The story bellow, will be an alternative version of the events, taking place on Season 2, more or less a month or two after Amnesty For Zorro, so, Don Aleandro, knows about Zorro´s id.

I won´t going tto say much, to no spoil the story.

Hope you like.

Have a good reading.


THE FOX AND THE LION

For a few weeks now, farms around Los Angeles were being looted, cattle being killed, fences broken, and some employees injured, by a mysterious creature that apparently only attacked at night. Of course, Zorro patrols such farms, trying to discover the source of these attacks, but to no avail, the creature is never found.

On the other hand, Bernardo could swear he heard a roar during one night, but too scared to check what was going on, he let it go, only informing his masters the other day during breakfast.

''Oh, whatever it is, its more slippery than Zorro, don´t you think?'' Diego mocked, but in response, his father, who already knew his identity, give him a furious look.

''You don´t do anything you would regret later my son,'' he growled. ''You already risk a lot with been Zorro, I don´t want you involved in more problems.''

''Yes father.'' Diego agreed.

_/_

The next day, Diego tried to make his father forget about the farm, taking him to the town for distraction, as they promised to lunch at the taberna, to learn any news or gossips from workers and other farmers.

Once they return, Don Aleandro invited his farmers friends, to discuss what they could do to stop the attacks on their proprieties, while Diego, with the excuse of going to practice his guitar, decided to leave to see Tornado and exercise him a bit for the next time Zorro need it and took Bernardo with him.

As they made their way to Tornado´s hiding place, Bernardo trembled, as he thought to have seen an enormous mountain lion near the ravine. He gulped, but when he tried to call Diego´s attention, the animal had vanished.

Meeting his horse, was always delightful for Don Diego, as every time he came to see him, even without been Zorro, the animal greet him by sniffing his face, demanding to be patted. ''Good boy, Tornado, you always a good boy, maybe one day I will bring Amiro to meet you, lets see what that grumpy kitty will do.'' He laugh.

Diego spent more than two hours training with Tornado, exercising him and even practicing swordfight on horseback with his sword. Still, since he noticed Bernardo was a bit unsecure, he decided to go back home, when the tragedy occurred.

As they turn around the entrance to the main road near the ravine, both men came face to face with a mountain lion, almost twice as bigger than Sargent Garcia, staring hungrily at the four types of foods in front of him.

''So this, is the culprit, for destroying the farms?'' Diego noted ''Bernardo, you will go back to the farm and get as most as help as possible…'' he said and in response the frightened servant pointed to him. ''I will be right behind you, now go…'' he yelled, when the lion, seeing the target going away, prepared to attack.

Without thinking then, Diego draw his sword and carved it on the animal´s leg, who, roaring in pain, leapt on top of Diego, giving him a swipe, his massive claws digging into his shoulder, ripping through the sleeve of his jacket like butter. Diego screamed as his shoulder was ripped from the socket, hanging loosely beside him.

Realizing his mistake, Diego tried to run, his sword had gotten lost somewhere when the lion struck him, however, the pain couldn't make him think and he just stood there, when the animal lunged at him again, making them both roll down the ravine.

In the fall, the young man hit his back on one of the rocks, causing his legs to weaken. Diego closed his eyes, trying to register what had happened, however, before he could catch his breath, the lion was on top of him, stepping and clawing at him, trying to kill and devour him at any cost.

With only one useful arm to defend himself, Diego tried to hold the animal with his hand, without success, as much as he tried, the more blood he saw on the lion's snout. He was going to die, no doubt about it. After so many blows from the lion, he could barely see when Tornado approached at a gallop.

It turns out that the black horse, seeing his master being attacked by a mountain lion, didn't think twice about defending Diego, kicking his opponent right before he killed the man.

At that moment, a hunter passed by the place and seeing a lion now fighting with a beautiful black steed, he wasted no time in shooting the lion several times with his rifle, in an attempt to save the beautiful horse.

However, once the lion was killed, the hunter noticed that the horse was trying to protect a wounded, nearly dead man and ran to help him.

_/_

Meanwhile, at the De La Vega farm, Don Aleandero and his companions were discussing methods to surround the creature that was terrorizing the farmers, when Bernardo appeared, disheveled and breathless, frantically signaling for everyone to follow him.

At first, neither Don Aleandro, neither the farmers, seems to understand what Bernardo was trying to say, when suddenly, the older farmer realized his son wasn´t with the servant and got worry.

''Bernardo, where´s Don Diego?'' he asked.

''Wait, you didn't said your servant was deaf?'' asked Don Almeida.

''I explain later,'' Don Aleandro snapped. ''So, where´s Diego?'' he asked again, and the servant just signed to follow him. ''He must be in some trouble, come with me… And Bernardo, go fetch a doctor, in case we need it.''

As fast as they could, Don Aleandro and his fellow farmers rode in search of the young man who was in danger, when, turning on the road near the ravine, they spotted the hunter, carrying the body of an unconscious and bloodied young man. Don Alendro's heart stopped.

''Its my son, my Diego… what happened?'' he gasped approaching the other man.

''He was attacked by a mountain lion, Sir, he´s alive, but i´m not sure for how long.'' The hunter said, placing the unconscious man on the ground, and his father took him on his arms.

''Where´s the lion?'' another farmer questioned.

''I killed it, Sir.'' Said the hunter.

''I don´t care what happened to the lion, help me take my son home.'' Don Aleandro cried and without wait time, the hunter and the farmers, help the father take his son home.

