Philip felt the leash go taut as Barnabas located the place where whatever they’d been following had gone to ground. He stared ahead of them and saw the cave entrance, a dark hole against the shadowed rocks of the cliff. A bear’s home? he wondered, hoping that it wasn’t.
He inched forward, twisting the leash around his hand to keep Barnabas by his side, wishing too late that he’d brought a flashlight with him.
Barnabas let out a loud growl, tugging angrily at his leash as he lunged at the thing he could see and smell ahead of him, so close and yet out of reach of his jaws. Turning, he snapped at Philip, wanting his freedom. Philip jumped in surprise and the leash unfurled from around his hand. With one final pull Barnabas was free. He leapt up, his jaws closing around flesh.
His victim
