Pain radiates up both wrists, but then I hear frenzied yapping and shouting, both above me and beside me. My head snaps over and there’s Nada on her butt, leaning back on her hands, terrified. A wall of fur plows into me. Coyote! my brain screams as I push away the stinking mess of fur and fangs that tackles me. Yellow teeth snap above my face. I push up at its neck and lean away. Its breath is rancid. Its paws claw at the dirt by my face. The coyote’s spittle dampens my cheek and yellow eyes narrow in on mine. Its teeth scrape close. My arms are getting weaker. “Riley!” Nada screams. Her voice is piercing, so unnaturally high and full of terror, I almost don’t recognize it. I glance over and see she’s got a metal object in her hand. Grunting, her face twisted with pain and determination, she rears back and slams a spear shaft into the coyote’s head. The thunk and the loud yelp from the coyote are startling.
