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He ducked out of the way as I took a mock swing at him. Then he realized we were closer to the edge of the cliff than he thought, veered fast, and stumbled, toppling into the brush.
"Sorry," I said, hurrying over to him. "Are you--?"
As I bent, he tried to snag my leg and yank me down, but I danced back out of reach.
"Did you really think I'd fall for that?" I said.
"Hoping."
I laughed. He got to his feet. I backed up and glanced over my shoulder.
"I'm warning you," he said. "You don't want to run."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm faster than you."
"Think so?"
"Know so, and when I catch you--"
I took off. I ran across the open field atop the cliff, and quickly realized that was a mistake. He might not be faster than me, but he was fast enough that I could hear him right on my heels. I swerved into the woods.
Normally, that's where my advantage lies. Runners are accustomed to open ground. I actually prefer the forest, and I can dodge and dart around trees with barely a hitch in my pace. That's why hurdles are my best event.
Rafe fell back a little, but then gained on me when I slowed to skirt thick brush.
As we ran, bits of my dream slid back, and everything seemed to get sharper, more vivid. The bright greens of the conifers and the yellows and reds of the rare deciduous trees became a blur of color. Our pounding footfalls muted into the rhythmic thump-thump, thump-thump of a heartbeat.
I could hear him right behind me. More than that, I swore I could feel his breath on my neck, and it made me run faster, the air slicing past me, that thump-thump filling my head, pulse racing, knowing that when he caught me--
A yowl stopped me short. Rafe's sneakers crunched dry needles as he slid to a halt behind me.
"Maya?" Rafe sai
d. "Look up."
There, crouched on a branch ten feet above us, was Marv. Something lay at his feet. Something bloody.
Marv picked up his kill. Then he leaped. I stumbled back. Rafe yanked me against him, his arms around me, both of us still facing the cougar.
The cat looked at Rafe, yellow eyes narrowing. His lips curled. He dropped his meal and snarled.
"Step back," I whispered.
Marv paced to one side, gaze locked on Rafe, still growling.
"Step back," I said again.
"Are you sure?"
I nodded. Rafe hesitated and I could tell he didn't want to, but after a moment he said, "Okay," and carefully moved away.
The cougar stopped snarling and grunted, as if satisfied. Then he picked up what looked like a chewed and bloody deer haunch. As he walked toward me, Rafe whispered, "I've got you covered."
It wasn't easy to stand still as a huge cougar came toward me. To do anything else, though, would be stupid. His body language was casual, no sign of impending attack, and I had to trust that. Maybe he thought he'd rescued me from Rafe. I only know that I didn't sense a threat.
When Marv got within a few feet, he tossed the deer haunch into the long grass at my feet. Then, with a final snarl and glare at Rafe, he turned and ambled into the forest.
