But a faint snap echoed from behind, sharp enough to freeze her in place. The elephants halted too, ears pricking forward, bodies tense. Amara turned, just as something whizzed by her, slicing the air where her head had been a split second before.
Her mind went blank, her instincts taking over as her body dropped low, pressing her to the earth. Another crack rang out, unmistakable now—a gunshot. The mother elephant responded instantly, its massive form seeming to double in size as its ears flared wide, and with a ground-shaking bellow.