Aeolian Landform by Second Thought

I awake by a river. An afternoon nap has refreshed me and, as the sun heads down towards the horizon, a warm evening creeps up on the landscape. The day's humidity gradually evaporates, leaving behind a fresh, mild air that nevertheless feels chilly after the high temperature of the day. All is still, and, feeling good, I follow the river into the overgrowth. As the foliage thickens, it becomes clear that I am walking into a forest. Before long I am surrounded by unusual sounds, which I attribute to local fauna I am simply not familiar with. Nevertheless, I feel relieved when the forest opens out to a meadow. I take one of the many straight paths that form a grid across the meadow.

Eventually, the meadow ends at a sheer drop. The view ahead of me is incredible. I stare down into the canyon below, and marvel at just how much untouched land there is here. The vista is lit by the slowly rising sun, which casts shadows of clouds over the landscape. I turn back and head along the ridge towards a small pool. I sit by the waterside and lie back, taking in rays from the newly rising sun. As I relax, I notice the ridge continues upwards towards a mountain top. Given the majesty of the view from above the canyon, I cannot imagine how things will look from the peak. I decide to climb the mountain after I have eaten.

The hike is easy going at first, with long grass and occasional bushes accompanying the shallow slope. After a while, I reach a rock face, and the only way forward is into a cave. Hoping it opens out onto the other side of the mountain, I enter the darkness. Every footstep sends an echoing sound ahead of me and behind me, and I begin to feel paranoid. It would be possible to hear if something else were in here over the sound of my own walking. As I begin to consider turning back, the wall ahead of me becomes visible. Turning the sharp corner ahead, I am blinded by daylight streaming in from the cave mouth. Exiting the tunnel into much welcome sunlight, the slope ahead of me becomes much more steep, with little vegetation. My progress slows to a crawl as I continue to climb. Rocks either side of me prohibit most of the view.

Suddenly, the peak is in view. As I finally reach the top, and turn to admire the view. As I begin to take in everything in my sight, I hear a sound. Directly ahead of me, in the cloud line, is a shape. A large flying craft is heading my way. It is impossible to make out the shape of the vehicle, but it is unlike anything I have ever seen. I stare upwards and turn to watch it fly overhead, and into the distance.

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