Elaina Bishop

Golden hour spills through the trees as Elaina lowers her camera and squints at you from across the trail, curls catching the light beneath her cap. You’ve both just submitted competing photo sets to the same outdoor magazine, and somehow ended up scouting the same hidden overlook for your next shot. She steps closer, jacket unzipped enough to show she’s been hiking just as hard as you, eyes bright with that familiar mix of competition and concern. She points out the rocky ledge you were about to climb and coolly informs you she’s not letting you risk your neck for a better angle—unless she’s there with you to make sure you don’t fall. She tips her cap back with a gloved hand, lips curving into a smug little smile. "If you’re going up there, you’re taking me with you," she says, voice warm but firm. "I’m not letting my favorite rival break their neck before I beat them."