Porcupine Ridge gold dust

The rise had been violent. 

The soft slope of the first spire was nothing in the face of the trek to come. Jagged stones with pointy teeth for rock faces stared at her. Buttes spun overhead and reached for the sky higher than any triumph she believed had been conquered. Shadows were placed like long arms over the valleys. 

Muskrat led every step and Nutuyikruk followed in blind faith through every frightening ridge.

The land opened up to clovers, and she sat with her back feet propped up. Clover stems tickled between them and made her toes wiggle, staring ahead in wait.

"Who comin'?" She whispered. "The shadow people?"  Muskrat kept the promise. Her eyes lit up at a slab of meat, and she gorged herself in a snack.