"You're drinking too much too fast." "So?"
"Look around. I don't see any restaurants. If you run out of water way ahead of us, we'll have to give you same of our own and then we'll all suffer more."
Teal looked at Robin, then tightened the cap on her canteen and stuffed it back into her bag.
Using the bag. I began to dig myself a ditch in the sand. Robin did the same, and soon we were low enough to cover ourselves with sand and keep the sun off our exposed legs and arms especially. Teal watched, still stubborn. I put the bag aver my face and closed my eyes. The wind continued to blow around us.
"This is insane!" Teal screamed,
However, it wasn't long before we heard her start to dig, mumbling and complaining all the while.
"You're listening to a crazy old Indian. Maybe this is wrong." she said.
Neither Robin nor I answered.
We heard her scream in frustration and then she was quiet. Soon. I did feel cooler, not cool, but cooler, and it was enough to permit me to close my eyes and seek some rest, Soon I surprised myself and actually fell asleep.
I woke first and not because I was fully rested before Robin and Teal. I felt something on my stomach and then on my chest, When I opened my eyes, the sun was almost completely down behind the mountains in the distance, but it was light enough for me to realize I was looking at the side of the head of a Gila monster, the poisonous lizard. I did not move a muscle. Eyeing me, it didn't move. My heart began to pound so hard. I was sure that would frighten it.
But it was Teal's scream that did that. She had woken and sat up and saw it on me. The creature scurried off and disappeared quickly.
"What was that?" she asked. Robin sat up and wiped her face.
"Gila monster." I said, amazed at how casual I sounded about it. "Okay, we each take another drink of water and then we continue."
As we started walking again, the sun continued to descend. Soon night began to slide over the desert sky and stars popped out brightly. There was no moonlight, but the sky was so clear that the starlight was enough to illuminate the desert. The sand glistened and the silhouetted cacti seemed to look even more like soldiers at attention.
Robin was the first to hear the coyotes. I was too deep in thought and Teal's ears were full of her awn stream of constant moans and complaints, curses and cries.
"Look," Robin shouted, pointing to her right.
We stopped. A pack of coyotes was moving rapidly parallel to us, but not coming at us.
"Oh. my God," Teal said. "Do you think they want to eat us?"
"Probably, but as I understand from what Natani told me, they are cowards." I said.
"Cowards in a pack create their own courage," Robin said wisely, "but as long as we look strong, they'll keep their distance. I'm sure."
"I'm glad you're sure. How do we show them we're strong and unafraid of them?" Teal asked.
We all thought a moment.
"Let's start singing," I said. "what do we all know?"
"Singing? Are you crazy?"
"No, she's right," Robin said. "How about the national anthem?
We all know that. We've heard it enough at school."
"The anthem? You're kidding," Teal said.
"No, no. look. See how the cacti are already standing at attention."
"Huh?"
"Good idea." I said.