I sat quietly in the chair on my cabin deck; my spectacles low on my muzzle as I read Donn Kushner's 'A Book Dragon'.
The passing breeze felt nice on my fur as I momentarily watched the pines bordering the valley, sway in the breeze. The crisp, late summer wind carried the scent of lilacs and wild roses, and the occasional song of chickadees and mountain bluebirds as they flitted about in the trees.
It had been thirty lonely years since my wife, two sons, and daughter had all passed away, and not a day went by that I didn't think of them. I had learned to bury the sorrow and cherish the happiness we'd all shared, but sometimes the tears would come, regardless of how much I thought of the happy memories.
After reading, I went in the grab my knife, before searching for a chunk of balsa wood, which I carved into a wolf over the next few hours, to pass the time.
I soon found myself growing hungry. Getting up, I went inside, preparing and chopping some fresh-grown potatoes and carrots I'd picked from my garden just the other day, humming to myself. I then went out to pick some onions and chives as well.
Coming back in, I next prepared some boiling water in the stove, adding some olive oil and beef broth, letting it thicken as I stirred the soup, humming to myself. After about five to ten minutes of letting the broth thicken considerably, I tossed the ingredients in, stirring them thoroughly.
After a hearty lunch of beef stew, I packaged the leftovers, did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, then headed out for a hike.
It always felt nice to be out here, and wilderness hikes always did me good, physically, mentally and emotionally.
However, I was about a half-mile from home, when my keen hearing picked up a distant scream for help.
Spinning, I looked around frantically, hearing the scream come again from the west. I took off running, following the sound, and soon picked up a scent.
A quarter-mile further, I came upon a young male mountain lion who had cornered a young man in a ravine. Luckily, there was still some distance between them.
Lying flat on my stomach, I crawled forward until I could just see over the edge. The man was cowering in a cul-de-sac about ten metres from the cougar's position.
I saw the hunger in the animal's eyes, and growled in anger. Just as the cat began to stalk, I leapt over the edge, and just as the cat glanced up...WHAM!!
I pile-drove the animal into the ground as it roared. Jumping off the cat, I slowly backed away as it turned its attention to me. I let it advance, before the cougar roared, and charged me! But just like a cat, I lightly sprang off the ground, flying over the charging beast and landing crouched a foot behind it!
Luckily, he was going fast enough that he slammed into the stone, momentarily stunning himself, and those few seconds I used to leap and ram both my feet into the cougar's back, snapping its spine!
With an agonized roar, the cougar fell limp.
Breathing heavily from the exertion, I calmed myself down. Turning, I glimpsed the young man just as he vanished down the ravine, and decided to follow him. He led me back out into the open meadows, and I smiled as he glimpsed my cabin in the distance.
I watched him head toward it, open the door, and go inside. I swiftly yet silently ran across toward the cabin, and hid around the back, looking in the back window just in time to see him start to eat a bowl of the stew I had earlier prepared.
Smiling, I very quietly came around, went in, and sat down across from the man, who, surprisingly, was hungry enough that he didn't even glance up!!!
"Is it good?" I asked.
