Whiskey River Snippets
Big Damn Kitty!
Note: A few years ago, I forget when, Colorado was having trouble with mountain lions. They were coming down from the mountains to the towns. Several people died. At least one was a jogger or biker, and I believe a child also was killed. These are big cats. They are the largest feline that can still purr. They have many names; mountain lion, cougar, puma, panther, and mountain cat are the most common. I have no clue if they are common in Wyoming or not.
Note 2: This is just something to tide you over until I can finally finish chapter 5. It takes place about a year and a half from when the boys bought the ranch. It's not exactly finished, and may or may not go in a chapter somewhere. The horse Izzy is real, and did throw me. The cougar is not related to that incident. To "pony" a horse means to lead one horse while riding another.
It was going to be an early winter. Snow had already fallen on the mountain, and it was just July. Ennis was getting worried about the cattle. Coyotes were common, and rarely messed with cattle. Bears were more worrisome, but they rarely came on the ranch. No, what had Ennis worried was cougar. He'd heard one scream a few nights ago. Cougar hunted anything, had even been known to take people. If there was snow on the mountain, that meant that the big cats were going to come down to hunt for food. Ennis wanted the cattle as close to the house as possible. He and Jack were up in one of the high South pastures bringing them down.
"Ennis, quit worryin'. We aren't due another snow for a few days." Jack guided his horse, a big bay mare named Izzy, around the other side of the herd. It was a blustery day and the cattle were restless. Jack whistled and called to the dogs, and they pulled the herd closer together.
The cattle began lowing louder. It was a frantic, warning sound. Lady, the brindle colored head bitch, barked and growled a warning. Her lips pulled away from her teeth, and all the fur on her back stood up. Ennis pulled out his old rifle, cocked it and held it ready. It was the same rifle from herding sheep on Brokeback all those years ago, and had never yet let him down. Four things suddenly happened. The cattle spooked and took off, dogs running after them; the cougar that had been stalking one of the calves lunged, missing the calf but catching Izzy's rump when Jack sent her after the herd; Izzy reared, then bucked, sending Jack over her neck; Ennis fired a shot at the big cat, killing it. The report of the gun covered the sickening crack Jack's head made when it connected with the ground. Izzy, still terrified, but not wanting to harm her rider, attempted to jump over Jack's prone body, catching him in the ribs with her hoof, and bolting a few feet. Jack groaned, and rolled over, then went still.
Ennis slid off Cigar Butt and rushed to Jack's side. One side of his face was covered in blood. It ran from a gash high on the left side of his forehead, down across his eye and mixed with the blood gushing from his nose, darkening his lips and dribbling down his chin. Ennis ran his bandana across Jack's face. He breathed a sigh of relief when no blood bubbled out of his mouth. The kick to the ribs hadn't resulted in a punctured lung. The blow to the head had knocked Jack unconscious, leaving Ennis with a problem. Did he wait to see if Jack woke up, or did he try to go ahead and get him down the mountain, and into the truck?
The danger gone, Jack's horse wandered back over. Dropping her nose in apology, she nuzzled at her rider. Ennis pushed her nose away, and she moved behind him instead, dropping her nose on his shoulder and sighing in his ear. Ennis absently scratched her head. He couldn't leave Jack here, he needed to see a doctor. Jack's horse sighed again, giving him an idea.
Ennis had laughed when Jack decided to see if he could teach Izzy some tricks. The horse had managed to learn how to lay down and get up on command, and Jack had even been able to mount while Izzy was on the ground. Now, Ennis was going to make practical use of that training.
He lifted Jack's upper body carefully and removed his torn shirt. After ripping it into long strips, he then wound them around Jack's torso, stabilizing the ribs. Carefully lifting Jack into his arms, he gave Izzy the "lay down" command, then placed Jack in the saddle and climbed on behind him. Ennis nudged Izzy up, and grabbed Cigar Butt's reigns. He ponied the horse, wrapping the reigns around the saddle horn, and guided Izzy home.