The cliffs are working overtime to outshine the clouds.

The valley opened up like a secret revealed too soon. The cliffs stood resolute, their faces bathed in a golden light that seemed to deepen with every passing moment. Shadows stretched across the forest below like fingers reaching for something just out of grasp. I traced the edge of the lookout with my eyes, where trees clung stubbornly to rocky outcrops as if defying gravity itself. A bird soared across the scene, its silhouette cutting through the vastness with effortless grace. For a moment, I envied its perspective—a freedom unbound by trails or time. The wind picked up slightly, rustling the leaves around me in a rhythm that felt almost conversational. It was as if the landscape was alive—not just alive but watching, waiting for me to notice something I hadn’t yet seen.