_/_

Dr. Fuentes was already waiting at the farm when Diego was brought in. Wasting no time, as soon as they crossed the farm gate, he ordered the young man to be taken to his room, where he would examine him.

It was the two most agonizing hours in the life of Don Aleandro, who was impatiently waiting for news from Dr. Fuentes. When he finally left his son's room, the old farmer noticed that the doctor didn't seem optimistic.

It turns out, that the unfortunate encounter with the mountain lion, earned Diego both internal and external injuries, broken arm, fingers and legs, not to mention cuts from the animal's claws and a concussion.

''But…you don´t think…'' Don Aleandro couldn´t think of the worst scenario, he couldn´t lose his son.

''I would like to stay and monitored him for the time been, I´m not going to lie to you my friend, your son´s condition is critical, I did everything I could, now the only thing we could do is pray.'' Said the doctor and Don Aleandro nodded sadly.

_/_

In the days following the accident, news that Don Diego De La Vega had been attacked by a lion spread quickly through Los Angeles and everyone who knew him took the time to visit him, although he remained unconscious. Sergeant Garcia arrived one day bringing half a bottle of wine already drunk, farmers around, as well as the wives of friends, took turns to go to the farm and help Don Aleandro, take care of his sick son. Even Annamaria Verdugo, upon learning of what had happened, traveled from Monterrey to Los Angeles to stay with her friend and at least ask forgiveness for having mistreated him in her previous farewell.

''Please Diego, you are so strong, so sweet, you can´t die, please wake up…'' Annamaria cried caressing his head and holding his hand. ''He can´t die Don Aleandro, he can´t.'' she exclaimed once out of the room and in response, Don Aleando gives her a tired smile.

''Diego is strong my dear, give him time, he will be back to us.'' He said more to himself than for her, since just the other day, Dr. Fuentes came back, saying that Diego would probably never regain conscious again.

''Don Aleandro, if you don´t mind, I would like to stay a little longer in Los Angeles, till he recover at least a bit, you would mind?'' asked the woman.

''Of course you can, you are welcome here anytime, you know Diego is very found of you.'' He said and she just smiled in return.

It was two weeks after the attack that Diego regained consciousness. The first thing he saw, which made him laugh, was his cat Amiro, which was lying on his chest, but soon after, his father scared the animal away.

''My son…'' Don Aleandro smiled, sitting on the bed and taking his son´s hand. ''I´m so relieved, I thought I had lost you,'' he smiled and caressed his son´s head. ''How are you feeling?''

''Fine, I suppose Papa, I'm having a strange feeling on my legs…and my fingers, they seem strange as well...'' Diego noted. ''I´m sorry Papa, I needed to save Bernardo, the lion was going to attack him and…''

''Shh, its alright son, you are alright now, that's all that matters now,'' Aleandro told his son, who feeling tired, got to sleep again. ''I´m proud if what you have done, son, I just wished you could be more careful.''

As the days went by, Diego regained his strength, although he still had difficulty holding objects, because of the wound in his hands and arms.

However, when trying to get up, Diego realized that his legs were not supporting him and before he could do anything, he fell to the ground, unable to get up, scaring Annamaria Verdugo, who had come to visit him again.

''Diego, what are you trying to do? Are you trying to make your injuries worse?'' she scolded, asking Bernardo to help her get the young man back to his bed.

''I apologize Annamaria, my father said the same thing when I tried to get out the bed yesterday, I just, I jus having time believe that…part of me,'' he crossed eye with Bernardo. ''Was killed by that lion.''

'' ''Diego, I didn't know you felt defeated so easily, think like Zorro, I doubt he would feel defeated by any situation,'' she said, as Diego closed his eyes in a small expression of pain. ''You need your medicine, are you in pain?''

''I suppose, yes and a spoon of sugar too.'' He said as Bernardo handle him both.

''What you mean?'' laughed the woman.

'' Well Annamaria, that's what they say, the medicine can taste bad, but a spoonful of sugar, will help it go down in the most delightful way.'' He replied and in response, Annamaria helped him with his medicine.

_/_

Almost two months had passed since the attack, although his legs were still not working, Diego was already considerably better, so Dr. Fuentes allowed him to get out of bed, which he thought was great, and suggested a trip to Los Angeles, to see everything and everyone in the city.

So, Don Aleandro worked to get a wheelchair brought for his son, and with Bernardo's help, they went on the long-awaited outing. However, when they arrived in town, the old farmer couldn't help but notice his son's nervousness as they took him out of the carriage.

''What's the matter, son?'' asked the old man.

''Honestly, I'm scared… you know… if another lion…''

''Oh don´t be silly Diego, you know no wide animal will be naïve enough to come to the town, at least not in broad daylight.'' The father said a bit annoyed. Once learning about Zorro, not long ago, the old man forget sometimes that his son could be quite a coward.

The tavern was packed as usual, when the De La Vega entered, and upon seeing his friend again, Sergeant Garcia rushed to greet him and invite them both to share a bottle of wine.

''Well, not for me, Sargent, thank you.'' Said the old man.

''Why not father?'' Don Diego asked.

''Yeah, why not, Don Aleandro? Let's drink and celebrate! ''the sergeant agreed.

''No, thank you, I made a promise, that I wouldn't drink a drop of alcohol anymore if my son survived,'' he said. ''I will have a lemonade instead, now let's celebrate.'' He said and Diego can't help but laugh at his father's strange display of love.

Maybe this was a sad exit for Zorro to retire, he just hoped it wouldn't be for too long. On the other hand, meeting the lion had brought him closer to his father and maybe he could find other ways to make him proud.