Ben smiled at her. “Why do you think? I’m going to call it a night.”

Since everyone was busy, River decided it was a good time to sneak away from the campfire and get some time to herself. Taking the handheld with her, she slipped outside the circle of firelight. Since they were still in grizzly country, River didn’t go too far. When the camp’s fire had softened to a small orangey glow a hundred feet away, River found herself a smooth boulder to stretch out on. On her back, she held the camera above her face, pointed at the colors playing across the sky.

“Incredible,” she said softly to the viewers she hoped would one day see what she was seeing now. “The way the sky changes to these pinks and reds behind the cloud cover. As if an artist had painted a sunset, but a storm is rolling in, determined to drive that sunset away. Only it won’t, because up here, nothing can take this away. The beauty is too powerful.”

A noise pulled her attention, the quiet clearing of a throat to warn her of another human’s presence. Several feet away, Easton had paused beside a smaller boulder, waiting for her to notice him. His choice of leaning post was sturdy and strong, like he was.

“I thought you were scared to be alone in the woods with me.” River stayed on her back but twisted so the handheld was turned his way.

“I didn’t want to startle you.” Easton pushed off the boulder and crossed the rocky, snowy ground between them.

“You walk quiet, mountain man.”

Under the lower light, it was harder to make out his expression, but the warmth in his voice was familiar, matching the sparkle in his eyes.

“Nah, you’re so used to stomping around, you don’t know the difference.”

“Uh-oh, people,” River told her camera. “Easton’s teasing me. I might actually like it, but don’t tell him.”

“Do you have to film everything?”

“It is part of the process. We tried Claymation, but your beard kept falling off the miniature clay Easton.” She kept the camera on him as she patted the rock surface beside her. “Want to join me? I’ve got a boulder for two over here.”

He tapped a playful finger twice to the side of the camera, so River regretfully turned back to the sky above her.

“Back home, when the sky turned bright colors like this, it was usually after bad weather. Everything would turn this bruised yellowish-green color, then get really dark. We’d all take cover because it meant a tornado was coming through. A few got really close. Then afterward, the sky would look like this.”