OTIS'S CHILDHOOD

FROM RELIEF TO TERROR

There was a sweet aroma in the air, a beautiful day indeed, a young cow named June and her calf were grazing in the meadow with other cows, she was happy, her first son only had only one month of being born, he was playing with the other calfs.

The calfs were playing hide and seek, his favorite place to hide was behind his mother, they used to play it all day long until the sun set

– Otis, come sweetie, is time to go home – his mother was calling him, the barnyard where they lived was a bit far, she was the barnyard leader.

Her barnyard was a beautiful place to live, everybody knew that being leader was a 24 hours of hard work, to made it easier, they helped her with the most though duties, once she stayed all night long with a cow, called Ruby, who was very sick and burning in fever, she was capable of give her own life for anyone.

She was worried, They must be at home before nightfall, the coyotes would be on the look out, the most dangerous of them was a big and bad coyote called Aldebaran and his son Dag (Dag is the coyote who fought Ben in the movie, also Aldebaran is the main star on Taurus constelation).

He was the most feared in the zone – Everyone, let's go, and remember stay together, don't go by your own – they had trouble with them in past, in the last week June's herd lost one calf and two cows, one of them was her husband, who fell against Aldebaran when he and Dag attacked him from behind while he was trying to protect his family, when she lost her husband everybody voted and decided that June must take the rol as the new leader.

The night came fast, faster than she expected, she was on front of them, with Otis at her side – Julia, take care of Otis while i make sure the cows from behind are fine – sometines she can be bossy, she was bossy, but only during the return, at home she was completely different.

At home she used to play with all the calfs, even the older cows called her "mommy June" and they looked for her to ask for some advices, her maternal instincts was the reason to pick her as a leader.

She and Otis was standing and waiting for June, she came across the bushes, scaring Julia – It's ok, It's me – she recover her breath – Please, June, don't do that again – she apologized to her when she heard the sound what she didn't want to hear: coyotes, and they were too close of them.

They increased the step, they must be out of the forest as fast as they can, when they turned on a tree they were the coyotes, waiting for them –My, my, my, what we got here? I see you came into my territory, i don't forgot this injury you made me– Aldebaran shows to June a big scar at his left side of his face - Guess what we're hungry – more coyotes appear from behind and laughed.

– Julia, when i say it, i want you to run with the others as fast as you can, and take Otis with you – Aldebaran howled and the coyotes started their attack

– NOW!!! – when she scream, Julia lead the cows as they was running, she kick the coyotes with all of her strenght allowing them to escape, Otis trip and fell, Aldebaran try to take advantage.

He was alone, now it was his chance, if he could dispose of Otis, then it would be more easier dispose of June – OTIS!! – June push away the coyotes.

She must save her son, at the first chance she pick him up and run – KEEP RUNNING, DON'T LOOK BACK!!! – they lost sight of the other cows, an ambush, they set her an ambush, the coyotes try to separate Otis from her.

He was tired, he can't run anymore – Otis, i'll distract them as you run – he was really scared – No, please, mom – when he said that his mother ran directly to them – RUN, OTIS, RUN!! –

He heard his mother pleas and ran again, but two coyotes scaped June's dash, he ran to the forest, trying to find a place to hide, he found a hole under a tree and jump inside while the coyotes passed at his side.

He didn't heard nothing only coyotes howling, he didn't had idea about what happened but even scared he came out of his hideout, he was looking for his mother and the next he saw horrofied him: the coyotes had overtaken June, Aldebaran had his fangs deep into her throat, she couldn't breath, her strenght disappeared and fell as her eyes closed slowly

-MOM!! – Aldebaran left her throat and show him his fangs with some blood droops dripping from them, he jump over Junes's body and run against him, he could feel her breath getting closer and closer – You can't run forever, kid – Otis can feel he was near to collapse from exhaustion.

By miracle he fell into a big hare hole as Aldebaran almost reached his head with his sharped fangs, he started to dig, trying to reach him – Come this way! – he heard a female voice comming from the tunnel and decide to try his luck going deeper, avoiding Aldebaran claws – Soon or later you have to came out, boy –

He was shaking like a leaf in the wind – Don't worry, you'll be safe here – he heard that voice again – Who… Who are you? – A female hare appeared in front of him, in fact it was a young hare, who gave him water that she recolected in a big leaf – My name is Sophitia, and yours? – he didn't say nothing, he only drink the water she gave him.

After a moment he speaks – I'm Otis, Please, Please, help my mom – he begged – Please, she is injured, please, she need help – she came closer to him – Calm down dear, what happend? – he start to tell her what happened, about the coyotes and Aldebaran – She… -

Sophitia interrupted him – There's nothing you can do, you were luckly, usually no one escapes from Aldebaran – she said as she put her hand around her right arm, there was no arm – I hardly escape from him – she noticed that Otis wasn't even paying atention, he was tired and scared to death.

-Come dear, you need to rest – she lead him into another hole, in that hole there was another small hole where the light can enter, illuminating the small place and under that light a bed made with green and fresh grass – Otis, you can sleep here today – she said with a gentle and kind smile – Thank you… - he sat back in that green bed, there was a lot of things on his head.

In that mornning he was at home, in the afternoon he was in the meadows with his mom and playing with his friends, now he was lost and scared, he leaned on one side and start to cry when the image of his mom being attacked by Aldebaran invaded his mind and wandering what would happend now

He closed his tired eyes one second and he fell asleep.

He was runnig, with Aldebaran's shap fangs behind him, he ran and ran but those fangs reached and closed upon him, he woke up sweating and shaking – A bad dream? – Sophitia ask him as Otis saw the stars shining and illuminating her face, he nodded – Don't worry, you'll be safe here, the coyotes can't enter here – she sat at his side

-Do you know where is your home? – Sophitia ask him, but he said no – I've never been here before, i don't know were to go –

- I know who can help us, and old friend, maybe he can tell us where's the nearest farm - he leaned again in the grass bed, Sophitia stayed at his side until he could sleep again, that happened fast, Otis was sleeping again, she rubbed his head and sleep at his side.