The Roar of the Falls: My Journey with Kaya

With a sigh, I tell her to do it. We’ll need to take the risk. Kaya whistles, and Little Girl hears it! She pauses and turns toward our hiding place. Suddenly, a reddish horse crashes into her and she stumbles. The filly limps as she tries to trot away. But nobody else notices her. The raiders ride away with the last of the herd, and Toe-ta and the others thunder after them.

Silence falls over the clearing. The herd site is deserted, except for Little Girl, her chest heaving. Blood trickles from a gash on her leg.

Kaya bends over Little Girl. Gently, she runs her hands down the filly’s leg. The horse jerks and trembles, but doesn’t back away. Kaya looks up at me and says nothing is broken, but she can’t walk back to camp without help. I look around at the deepening shadows. Are there any dangerous animals out here? With a nod, Kaya replies that there are cougars, and if we leave Little Girl, one may find her. Maybe we should stay with her until morning.

Should we stay here until morning? Couldn’t one of the cougars find us?