02

             It was a cold night. I normally don’t go out at night because of the dangers of living out in the forest, though tonight I wanted to go for a walk. The moon was nice and bright I have to say I choose a good night to walk. I saw some night frogs and toads, cute little bunnies, pretty night blooming flowers, and even a big deer with huge antlers! It was fun to see the night’s innocence come to life; I mean you can’t see it in the daytime. Wonder, wonder, wonder that’s all I did for what seemed hours probably only ten minutes. I did go quite a ways from my home because I made it to the tree that didn’t grow right. All the other trees grew up straight but this one didn’t, it twisted and bent at odd angles which made it easy to climb. This tree I used as a marker because to me it signified the end of the forest and the beginnings of an unknown world to which I was told to never go to. Of course, this didn’t stop me from climbing the tree to the tippy top then jump onto the next even taller and bigger tree! When at the top of the big normal tree, it feels like I can touch the clouds and I can see the glow of that unknown world that you can only see at night. It makes me wonder sometimes what’s out there.

                Other than the fact of it being cold, I was perfectly happy and felt safe up in the highest branches of the tree. I don’t know how long I was up there when fear fell upon me. I know what fear is I get it every time I’m out looking for food and an aggressive animal is around but this was different.  I didn’t know if I should run or stay. I chose to stay because not many can climb a tree like this; it seemed to be the safest option. As instinct took control, I camouflaged my brightly colored fur as best I could then I heard the rustling. It was like nothing I’ve ever heard before… Animals don’t fight like that… I was scared I wanted to cry but I didn’t want to blur my vision for if I had to run. I wanted to run. Run back home where I knew I’d be safe. Then suddenly the rustling stopped with an explosion. Birds rushed out of the trees flying for their lives. They knew what that was and so did I. Gunfire, the very thing that has killed many of deer neighbors, as if I wasn’t already scared out of my mind now this. Time felt slow. I heard voices, just two a male and a female. The fact was clear they were hunting. If only I could make out what they were saying… two more gunshots. Now time started to pick back up and I finally had my chance to run.

                As I quickly made my way down the trees, the smell of blood became ever stronger close to the point of intoxicating. Now I was in the wired twisty tree when I saw him. He was clearly the pray… His wounded broken body collapsed by the big tree I was once in. The man, with what little strength he had left if any, looked up at the sky, smiled, and said, “I’ve never seen the stars so clearly before…” Death is a forever constant but it’s different when you watch life drain out of someone. I couldn’t stand it. I didn’t care if he was a good guy or the bad guy! I jumped out of the tree and ran to him taking my shirt off and grabbing a stick to make a tourniquet on his stomach wound.

                That fear that hit me earlier was still present but it now became merged with the fear of losing someone. “Mister! Don’t die!” I said to him sternly hopefully not loud enough for his hunters to hear me. “You’re not going to died I’m not going to let you!” I wasn’t sure if he heard anything I said but he did look me in the eye and it felt like he said okay… His wounds were temporarily patched but they won’t hold forever. I hoisted him on my back and went as fast as I could go back to my home. Wait. His blood dripping off of him and me is going to lead a trail right to us! The only way to avoid this problem is to tread water which will take longer. Worth the risk. Thankfully I know of a creek that runs near my home. I made it home quicker than I thought, thank god, but my work was far from over. Now came the daunting task of keeping whoever this was alive. It was going to be a long night…

 ~Fin~