Tällä punaruskealla pienellä otuksella ei ollut satunnaisen vaeltajan näkökulmasta mitään erityista omaa nimeä, sillä sen oravanimeä ei tavallinen kuolevainen pulliainen saattanut ymmärtääkään;
Eikä kukaan oravan oman perheen ulkopuolella ollut antanut sille myöskään mitään muuta kutsumanimeä. Parhaiten maailmassa se ehkä tunnettiin kansainvälisellä nimellä Sciurus vulgaris - orava. Ja tämä orava oli nelivuotias, kaltaisekseen siis sangen vanha.
Mutta olimme siis kävelyllä metsässä...
Tämä täällä oli hurmaava metsä, vähine vieraineen, vaikka oli elokuun loppua; loistavaa ulkoiluaikaa ainakin tällä puolella maailmaa. Tänä päivänä olikin kaunis päivä ja sää vaeltamiseen.
Paksun ja vanhan männyn alimmalla oksalla istui pieni ruskea orava, joka katseli vartiopaikkansa ohi risteilevän polun vähäisiä vaeltajia.
Niinhän olikin päässyt käymään, että polulla oli vain kaksi ihmistä tuona päivänä. (15pt)
Two middle aged regular variety humans, or homo sapiens, were hiking in the woods.
One of them was very pale, androgynous by all their features, and entirely covering most of their skin despite the heat of the day, with long jeans and a flannel shirt over another shirt; and fingerless gloves held a small digital camera.
The other hiker wore only cargo shorts and a short-sleeved blouse. She seemed older of the two, but the more striking thing about her was the gnarly walking stick she walked with. Her left leg limped a little, and her stride was shorter than that of her friend's.
The pale hiker ignored their friend as a butterfly flitted by, towards a field of fireweed just slightly off the main road.
At the same time the cargo-shortsed woman went on along the path towards nearby crossroads, her walking stick barely making any sound against the soft earth.
The butterfly and the younger hiker were going off the beaten path ...
while at the same time the crossroads sign ahead led the woman and her walking stick onwards and upwards without necessary meandering.
Ulla ignored Tove as a butterfly flitted by, towards a field of fireweed just slightly off the main road.
At the same time Tove went on along the path towards nearby crossroads, her walking stick barely making any sound against the soft earth.
The butterfly and Ulla were going off the path ...
while at the same time the crossroads sign ahead led Tove on without meandering.
There were so many butterflies in the fireweed, and Ulla was taking photographs, absorbed entirely by the scene of sweet meadow flowers and butterflies, and look, oh, even bumblebees!, while Tove was waiting at the nearby crossroads with her map open.
Ulla consciously decided to take more time - someone else's hurry shouldn't stop conscious enjoyment of the day...
or
... or was Ulla quick about their business instead?
You can also go back.
Tove checked the map and compared it to the crossroads signs. There was an unexpected path heading north east, the sign calling it Bird Valley, which wasn't marked on the map. The place sounded intriguing though, perhaps it was time to change plans?
But first their little party would have to come together again to make this decision. However, one half of them was getting distracted by a field of fireweed downhill.
Was she in the grips of anxious concern?
or
... was it was still early in the day, with plenty of daylight left?
or go back.
(17pt)