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living proof of the verse we learned.”
    “That’s for sure.”
    Bailey grew silent, and then she heard the rattle again. She saw the snake’s head poke out from behind the rock, its tongue flicking the air. “Let’s get out of here!”
    Both girls took off running in the direction Elan had gone. They saw he had turned around and was coming back in their direction. When they started running, he ran to meet them.
    “What’s the matter?” he yelled.
    “A rattlesnake!” Bailey screamed.
    As they got closer, they slowed to an exhausted trudge.
    “Why did you leave us?” Elizabeth scolded when they were close enough to talk. “We were practically bitten by a rattlesnake!”
    “Because you were blaming me for getting us lost!” Elan looked away. “I’m sorry. I should have stayed with you. Are you all right?”
    “We are now,” Bailey said. “But the snake was hiding under the rock where we stopped to rest. Way too close for comfort.”
    “I’ve never been so scared in all my life.” Beth shuddered.
    “I’m sorry.” Elan tugged at his ponytail. “I really am. But I do have some good news.”
    “You do?” Bailey said.
    “The Puye Cliff dwellings are right past these boulders. We’re practically there!”
    “Finally!” Elizabeth said. “I don’t know how much farther I could have walked.”
    “Yeah, we’ve been walking an hour in this heat already.” Bailey lifted her hair off her neck, wishing it were long enough to pull in a ponytail.
    “Come on.” Elan extended his hand to show them the way. “Follow me. Some trees up here can shade us so it won’t be as hot. I promise it’s not far.”
    The trio hiked another ten minutes and just past the boulders, they saw the cliff dwellings. Some of the ruins were on the ground, remains of an ancient civilization. Handmade stone walls stood only about three feet high, but the three could still see the shape of rooms and buildings that had once stood there.
    “Wow!” Bailey said. “This is amazing!”
    “The Puye Cliffs were home to around 1500 Pueblo Indians in the late 1100s to around 1580,” Elan explained. “Then the drought forced them to move to the Rio Grande River valley.”
    “Oh, yeah. Aiyana told us about the drought,” Bailey said. “Are you a Pueblo Indian?” she asked Elan.
    “Yes and no. The Pueblo Indians split into eight different pueblos when they had to move. We’re known as Santa Clara Pueblo Indians,” Elan replied.
    “Look up there.” Elizabeth pointed to the side of the cliff.
    “Cliff dwellings!” Bailey said. “How did they ever build them on such a sheer hill?”
    “I’m not sure,” Elan said. “It’s even more amazing when you realize they didn’t have modern equipment to help them.”
    “It looks like it has two levels.” Elizabeth pulled out her phone and took a picture.
    “It does,” Elan said. “The people used ladders to go from one level to the next.”
    “It’s like an ancient apartment complex!” Bailey laughed.
    Elan pointed to the solid rock wall to the right of the cliff dwellings. “During the rite of passage, the boys would climb this side of the cliff without ropes or tools of any kind.” He eyed the rock with awe.
    Elizabeth shook her head. “I can’t imagine how anyone ever did that.”
    “It wouldn’t be that hard,” Elan said. “I bet I could do it. You can see the handholds when you get up close.”
    “You’d do it or die trying,” Bailey said. “How could any parent let a kid do that?”
    “That’s the point,” Elan said. “They’re not children anymore. They’re becoming adults in the rite of passage.”
    “Seems like a silly tradition to me,” Elizabeth said. “No reason to have to grow up overnight, especially by doing something so dangerous.”
    “Our traditions mean a lot to our people.” Elan sounded offended.
    “I’m sure you have many traditions that are worth keeping, but I’m glad this one fell by the wayside.” Bailey patted Elan on the