“Three, two, one.” Gunnar groaned as he lifted the sled.
She eased the dog from under the sled. Bright red blood trailed on the snow, but she refused to let it distract her. Pax jerked his legs, trying to get free.
“Easy now, big boy.” She crooned to him as she lifted his bulk into her arms. Her knees almost buckled with the weight. “Let’s get you off this heap and see what’s going on.”
She carefully picked her way off of the pressure ridge. Gunnar’s commands to the rest of her dogs floated down from behind her, but she kept her focus on reaching the bottom without dropping Pax. Her foot slipped and her knee rammed into the sharp edge of an ice chunk.
“You okay?” Gunnar called from behind.
“Fine.” She gritted her teeth and pushed to her feet.
Just a few more feet, and she’d be there. When she reached flat ice, she carried Pax to Gunnar’s sled and placed him carefully on the snow. She peeked at the men almost down off the ridge, then turned all her attention on the dog.
Blood soaked the fur on his back leg. Pulling her glove liners off, she ignored the bite of the frigid air against her bare skin as she pushed aside the fur to examine the injury. Pax whined and lifted his head to look at her.
“I know, boy. I’m sorry.” She choked on the words and blinked away the tears.
The more she wiped at the blood, the more saturated the fur became. Crimson dripped and pooled beneath the dog. Her lunch rushed up her throat, but she swallowed it down.
Gunnar ran up to his sled and unloaded supplies onto the ice. His calm, smooth movements eased her nerves a small fraction. He would know what to do.
He pulled the first-aid kit off the sled and rushed to her side. “Status?”
“His leg. It’s bleeding too much to see what’s wrong.” Julie shifted to the other side of the dog to let Gunnar have better access.
“Anything else?” Gunnar fired the question without looking up from examining the wound.
“I don’t know.” She hadn’t even checked.
“No worries. Biggest injury to littlest.” He wiped away the blood with gauze, shaking his head.
A deep gash the length of her hand ran from the top of Pax’s leg down. Gunnar prodded the wound, making Pax whine.
“I know, boy. It’s gonna be okay.” Julie petted his head as she braced him from moving.
“The cut hasn’t exposed bone, thank God, but it’s big.” Gunnar dug through his first-aid kit. “I can’t flush it out without the water freezing.”
“Will he be okay?” Her fingers trembled in the dog’s fur.
Gunnar sighed with a shrug.
“Do we need to put him down?” Mason tossed Julie her mittens she’d abandoned, his words sending sharp shards of cold up her arms.
“Mason,” Gunnar rumbled a low warning.
“I’m sorry.” Mason crouched down next to her. “Julie, you know I’m sorry, but we talked about this.”
They had. The possibility of injury and death was high out here, not only for the dogs, but for them as well. It wouldn’t be right to keep a dog in misery if a severe injury happened, especially with help so far away. She stared at Gunnar, praying he said no, but preparing herself for the worst.
“The checkpoint is close.” He tore open a QuikClot gauze and positioned it on the gash. “Let’s get him to the vet.”
Julie nodded, relief stinging her eyes. It didn’t mean Pax was out of the woods. She still might have to make the call to put him down. But with the vet so close, she could hold off on that decision.
“Mason, go hook up Julie’s team.” Gunnar yanked another QuikClot out of the first-aid kit. “We need to move, ASAP.”
Mason squeezed her shoulder, pulling her in for a hurried side hug, then took off for her team.
“Jules, get the roll of gauze and tape.” Gunnar snapped the order.
She reached over the dog and pulled the gauze from the medical bag. Her fingers shook violently, making it hard to open the package. Gunnar wrapped his hand around hers.
“He’s”—Julie choked on her words—“he’s Dad’s favorite.”
“I know, honey. I know.” Gunnar tightened his hold on her hands. “One step at a time.”
“Okay.”
“Together. We get through this together.”
She nodded, any answer she could give clogging in her throat. Whatever happened when they got to the checkpoint, she wouldn’t have to do it alone. Gunnar was here, and, at least for now, she could trust his promise to always be there when she needed.