Winter Mushrooms: Nature's Morning Mystery

The article describes a disorienting experience in the foggy wilderness during the early morning hours. The dense mist creates a 'caprichosa envoltura' that obscures the path, leading to a profound sense of doubt and fear regarding the reliability of memory.

As the narrator and a companion feel themselves 'falling into an abyss,' the atmosphere shifts from a physical journey to an existential crisis. The narrative is punctuated by the natural world, specifically the call of a trepador azul and the presence of pheasants near encinas, before concluding with the realization that a simple basket was forgotten.

La niebla se apretaba suavemente a nuestro alrededor. The morning mist wrapped tightly around the travelers, creating a soft yet impenetrable barrier. It was a caprichosa envoltura, a whimsical wrapper that changed the landscape into something alien and unknown.

Despite believing the path was known, the pair found themselves straying without realizing it. The fog at dawn served as an augur, a prediction of the confusion to come. The physical environment mirrored an internal state of uncertainty.

The disorientation quickly escalated into a feeling of falling. For a few moments, the narrator describes feeling like two trembling bodies falling into an abyss. This metaphor captures the sudden vulnerability felt in the wild.

A deep fear took hold, leading to questions about the nature of existence and memory. The narrator asked: '¿Ha sido su memoria o la mía?' (Was it their memory or mine?). The uncertainty extended to whether things had simply disappeared or if they were the ones forgetting.

The tension was broken by a sudden aleteo (fluttering of wings), which woke the pair from their lethargy. Turning around, they corrected their direction, guided by the distinct call of a trepador azul. The sound of nature pierced through the silence before words could be formed.

The narrator recalls a piece of wisdom from their father regarding the behavior of local wildlife. He had mentioned that faisanes (pheasants) are very fond of the encinas (holm oaks) found on the sunny slopes of the area.

Despite the return to orientation, a small detail remained overlooked. They had forgotten the basket. This simple omission carried weight, as the gesture that remained undone betrayed the fear they had felt earlier.

They chose not to speak of this betrayal, ignoring the urge to pronounce their anxiety. The walk continued, marked by the lingering presence of the fog and the sounds of the forest.