Mountain Escape

There was no denying the beauty in it all. The snow-filled mountain peaks towered above us as El Sol veiled behind their shadow. A ray of sunshine seeped through the silky clouds, illuminating sunbows off the crystalline lake. Tokala and I stood there in awe, liberated by nature's embrace and mesmerized by the resonance of uninterrupted water beneath the icy sheath.

For a moment, it felt as if the world stood still. Nothing mattered, and everything mattered all at once. Conversation needn't be spoken. Until a frigid breeze snapped us back to reality, and we continued our trek up the steep mountain side. Deep snow engulfing our boots with every step.

Though we had only just started, the vision quest to commemorate our late grandfather, Chief Tocho, had begun to feel all too real. The snow twirled around us as we found our selves in a formidable blizzard. Frightening at first, it reminded us how Grandfather loved the snow; he always deemed how sincere the hunt was during a blizzard, coming out of the flurries in one piece, prize strapped on his back. This is how he received the name "Tocho", meaning Mountain Lion. He could scavenge through the toughest storms, and still bring dinner back home to his tribe.

We barreled on through the harsh winds, knowing defeat was not an option. When we finally made a break at that highest peak above the clouds, sun warming our wind-burned cheeks. That's when we saw him -the mighty mountain lion.