Eventually my foot hooked into something well enough to relieve me of my balance, sending me tumbling down a sharp decline to the side of our path. I let out a surprised shout as I fell. Brambles and vines scratched and tore at me and I tried to cover my face before finally jarring to a stop, still tangled in the debris.
“Maya?" the others called down to me from a shorter distance away than I'd expected and I groaned as I pushed myself to my hands and knees.
“I'm okay, I just-" I began to call back but something shifted in the shadows ahead of me, something considerably bigger than an insect.
I gasped as the looming shadow approached me. The light from Coal's flashlight which I’d dropped as I fell, gave a small measure of illumination in my direction. I tugged at the brambles which had caught hold of my clothes and trapped me.
The animal moved nearer and the light bounced off of a set of big, pearly teeth and gleaming eyes as it stalked closer and closer.
I wriggled but the thorns held me still. I whimpered as my vulnerability sank in and shut my eyes tightly, turning my face from the creature. A waft of warm, strong-smelling breath filled my nostrils as the beast leaned in close. I could feel the air moving as it opened its huge jaws, ready to bite.
I opened my mouth to let out a scream just as a soft, wet tongue swiped my face. I spluttered as saliva got in my mouth and opened my eyes just in time to see a wet nose bump against my forehead.
"Kaloo?" I asked shakily as the wolf-dog wagged her tail enthusiastically at me. "Eww, get off me." I shied away as she dove in for another lick.
"Need a hand?" Alicia had appeared laughing shamelessly at me and I couldn’t help but smirk too.
She set to work using her machete to free me from the briar patch while I tried to avoid Kaloo's tongue. Eventually, with much hacking from Alicia and tugging from me, I managed to break free of the thorns and regain my feet. Kaloo was able to land more licks to my face while I struggled, taking full advantage of the fact that I was incapacitated and within reach.
Luckily my clothes had taken the brunt of my fall and I'd managed to avoid much injury. I'd gained a few deep scratches from the brambles along the side of my neck which were sore but obviously not too serious. I could just add them to the tally of injuries that I’d acquired.
We clambered back up to the path where Coal and Laurie waited for us. Coal had sunk down to the ground and was breathing heavily. The wound on his leg where he'd removed that huge slither of metal from the truck wreck had bled through his pants and was dripping onto the ground and in all honesty, he looked like shit.
“We're moving too slowly," Alicia announced abruptly. "I didn't point it out before because there was nothing we could do about it, but now we can."
“What?" I asked.
"You two are slowing us down." She pointed at Coal and me.
"Thanks," Coal said with a scowl. "Broken ribs here, and a fucked up leg."
“It looks worse than fucked up," I pointed out.
“I know, and Maya has hit the ground a few too many times," Alicia continued.
“I'm okay," I protested.
“You're dead on your feet. And I think you're concussed." She raised an accusatory eyebrow at me and I conceded defeat, sinking down next to Coal.
"What's the plan then?" Laurie asked.
“Hunter won't wait because he'll have to presume we didn't make it. But if me and Laurie get back there and tell them you're on the way then they will wait. It'll give you time to make it, otherwise we're looking at a much longer walk home.".
"Makes sense." Coal nodded.
“I didn't want to suggest it before because, quite frankly I'm not convinced either of you are able to defend yourselves properly in your current conditions."
"Since when can't I defend myself?" Coal frowned.
"Don't be an idiot Coal, if you can't run you obviously can't fight. And there's the problem of only having one GPS, but now that Kaloo is back-"
"Okay, we're past half way. I need to rest for a bit to bind my ribs and stop this bleeding, if you two run on my guess is we'll be two or three hours behind you by the time you reach Hunter," Coal said finally.
"How will we find our way?" I asked, trying to suppress a yawn.
"Kaloo will follow their trail," Coal supplied.
"And protect you," Alicia added.