I took this picture along interstate 70. It looked so cool, with all the swirling colors and layers of sandstone. Anyways, enjoy!

The landscape south of the river became treacherous.

We followed a stream that had broken off the main river through winding hills of blonde, green and red stone. Tiny holes, like millions of spider eyes, peeked from the rocks. The sage brush had been plentiful and green close to the river, but it became dry and scraggly farther away. There was no vegetation to be seen on the scorching landscape. The desert was dry, but I had never seen a place like this, completely devoid of life.

"Are you sure the Guerro are this way? I don't think any one could live here." I panted, shaking the tingling from my burnt paws.

"They don't live here. They live in a cave."

"Like, an alcove formed by an air bubble?" I asked, rubbing my dry tongue on the dry roof of my mouth.

"No, a deep cave, more like a tunnel than an alcove. I'm not sure where it is though." Sarah panted.

I moaned.

A hot breeze blew by, providing a small bit of relief from the stagnant, sweltering air. On the breeze, I could smell something wet and metallic.

Rain.

I looked up, and sure enough, a dark, pregnant cloud crawled over the horizon from the North.

The thought of shade paired with cool, thick rain drops made my pelt prickle with excitement, but my mind flashed to Sego and I stuck in her family's den, watching dirty red water swirl over our tiny paws. Water didn't come often, but when it did, I came quickly and heavily, soaking the stony land enough to move it like clay.

"I can smell rain." I said. " if it comes down quickly, we should get to higher ground."

"You're right, but we'll deal with the rain if it becomes a problem. We need to find the Guerro." Saguaro said.

I nodded, remembering that we didn't have all the time in the world. I wasn't sure what condition my tribe was in, but it probably wasn't any better than the last time we saw them.

The rain came down slowly and in patches, as if the sky couldn't make up his mind on whether the earth deserved rain or not. I stuck out my tongue hopefully, waiting for a fat raindrop to find its way to it.

Underneath the rain's scent was something bitterly familiar. The Fuego tribe.

"Sarah," I murmured, "three members of the Fuego tribe are here. I can smell them."

Her drooping ears suddenly become alert as she scanned the horizon. "Where?"

I sniffed again. "They're coming from the North-West. I think they followed us."

"What! Why wouldn't we notice them?" She asked, drawing her eyebrows together.

"I don't know, but we better find these Guerro fast." I said, doing my best to keep my panic at bay. "Let's run."

Even though we were exhausted, parched and famished, we ran with an uncommon determination, the same determination a coyote has when he is only a few leaps away from catching his prey. Or when a rabbit is only a few strides away from being eaten.

A horrible cackle rung through the air behind us. I whipped my head around to see the three Fuego coyotes clambering over a dusty hill, pursuing us with glee.

"They're closer than I thought!" I barked.

"I still don't understand how we didn't notice them following us!" Sarah yelped, picking up her pace.

Something in my mind clicked, and my heart dropped like a young bird from its nest. "I think they ambushed us."

"What? How!"

"I'll explain later, just run!"

I was a fast runner, but Sarah was having a hard time keeping up. Her breaths were scratchy and shallow, each one slowing her down just a bit. The Fuego were gaining on us.

"It's no use! We'll catch you eventually!" One called out.

The other two laughed like hyenas.

"Come on, Sarah," I panted, "you need to run faster!"

She didn't respond, but she shortened her breath and picked up her stride again.

We clambered over another hill, revealing a broader view of the landscape. A large, dark hole peeked through the rock, nestled between two sandy mesas.

"There it is . . ." Sarah said, slurring her words, then collapsed and rolled down the hill.

"No! Sarah!" I yelled, sliding down the sandy hill after her.

She had landed at the base with a dusty flop. I crouched down beside her and heaved her onto my shoulders. I could feel her breathing, but it was quick and hot.

"I'll just have to carry you." I said, building up to a sprint again.

She didn't complain, but she would have if she was conscious.

Sarah wasn't a big coyote, but she became heavy quickly, and the Fuegos weren't getting any further behind. I never looked back, but their jeering cries became louder.

"We'll eat you like desert mice!"

"A little pipsqueak like you can't outrun us!"

"You're no match for the Fuego!"

Those words sounded a lot like the demons in my head.

A memory from long ago flashed in my brain. Horizon had been teasing my green eyes, they looked nothing like the beautiful gold of his tribe. I had ran out of camp crying. Hare found me in and old rabbit den and coaxed me out. She wiped my tears and said, don't listen to those negative words, they'll only bring you down. You are brave and strong, not to mention very smart. I had shrugged away her comment at the time, but when it came back I understood and believed Hare completely.

These doubts aren't mine. I thought. I'm stronger than them!

A newfound determination overwhelmed me, and I found my paws flying over the sand. Sarah's limp body felt light and my sore legs moved with precision. I felt like I had grown the wings of a hawk; they carried me over the desert and past my discouragements, flying with strength and hope.

Angry thunder vibrated in the air. The speckled rain crashed down in a sudden wave, washing the bright sunlight away. The first storm of the season had arrived.

Water quickly pooled into every crevice and valley. My paws became wet and muddy, but they didn't slow me. In fact, the Fuegos behind us began to panic.

"Flash flood! Get to higher ground!"

"What about the kid?"

"It doesn't matter, he'll drown!"

I hoped they were wrong.

The last stretch of land was more swamp than desert. I would need to swim over two rapidly growing puddles to make it to the cave.

Without slowing down, I breathed deeply, then plunged into the water with Sarah on my back. When I couldn't reach the bottom, my ears bobbed under, filling with water. Frantic paddling was the only thing keeping my nose and Sarah's head above water.

The second puddle was larger. My sopping body moaned with anger as I clawed out of the first one.

