“Are you okay?” I asked.
He nodded pointing back to the rocks. “Danny. My son.”
I nodded. “He’s still trapped in there?”
“Y-yes,” he managed. “Help.”
I motioned over for two men to assist him to safer ground, and then I went into the location he had pointed. “Hello?” I yelled.
“Help! Can you hear me?”
“Is that you, Danny?”
“Yes. I’m here. Help!”
I started digging in the mud passing large rocks I encountered. My hand finally broke through to the other side and the boy grabbed it.
“Help,” he cried holding on to my hand for dear life.
I called onto my wolf and my free hand was suddenly covered in fur. The claws helped me move the wet dirt much faster. Steadily I worked until the boy was free.
A loud cheer went up.
“My friend. He’s still in there. His leg was crushed by one of the boulders in the rockslide. I couldn’t get it off of him. There was blood everywhere. I don’t know if he’s alive.”
“Take him down. I’m going in for the other one.”
“Doc, be careful.”
“I will.”
I forced my way through the hole which Danny had just come through. On the other side was a small pocket. I could even see one of the entrances to the cave. I wished I had thought to ask the friend’s name.
“Hello?” I called.
I didn’t get a reply but I heard a very slight grunt and moved towards it. I called up on my wolf once more to help my vision improve in the dark. I knew that was safer than using a flashlight at least until I found the kid.
That turned out to be easier than I expected. He was only a few feet from where the other had been but was pinned under a large boulder. It wasn’t his leg, though. It was his arm, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the bone was shattered.
I prayed that wasn’t the case. The poor kid probably hadn’t even gotten his wolf in yet. I’d hate to see him crippled and unable to ever shift. I shuddered at the thought. That was a fate worse than death for a shifter. I could only hope that Kelsey hadn’t worn herself out too badly and had enough of her mojo left to heal him.
I moved the boulder away and he cried out in pain.
“That’s a good sign, buddy. What’s your name?”
Instead, I got something garbled and incoherent but it was a start.
I did a fast assessment to ensure there wasn’t any other injuries that needed to be addressed before moving him. Then I pulled him up to his feet wrapping his good arm around my shoulder as I dragged him to our exit point.
Hands were waiting to assist on the other side.
“Careful, I yelled. I need Kelsey to look at that arm quickly. It’s bad, and he may have a concussion, but otherwise no visible damage.
I stayed behind him as I pushed him through until the others could grab him.
“Avalanche!” someone yelled.
I pushed with all my strength hoping to God that the kid made it through to the other side safe and sound because as rocks began to fall around me, I already knew it was too late for me. I cried out in pain as the structure above me collapsed and I drowned beneath the weight of the world shrouded in darkness.