The Jail is gone. The Church is still being rebuilt. The Tent City is growing and so is the Crime Rate. Dogs are running rampant, cats are prohibited, but thankfully muffins are back on the menu. But with Busted Gulch's last Mayor being arrested for...
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Devil Cat
Hugh had just bout burst with pride, as he glanced behind him and watched his bride read the note his heart had bidden.
"I'll love you past death, Mrs. Bellow", he thought, as he turned and headed west to meet up with Dusty Dog.
He'd thought it was gonna be a quick two-day pursuit ....
The goal was simple :
Find, and relocate the bobcats
That were kill'n the stock.
But now...
Four days later, outta pickled eggs,
Outta coffee...
Outta luck.
Six Bobcats had been trapped, caged, and kept for relocation.
But still, each night, in the herds there was more devastation!
Hunched round a small fire, in front of Dixie's cave,
The three men, and Joy, talked bout their plans to deploy.
"I need to get on back to the mine" said Stray Dog... "this hunt has taken up way too much time!"
Hugh said, "i agree... it's time to get home and regroup.
Dusty, we can drive what's left of the herd back cross River Creek.
On your way to the mine, Stray, you can free those kits from their coops.
They aren't the killers - it's a big cat we seek!
A devil, i fear... an' it'll take more'n a week!
After the election, after we rest, we can catch that fat devil-cat...
We'll clean out his nest! "
Slowly, the friends stretched out by the fire.
While Joy kept watch, they searched the bright sky.
And sleep came to each as the stars flew by...
A low growl from Joy, at dawn's first light,
alerted the men to their terrible plight.
Horses and mules fought against their hobbles...
All eyes followed Joy's glare as the bobcat appeared.
High above, on the edge of a cliff, the monster's intent clear and awful...
The three men jumped up and reached for their rifles.
Hugh turned to the men... slow and softly he spoke... "Stay here and cover me... I'm gonna find a flank route... I'll get good an close... when I holler, that devil will turn... then bring him down... aim true... don't fear.. you shoot from the rear... I'll shoot at his heart... he's as big as a grizzly... but three deer rifles should find death's mark!"
But then, as the big man turned on his toes, there was a unearthly howl... the giant bobcat leapt through the air!
Screech'n, like all the demons from She'ol,the monster landed on Hugh!
Both man and cat slammed into the coals.
Hugh screamed as he felt his chest shred into strips of flesh.
The cat's bloodlust sparked at the smell of death!
KABOOM!!!
A single blast exploded!... then another... then another!
Dusty and Stray blasted the fiend, till the dead cat collapsed on the still body of their friend.
Quickly, they hauled the carcass away... one on each side.. they begged Hugh to stay.
Dixie looked up, from her churn, at the sound of the bark - - - - not Sarah Rose - - - - another dog - - - - near? - - - - Dixie frowned.
She stood tall and shaded her eyes with one hand - - - - somethin' on the horizon - - - - a horse? - - - - a travois? - - - - one rider? - - - - "No! - - no. no. no. no! "
She stumbled and ran, her skirts held high, "Please, Dear God!... don't let him die! "...
Dusty hauled up the reins as he watched her fall on her knees... then he turned his head... somehow shamed to view her frantic pleas.
"Don't die" she sobbed, "don't die my beloved! "
She hauled herself up... blinded by tears... an' fumbled with the knots as she unhitched the travois....
"Go! Dusty go!... As fast as you can!... get the Sheriff... tell him, please! please!... to bring muffins! ... go by the Doc's... tell him we need all the tools he employs!"
..............
In the sudden quiet... just one lonely birdsong...
