An arrow whistled past her head, clattering off the stone wall. Then another.
"They've found us!" Veer yelled.
Kaya didn't waste breath responding. She just pushed forward, fighting the current, her muscles screaming with effort.
The gorge twisted and turned. The walls grew higher, blocking out the sky. The water grew deeper still, forcing them to half-swim, half-wade.
And all the while, behind them, the sounds of pursuit echoed off the stone walls.
After what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, the gorge opened up.
The creek widened, the water becoming shallow again. The walls dropped away, revealing open forest beyond.
Kaya scrambled out onto the bank, gasping, her entire body numb from the cold water. She reached back to help Veer, who was struggling with Ryn's unconscious weight.
Together, they hauled the wounded wolf onto dry ground.
