[color=662d91]"If the campsite is beyond the trees what is the main need for Volkov to take our bags? If it is so close by than it shouldn't hurt to keep carrying them correct?"[/color]

[color=red]"Things are rarely what they seem when on a mountain,"[/color] Fon answered, hopping off Yoshi's head ([color=orange]"Ow!"[/color]) and gently landing on Sachiko's, [color=red]"Height easily warps the effective distance, the thinner air makes your breathing less efficient, so on and so forth. In truth, we're only about 60 or 70% done with the hike. As for the bags, consider it a training aide. If you spend all of your effort on hauling your things up, you will have little left for the rest of the day."[/color] He let his statement hang in the air, as if absorbing the mountain sounds and the rhythmic footfalls.[color=red] "Of course, having you all simply hike up here would be wasting the time spent. Therefore, we had you carry your things as a sort of warm-up. The old adage of 'killing two birds with one stone' applies nicely to what was we were trying to accomplish. Does that satisfy your question?"[/color]
[hr]
Ayumu didn't want to be the first person to 'give up' as it were, so he had resigned himself to walking the rest of the walk and [i]maybe[/i] developing lower back pain in the future. It was fortunate then that he was [i]not[/i] the first one to pass their stuff along. [color=F19CBB][i]'Aha!'[/i][/color] he thought triumphantly as the act of 'making your luggage someone else's problem' became socially acceptable. Almost a bit too readily, he thrust his bag into Shiso's arms when the opportunity arose. Now finally relieved of his burdens, he could go ahead and focus on other things. Like walking or the soreness of his feet, which were rather sore now that he'd had the opportunity to think about it. 

[color=F19CBB][i]'Damn, if I was a bit shorter and dressed like a cute girl, I could totally ask someone to carry me,'[/i][/color] Ayumu bemoaned as he made his way up the trail with the smiliest of smiles, [color=F19CBB][i]'Alas, it seems fate has not deigned to make it so.'[/i][/color] He released an appropriately exaggerated sigh, its purpose vague to all. It didn't help his issue; he was still tired...

[color=lime]"How am I gonna take down a jaguar and Bear without a knife, Scratch that! These two bad boys will handle them"[/color]

[color=F19CBB]"...As your senpai, I'm morally obligated to explain that we don't have jaguars in Japan,"[/color] Ayumu piped up, the deadpan in his expression extending to his tone of voice, "We do, however, have bears. Unfortunately I cannot endorse this course of action." Man, it hurt him emotionally to say these things. Though not in the way one might expect. [color=F19CBB]"After all, it's not fair to fight bears with [i]guns[/i],"[/color] he raised his arms and began flexing exaggeratedly but also half-heartedly, his lethargy rather evident in both his actions and words. It was also apparent that he was not a particularly muscular dude, but that wasn't really unexpected. At least he had sleeves on. [color=F19CBB]"Bam. Pow. Bang."[/color] He allowed his arms to fall at his sides like wet noodles. [color=F19CBB]"Et cetera, et cetera."[/color] He yawned. [color=F19CBB]"Sorry guys, I'm kind of out of it right now. Maybe next time."[/color] He realized he had snacks packed away, but then he realized that he'd given the bag away already. Goddamn it.

[h3]AND THEN A BIT LATER THEY WERE PAST THE TREES YAAAAAAAAAAAAY[/h3]
[sub]...Okay back to seriousness.[/sub]

The sun was just past the center of the sky, indicating that it was already early afternoon.

After crossing the treeline, the trail began to plateau into a fairly wide, level space. There was still a bit more mountain left, but it seemed that this would be the place.  There was a makeshift fire pit - that is to say, a big hole surrounded by rocks with some wood in it - in the center of the area. Excepting a sheer drop straight ahead of the group, every side had a distinct, if somewhat overgrown, trail leading further up or down the mountain.

And that was... literally everything. 

Then Ayumu fell over. And of course he'd make sure not to land on his face. [color=F19CBB]"Umuu.... Finally...."[/color] he mumbled, burying his face into the bend of his elbow. Then, realization struck him. He rose his head and narrowed his eyes. [color=F19CBB]"...Wait a second,"[/color] he began, scanning the plateau, [color=F19CBB]"Where the [i]fuck[/i] [sub]pardon my language[/sub] is my stuff?!"[/color]