Still Here

Chapter Fifteen

Crippled with fear, I slowly turn on Angel's back. I see the dark figure of the scary large cat slowly emerge from the darkness of the rain. I cry out in fear as the cat pounces forward onto my precious mare's back legs. Surprised, she runs and kicks, hitting the cat's stomach with her hooves. Not discouraged in the least, the cat continues to pursue. The next five minutes are a blur for me.

Instead of targeting Angel, the cat locks his view on me. He pounces up onto Angel's back and swipes his claws on me, slicing from one shoulder to the other. The force of his paw knocks me off of Angel and onto the ground. The pain is excruciating. I lean against a tree and my vision becomes cloudy and weak, but I can hear the battle perfectly clear. I hear growls and hissing, hooves and cries. The same cries I heard that dreaded night. When I think everything's over, I hear the cat creep up next to me.

"You can take me if you want. But if you touch my horse again, I will kill you," I spit at the cat, although the rain and dizziness makes it difficult to see. Then the cat attacks.

I feel scratches down my arm, a ripping sensation. My side is then thrashed open by the menacing claws, but I hear hooves coming to my rescue. I open my eyes enough to see a very weak Angel hit her front hooves down onto the cat, and they both go limp. When I'm sure the cats dead, I slowly make my way to Angel. She's lying on the ground next to the dead cat, barely breathing. The rain is heavy and thick, and everything is uncomfortably wet. Using my remaining strength, I scream at the top of my lungs. Then everything go black as I slump against Angel's side.

~

I wake up in a warm field, Angel beside me. I check my arms and side, and there are no scars. I check Angel's legs, rump, and stomach area, and there's not a scratch to be found. Angel sees me and bows down, offering her back to me. I mount and Angel takes off at frightening speed.

"Angel! No! You're going to kill us!" I shout. But then she stops running. We approach a creepy looking forest with bright trees and a strange fog. From the fog, a figure appears, and panic takes me over as I remember the night of the attack.

The figure is Calypso.

I dismount Angel and slowly approach the horse. "C-Callie?"

"Hello, Dani. I see you have met Angie here," her soothing voice speaks, the same voice I heard in the strange dream I had weeks ago.

"A-angie?" I ask, confused.

"Yes, Angel. The guardian angel I sent you."