VIII

Her foot with the shoe on it had sunk under a pile of dirt without her noticing. But as she freed it, the ground swallowed her bare foot. After a few more steps, she resigned herself to walking ankle-deep in the treacherous soil. This made it rather difficult to remain upright; and more so because the balancing aid of windmilling the arms was for Tsvetka definitely lopsided. The little cheetah padded along next to her, looking anxious. But even in his preoccupied state, he didn't stumble over the object directly in his path.

He caught it up in his mouth. Tsvetka stared. Samson bared his canines. Then they both looked back and up... Far up.