Wilderness

I was in Alaska, with Joscelyn, Megan, Luke, and one other guy.  We were about to sled down a hill, in the national park surrounding Denali.  I knew that it was safe, because I had already gone down it with Kat.  I was having doubts, though, because the slope was rather steep, and narrow.  We started down anyway, and quickly built up speed.  The path became curvy, and the snow was starting to disappear.  We hit one really rough patch, and Luke and I were thrown from the sled.  When I came to my senses, I saw that we had landed near the cub of a mountain lion.  He seemed friendly enough.  Luke was already petting him, like he was just a house cat.  I asked him to stop, because we didn't know where the mother was.  He finally agreed, and we got up to go find the others.  From the edge of the clearing, the mother was watching.  She stalked with slow, even steps, as she came towards us.  We were still a threat, she thought, because our apparent retreat was just a trick.  She lept towards me with no warning, teeth bared.  I reached out my arm, and caught her in the face.  I caught hold of her muzzle, and kept her teeth shut, so she wouldn't be able to bite me.  She fell to the ground, and then started up to renew her attack.  I held her head again with my hand, leaving her unable to attack.  Finally, she gave up, as her cub had already retreated some distance from us.  She walked with her cub into the forest, and they were gone.