Chapter 2
A loud snarl disturbed the stillness of the night followed by a horse's scream waking all in the ranch house except Daisy sleeping in the back bedroom. Jess grabbed his boots and rifle heading for the door. Andy was right behind him. Slim met the two cowboys in the yard between the two ranch houses. "Think it's a mountain lion Jess?" Slim asked.
"Yeah Slim could be, heard a horse's scream, we'd best check the stock."
Jess hurried across the yard to the barn. The door was still closed, and all seemed quiet in the moonlight. Slowly the Texan snuck round the back of the barn towards the West corral holding his rifle ready. Jess was shocked to see a beautiful paint mare laying at the bottom of the steep bank behind the corral. She laid on her side with a motionless mountain lion about twenty feet to the left of her. "Slim, Andy, over here quick." He yelled to the brothers.
Jess slowly approached the mare. She was still alive and seeing the cowboy she started struggling trying to get to her feet. "Shhhh, there now girl, whoa, sweetheart." Jess cooed. He kept up the soft talking as he approached her. Jess noted the mare had a bloody claw mark down her left side and her back leg was appeared injured. Jess thought he'd never seen such a beautiful paint.
"You think we could get her standing Jess?" Andy asked. The mare squealed in fear and struggled again trying to get to her feet.
"Look Jess, she's leaking milk, must be a foal close by." Andy pointed out.
Mike had coming running over from the house to see what was going on. Hearing Andy talking about a foal Mike volunteered. "I'll look."
"Mike be careful, if you see the foal keep your distance, don't want you gettin kicked or bitten." Jess warned the boy.
"I'll be careful Jess, I'll just see if I can find it." Mike promised.
"Slim, fetch a couple lead ropes," Jess directed, "we'll try to put a wrap on her legs and see if we can roll her over on her good side, so she can stand." Slim strode over to the barn for the lead ropes, while Jess continued to try and calm the injured mare. Jess was within ten feet of her when the lion suddenly woke bounding to his feet. Seeing Jess, the lion pounced. Jess brought his rifle up firing. His shot instantly killed the lion as the bullet penetrated the cougar's chest. The dead lion had been in mid leap and landed on Jess's chest knocking his rifle from his hands. The lion's sharp claws dug into Jess's chest; the cat's dead weight making it difficult for Jess to take a breath.
Slim and Andy rushed over to the cowboy pulling the dead cat off of him. Blood was running down his chest and the cowboy's shirt was bright red.
"Jess you'd better get back to the house and have Daisy look at these scratches." Slim helped Jess stand keeping a firm hold on his friend.
"No Slim. Daisy ain't seein this, help me get this mare up and into the corral first. I'm just scratched up some. Looks worse than it feels."
"Found her." Mike yelled from the top of the steep bank surrounding the corral fence. "She's beautiful, black and white paint, just like the mare." Mike yelled down.
"Mike keep an eye on her, I'll be up to help you in a few minutes." Jess approached the mare placing a rope round her front legs. He threw the end to Slim then threw another lasso about her back legs. Slim took hold and pulled with all his might. Jess tried to push the tired mare, Andy putting pressure on the other lasso. Finally, she made the effort and with Jess pushing and Slim pulling they were able to get her rolled over, so she could use her good legs for leverage. The men quickly removed the ropes and the mare struggled up on her feet. The men noted she was not putting weight on her rear left leg. They snubbed her tight to the corral post while Jess ran his hand down her injured leg, she shivered and shifted away from him. "Whoa, its ok only here to help ya." Jess whispered to the frightened mare. The mare tried to kick at him with her injured leg. Jess took hold of her lower leg running his hand up and down the injured leg as Slim and Andy held her still.
"I think it's injured not broken. She musta fell on the cat after knocking it out with her hoofs. I'm gonna go help Mike fetch that little filly down the hill and maybe that will calm his mama down. You two see if you can get her into the corral."
Jess walked round to the path that led up to where Mike was keeping track of the little filly. Mike showed Jess where the filly was standing in the tall grass. Jess slowly approached the foal, grabbing hold he lifted the small filly in his arms carefully carrying her down the hill. Slim and Andy had herded the mare into the corral and had tied her to the snubbing post applying some liniment to the claw marks and wrapping her leg. Jess carried the little filly into the corral setting her down next to the mare to nurse. Soon the little filly was suckling away. The mare relaxed. Slim and Andy turned the mare loose and Jess closed the corral gate. "Guess that's enough excitement for tonight. I'm heading back to bed for a few hours."
Slim put his arm about Jess's shoulder. "Oh no pard, you're getting those scratches cleaned out and bandaged and then you can head back to bed."
"Aw Slim, iffin Daisy see's all this blood, she'll give me and Andy a hard time bout leavin tomorrow. Most of the blood is the cat's not mine."
"We'll see pard, maybe I can get you bandaged up fore she's up. Sara's up, we'll have her clean those scratches up."
"OK Slim," Jess agreed, and the men headed over to the new ranch house. Entering, Sara approached Slim putting her arms round him. "You ok."
"Yeah, but Jess needs tending, and we need to keep this just between us." Slim kissed her.
"Jess get that shirt off and Slim could you boil some water." Sara asked.
"Yes mam!" Slim answered heading to the kitchen.
The kitchen door flew open; Andy rushed in. "Jess you OK."
"Yeah Andy, just scratched up. Sara's gonna clean me up." Jess drawled. "Calm down, how's our paint doing?"
"Just fine Jess. Wish we could find the stallion she's bred to, she sure is pretty. Her markings are beautiful, and I love the black and white mane."
Jess nodded. "Her foals would fetch a good price. Thinking we could breed her to Cyclone."
Slim brought in a pan of hot water and helped Sara clean up the cuts and scratches on Jess's chest. Jess has been right most of the blood had been the cats. Sara put plasters on the few deep cuts. Jess had Andy run over to his room and bring over a clean long john top for him to wear just in case Daisy was up when they returned home.
"See you in the morning Slim, still have a few hours fore we gotta get up."
"Slim, I think there's still a bounty on mountain lions, you might want to skin the cat tomorrow." Andy told his brother.
"Good idea Andy." Slim agreed.
"See you in the morning Slim." Andy smiled at his brother as he turned to follow Jess over to the old ranch house.
"Jess. I put Mike to bed and made him promise not to tell Daisy about you're battle with the big cat."
"Thanks Andy." Jess put his hand on Andy's shoulder.
Andy yawned as he and Jess entered the house seeking out their beds. Morning would come too soon.
