Page 17 of Collar Me Crazy
"I'm on it." Ryker was already heading for his truck, grabbing his emergency pack from the porch. "Send me their last known coordinates."
"Already did. And Ryker? Be careful out there. This storm's looking worse than the weather service predicted."
He was loading gear into his truck when another vehicle pulled up the drive. His wolf perked up instantly, recognizing the scent before his eyes confirmed what he already knew. Sonya climbed out of her car, dressed in hiking boots and a heavy jacket that suggested she'd come prepared for the weather.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, not bothering with pleasantries.
"Miriam told me you were heading out for a search and rescue. She thought my seer abilities might help if you lose the trail." Sonya approached with the determined stride of someone who'd already made up her mind. "I also have wilderness training and search experience."
"I work alone. Go back to town."
"Four people are missing in deteriorating conditions." She pulled a pack from her car, checking the contents with practiced efficiency. "This isn't the time for stubbornness."
"It's not stubbornness. You don't belong out here." Ryker turned away, focusing on loading his gear. "Go back to the inn where it's safe."
"I'm not made of glass, and I'm not some helpless human who'll slow you down." Her tone carried steel underneath the politeness. "Miriam wouldn't have sent me if she didn't think I could help."
Ryker wanted to argue more, to physically put her back in her car and send her away, but snow was falling steadier now. Every minute they delayed decreased the hikers' chances. His wolf whined at the thought of Sonya facing danger, but his practical side recognized they were wasting precious time.
"Fine. But you do exactly what I say, when I say it. No arguments."
"Understood."
They drove in tense silence toward the trailhead, the truck's heater working overtime against the dropping temperature. Snow was accumulating faster than Ryker had expected, already coating the windshield between swipes of the wipers.
"Tell me about the terrain," Sonya said, studying the topographic map on her phone.
"Rocky, uneven, lots of places to take a wrong turn if you don't know what you're looking for." Ryker took a sharp curve more carefully than usual. "The old mining trails aren't maintained, and some of the bridges are questionable at best."
"Water crossings?"
"Three that I know of. All of them dangerous if the creeks are running high from snowmelt."
They reached the trailhead as the snow shifted from gentle flakes to a more serious storm. Ryker shouldered his pack and checked his GPS while Sonya did the same with her equipment.
"We'll split the difference," he said, pointing toward two diverging paths. "You take the southern trail, I'll take the northern. We meet at the junction in two hours whether we find them or not."
"Actually, let's stay together." Sonya zipped up her jacket against the wind. "Two sets of eyes are better than one, and if we do find them injured, you'll need help."
His wolf approved of this plan, but Ryker kept his expression neutral. "Your call. But we do this my way."
"Agreed."
They set off up the northern trail, and within minutes, Ryker found himself grudgingly impressed. Sonya kept pace without complaint, her movements economical and sure. She readthe terrain like someone who'd spent real time in wilderness conditions, not just weekend hiking trips.
"There," she said, pointing to a broken branch twenty feet off the main trail. "Someone went that way recently."
Ryker examined the sign, noting the fresh break and the faint footprint in the soft earth. "Good eye. That's definitely human passage."
They followed the trail of broken vegetation and disturbed ground, calling out periodically for the missing hikers. The snow was falling harder now, muffling sound and reducing visibility to maybe thirty feet in any direction.
"Ryker!" Sonya's voice carried sharp urgency. "Over here!"
He found her crouched beside a steep ravine, peering down into the shadows below. Four figures huddled together at the bottom, their bright college sweatshirts standing out against the dark rocks.
"Hey!" Ryker called down. "Can you hear me?"
A weak voice drifted up. "Help! We can't get out!"