I can't do this! I'll drown!

It doesn't matter.

I don't want to die!

You can do this, Astor.

My mind parried between the two sides. It hurt my brain. My sides ached. My legs were tired. My heart burned.

Those things didn't matter.

I jumped in the water once more. My head went under a few times, but instinct wouldn't let me drown. After an eternity of swimming, I made it to the other side.

The cave gaped above me, silently judging my wet fur and the limp coyote on my back. I let myself stop for ten breaths, then ran up into it.

We were lucky that the cave floor climbed upwards instead of down. Once I hit a relatively horizontal part of the tunnel, I dropped Sarah on the ground and immediately dropped to the floor in exhaustion.

I took in my surroundings as I panted heavily, my tongue lolling out. The tunnel was faintly lit by the stormy sky we had just escaped from. Cool sand enveloped my belly fur and absorbed beads of slobber from my lips. The thunder had calmed down into a low purring, coaxing me to take a nap.

No. I need to check on Sarah.

I stood up before I could fall asleep and padded to Sarah. "Are you alive?" I asked weakly, shaking her pelt.

The motion stirred her awake and she coughed. No water came out, which was a good sign.

"Yes. Barely." She said, chuckling a bit.

"Let's rest for a moment, then we can visit the Guerro." I said.

I flopped on the sandy floor again before she could reply. We both fell asleep alarmingly quickly.

I dreamed of snakes. Large, brown snakes that slithered between my legs and over my body, shaking their rattles like dry leaves in the wind.

My body was tight, stolen by the fear of their poisonous bite. If I moved, they would strike.

The Shifter sat near the horizon. I couldn't see him well, but I could smell his ugly fur.

I've already won, Astor. He hissed, his voice shifting through the sand like burrowing creatures. You can't stop me!

I roared in anger, but the sound never escaped my throat. I was choking on my voice, then on water . . .

I woke up with a startle, sitting up straight and breathing heavily. My paws felt clammy and I was shivering.

"Sarah, wake up." I said sternly.

She lifted her head slowly, blinking off sleep. "Whaaa?" She murmured. "I'm still-" she yawned widely, "-tired!"

"We need to get going, The Shifter will win if we don't find the Guerro soon. How close are we?" I said, standing up.

"Ummmm, close." Saguaro said, rolling onto her belly and rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Let's go, get up!" I barked.

"Okay, okay!" She growled, clearly upset that she had been awaken from her nap. "We keep going down this tunnel."

I raced down the tunnel as fast as my eyesight would allow. It sloped down now, making the darkness even more hollow.

Whack.

"Ouch!" Sarah cried, her voice echoing far behind me. "Hey, slow down Astor!"

"I can't! The Shifter, the Fuego tribe and Snake will win if we don't hurry!"

"But we can't see-"

My head smacked into a wall. I bounced off, my skull vibrating with pain.

"where to turn right." Saguaro finished.

I could hear her paw steps in the sand drawing nearer to me. "Looks like you found where we turn."

I grunted in reply, rubbing my head.

I moved a little more cautiously after we turned, but my feet tingled with anxiety, wanting to run just a little faster. I couldn't see anything, but I was surprised to discover than I didn't need my eyes. The sandy trail led the way for my paws, and currents of fresh air directed me to where there were tunnels.

"I think we turn left up ahead." Saguaro stated.

"You think?" I asked doubtfully.

"Or right . . . No. Left. Left for sure."

"Alright. Then how far?"

"We continue down there until we find them."

I gulped. It was a relief to know that the end was near, that we were finally going to find the Guerro. But something was wrong. I didn't know what, but a stone of doubt rolled around inside me.

Something fresh and cool licked my flank. "This left?" I asked, stopping by the air current.

"Yes, this is it." Sarah confirmed.

We turned left. I strained my ears, listening for signs of life. I heard something. Was it talking?

The feeling in my paws became unbearable. I picked up my pace to a jog to get there more quickly. The sounds became closer, closer . . .

With a jolt, I realized the ground had disappeared from my feet. The sound became crisper; it wasn't friendly chatting. It was water.

I tumbled downwards, my heart frozen with terror.

"AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!"

My cry of fear was filled with water, running down my throat like snakes in a burrow. The icy current pulled me under, forcing me into the suffocating darkness.

Unlike the shallow river the dryads had inhabited, this one felt much deeper and darker, as if I was tumbling downward into an abyss. The darkness held me even tighter than the dryads had, clenching me by my throat instead of my paws.

Come to me, it cooed reassuringly. I will give you rest. I will give you freedom; freedom from your unfair life; freedom from your ungrateful surrogate pack.

I didn't want to fight back. I wanted to give up. Even my instinct, the force that never rested, breathed a tired sigh.

I didn't resist this time. I was done. The Guerro weren't here. Sarah had led to a dead end.

The darkness accepted my body and cradled it gently, rocking me to sleep. As I closed my eyes for the last time, a burst of strength pulled me away.

Sarah pulled me from the darkness. The river tugged us both down, but Sarah's instinct hadn't given up yet. She wouldn't let out heads stay under. As she dragged me to a bank, the darkness made one final attempt to drag me away, stealing me from her jaws.

"Nooooooooo!" I heard faintly.

Let me go. I though sadly.

She wouldn't. She plunged in again, hastily grabbing my tail, dragging me to the river bank. With a final heave of desperation, we were both on solid earth.

In a haze, she pumped my chest, eyes stained with more water than the river could give her. I couldn't hear what she was screaming.

The darkness crawled from the river, clutching my body, this time holding on tighter.

You can't fight much longer, Astor. The darkness will overwhelm you eventually. It whispered.

I closed my eyes.