<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">They were trapped.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Their backs dangerously exposed to the murky waters of the stinking lake, and a pack of six hungry coyotes blocked their path on either side of them.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Two coyotes focused their attention on the tall Italian man, closing in on him from his right while a third one hopped onto an overgrown car wreck, salivating at the prospect of food.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Lorenzo’s wrist flicked the machete every now and then, getting used to the weight of it, white-knuckling the handle. “Lucille…” he said, his voice laced with a growing panic.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">“Doc, I’ll throw ya to these dogs if ya freak out on me,” she responded with raised voice. <i>Don’t freak out, dude. Don’t freak out</i>. The blonde kept her eye on her own opponents. The dogs were taunting her, trying to inch closer and force her into the water. But the woman wouldn't budge. She knew how they hunted.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">They’d try to separate them, pick out the one that looked weaker, and then gang up on them. Tearing down at the legs to topple their prey before going for the kill by biting the throat.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Lucille made a jerky movement with her hunting knife at one of the coyotes with a loud bark of her own, baring her teeth and snarling like an animal, warning them to keep their distance.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Lorenzo looked back and forth between the coyotes before he got startled by Lucille’s shouting. He saw how she was making herself look big by squaring her shoulders and widening her stance. So when turning his attention back to the dogs he did the same, although his already muscled frame was more effective on them.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Something funny happened, he noticed. A light was being shone onto the snouts of these animals, successfully distracting them. He followed where the light was coming from and spotted the two figures he had seen before.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">One was using her metallic bat to reflect sunlight, and the other was readying his bow. </span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Lorenzo was more hopeful about the situation now. If they worked together then surely they’ll get out of this mess. “Keep shining dem in de eyes!” He yelled out to the raven-haired woman.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">He gathered his courage and swung the machete at one of the coyotes that flanked him, he missed but the creature was startled enough that it scurried away for a few feet, pacing back and forth in the back as it reassess the situation.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">It was at around the same time that Lorenzo called out to the others that one the dogs on Lucille’s side was getting cocky as it tried to snap its jaws at her. Before Lucille could jab her knife at it the creature fell dead before her feet with an arrow stuck in its chest.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Not long after the first arrow reached its target, the second one reached another. <i>Bullseye, right in the skull</i>. Lucille thought to herself as she briefly glanced up to the archer, gave him a quick nod in acknowledgement and then charged for the third coyote.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Tossing her rucksack aside, she barreled down at the dog, causing it the be caught by surprise as it was still distracted by the lights and dead comrades. The dog fell to the ground, tail between its legs as it tried to scratch and bite in defense. But Lucille’ blade was sharper than its teeth as it sunk in between its ribs, letting out a final yelp the coyote died.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Lucille was a valuable asset when it came to outdoors survival, but she was a reckless one. The myriad of scars that decorate her sun-kissed skin were proof of it.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">With the score being 3-0 for Humans, the pack decided to cut their losses and scurried off with a series of yelps and howls as they disappeared into the overgrown ruins again.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Lorenzo was shouting Italian curses after them, swinging the machete in victory. When their howls seemed distant enough for everyone to believe that the coast was clear again, Lorenzo bend down, lowering the machete and taking deep breaths. Being a doctor in the village for so long made him rusty…</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Lucille was slowly getting up from finishing her kill with heavy panting. She stared at the bodies hit with arrows and figured she’d retrieve them for the archer. Noticing how they were still up on the ridge.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Lorenzo in the meanwhile recovered and slid the machete back behind his belt, readjusted his clothes and backpack before waving his hand at the strangers, “Grazie. I don’t know if we would’ve made it without you.” he said.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Lucille retrieved her rucksack after sheathing her knife again, then handed over the arrows to the archer. “Nice shot.”</span>