As she neared a good resting point, Kat asked, Where are you?
Passed the Nome sign a few miles back.
The famous Nome sign indicated only another one thousand forty-nine miles to go to the finish line. Kats breath always caught in her throat when her sled moved past the sign. Knowing she had so many more miles to go could be overwhelming, but not insurmountable. You should be nearing Fish Creek. Watch out for the fifty-foot drop into the ravine. I almost spilled there. How are you holding up? She didnt know Sam or his abilities as a musher. He appeared to be in good condition and probably was from all the tromping around retrieving soil and mineral samples or whatever he did as a geologist.
Dont worry about me. Im the one whos been training for this event.
She chuckled. Think Im not up to it?
He paused before answering. If the snowshoe fits
I have to admit, the cold is a little more than Im used to, but Ill be fine after a couple days. Physically, shed never been in better shape. After Martys death, shed poured herself into exercise and fitness. If not for any other reason than to eat up time between missions.
Lonely, empty time.
When friends, like Tazer, tried to include her in outings, trips or movies, shed declined, retreating into her own world, preferring to handle her loss alone.
Kat removed one gloved hand from the handlebar and flexed her fingers. Shed been on the trail for four hours, the dogs were still full of energy and running, but they needed regular rest stops and snacks to keep up the pace.
Crisscrossed by snowmobile tracks, the trail opened onto a wide frozen swamp packed down by hundreds more snowmobile tracks. With trees bordering the swamp, this was where she usually made her first stop to rest the dogs. The copse of trees ahead and to the right would provide a good windbreak for her and the huskies. If Sam was making good time, he should catch up soon. She could get her cooker going and snack the dogs in that time.
Gee! Kat shouted the command, her voice carrying easily through the silence to her lead dogs.
Loki and Eli pulled to the right, the rest of the team falling in line.
As the dogs entered the stand of trees, Kat eased onto the foot brake and set out the snow hook, slowing the animals to a stop. Loki and Eli flopped to the ground, alert but relaxed with their heads on their paws. Some of the younger dogs danced around on their necklines before settling in for a rest.
After checking the feet, booties and general condition of the line of dogs, Kat fired up the portable cooker. Before long she had snow melting for the dog food and water boiling for coffee.
The dogs heard the arrival of another team before Kat could see them. They appeared from around a curve in the trail, tiny, dark dots in the white of the snow, growing larger as they neared.
The dogs slid in beside hers and stopped with a lot of tail wagging, happy yips of greeting and sniffing.
Kat handed Sam a canteen cup of coffee and turned to his sled and dogs. Any problems?
With Sam on one side and Kat on the other side of the team, they walked the line of dogs, checking feet, wrists and shoulders. All appeared in good shape.
After the dogs were fed and taken care of, Sam gave Kat a narrow-eyed look. Look, if youre slowing up for me, forget it. Im here to race. Ill leave you so far behind you wont catch up. His gray-green eyes flashed in the late-afternoon sun.
She tipped her head to the side. Is that a challenge?
You bet.
Youre on. She tossed the remains of her canteen cup into the snow, and stowed the metal cooker and feeding dishes before climbing on the back of her sled.
The sound of a snowmobile alerted her that they were no longer alone. The trail was not exclusive to the sled teams. Occasional snowmobiles were encountered, especially early on in the race when they hadnt completely left civilization behind. Kat only gave it minor consideration. She pulled up the snow hook and had sucked in a lungful of air to shout to her team, when a shot rang out.
Sams cap flew from his head. What the hell?
Kats team yelped and lunged forward. She barely caught the handlebar with her gloved fingertips, struggling for a few seconds to hang on. She stepped on the foot brake to slow the dogs. When she turned back toward Sam, he lay on the ground.
Get down! he yelled. Someone just shot at me.
Whoa! Kat dropped to a crouch, anchoring her snow hook to keep the dogs from leaving with the sled. Are you okay? She scanned the tree line across the swamp.
Im fine. As he reached out to grab his hat, another shot echoed through the stillness and his hat leaped into the air. What the h
Stay down. Kat dropped to her stomach. Ill move around the clearing to see if I can find out whos shooting.
Youll stay exactly where you are, Sam hissed into the mic. Ill go check.
Look, Im trained in this kind of maneuver.
So am I, he gritted out. Stay down.
If I were a man, would you be so concerned?
Now is not the time to go all equal opportunity on me.
Kat scooted behind the bulk of her fully laden sled. Chauvinist. Although frustrated by his demand for her to stay, she didnt say the word in anger. With a man shooting at him, she didnt wish additional bad karma on Sam.
I wont have another man, womanor childdie on my account, Sam muttered, working his way around to the opposite side of his sled. He dug into the pouch containing his rifle. With the weapon in front of him, he ran in a zigzag pattern toward the trees.
Shots rang out, hitting the snow just in front of or behind his boots.
Kats breath caught in her throat. Sam certainly looked as if he knew what he was doing. She hoped like hell he did.