Maya moved fast, her hands steady. She crouched, wedged her foot beside the fence for balance, and pressed one hand against the wet slats, pushing them apart. With her other hand, she reached forward and gently pulled the dog’s leg out, one careful motion at a time.
As the dog’s leg slipped free, Maya lost her footing. Her heel sank into the soft ground, and before she could catch herself, she tumbled backward with a muffled grunt. Her poncho hit the mud with a slap.
She scrambled upright, gripping the fence with one glove, heart hammering. Her knees throbbed from the fall, but she forced herself up, casting a wary glance toward the dog. Was it going to lunge? Bite? Maya was ready for an aggressive reaction, but what the dog did next brought tears to her eyes….