitable.
Straddling
her lover's thigh, the taller woman pushed her passion against the warm skin,
sliding up-and-down as her fingers continued with their in-and-out motions,
seeking to quench Samantha's thirst and her own simultaneously.
"Tell
me, Samantha, let me hear you add your voice to the forest rhapsody. You're
mineççtell meççtell the world," Alex pleaded.
Inner
muscles tightened around the givers of pleasure, and Samantha's body let loose
a flood of love's nectar. Nails dug deeply into the skin on Alex's back as
a bodily shudder began. Total release and the outcry of one singular word
"Alex!" rang through the canyon.
"Alex,"
Samantha repeated, breathing heavily. "Oh, Alex. I amççI am yours." She opened
her eyes and searched for the emotion behind the look that greeted her; it
was so heart wrenching.
"Are those tears glistening in the moonlight?" Samantha questioned as she gently wiped one away. "They are . . . "
"Tears
of disbelief and joy," Alex admitted, grabbing and kissing the small damp
hand. "I love you, Samantha."
"Disbelief?
Why would you say disbelief?"
"Because
I could never have imagined that I would be at the top of the world, making
love to the most beautiful woman in it, with her shouting that she loved me
and that she was mine. If I died tonight, I'd die a happy woman."
Samantha
pushed Alex over and sat up staring down into the face she loved. "Well if
you died tonight I would be anything
but a happy woman. I would be a miserable wreck. I don't want to ever hear
that little statement again, okay?"
"I
was just trying to tell you how happy I am. Come here." She pulled Sam back
down on top of her and encased her in loving arms. "Never leave me, Samantha,
promise."
"Alex
promises are . . ."
"Just
say the words, please. Promise."
"Okay,
I promise, Alex." An impish grin came across the blonde's face. "In fact,
maybe I should add, you'd have to pay to get rid of me."
"Then
I guess my fortune is safe, because I will never pay you to leave." Alex chuckled.
The
lovers embraced, and when Samantha started to shiver from the cool breeze,
Alex suggested they crawl inside the sleeping bags on which they were lying.
Safely nestled in each other's arms they stared silently up at the night sky. Traces of love remained on their bodies and in their thoughts. A long day of physical activity, both adventurous and emotional, relegated the lovers to the state of exhaustion. They closed their eyes and slept.