Mistwalker — Denise Lopes Heald

The jungles of the planet Ver Day were unforgiving to natives--and death for offworlders. Sled-hauler Sal Banks knew that out in the green, depending on anything besides yourself--technology, luck, or other people--usually got you killed. Like all the citizens of isolated Tumble Town, she had survived this long by care, caution, and distrust of outsiders. And that included the city folk who ran the government outpost up the hill.

But Sal was desperate for some muscle to pull a sled on her next cargo run, so she hired Meesha Raschad first and found out he was an offworlder second. Then she was stuck with a heavy cargo load, a late start, and a dangerously inexperienced newbie for a partner. Meanwhile, the govies were trying to make them forfeit the run, for no reason Sal could figure. But it had something to do with Raschadwho pulled hard and kept his troubles to himself. Which would have worked fine, except that those troubles soon followed him to Tumble Town...