Calypso - Dark Horse

SO ALOOF WE ARE FROM THE INEVITABLE ENCOUNTER EACH MUST

FACE AND FIGHT ALONE.

Chapter 7

THE COUGAR

It is true that a cougar screams just before he attacks his prey. The ferocious snarling is loud and frightening.  Calypso had never heard such a terrible sound, and it was deafening to his sensitive ears. Every muscle in his body tightened like steel.  Jesse came rushing around the barn barking when she heard the cougars scream.  Calypso pivoted to see what was alarming the dog.  Calypso had smelled the animal even moments before it growled.  He was jumping around in circles changing directions just as the cougar jumped and attempted to sink his teeth into Calypso’s neck.

The long streamlined body of this wild cat allows it to achieve what seems like the impossible.  Its long sharp teeth, strong jaws, and clawed toes, made the cougar one of the strongest and most feared carnivores of the animal kingdom.

By this time the large attacking cat scrambled in mid air missing the quick Calypso. All he got was a claw full of mane, and no more.  The cougar landed hard on the ground which was not a good place to be with horse hoofs hitting the ground in a fury.  It was as if the horses were chasing the attacking animal, and maybe they were. The cat vamoosed quickly under the fence and out of the area.  Calypso’s eyes were full of fear but mixed with fear was a lot of nerve. His courage had probably saved him.

Alarmed by the noise of Jesse’s barking and the commotion of the horses, Grandpa arrived at the scene in time to see most of the action.

“What is going on here?” he yelled.

Calypso came running over to Grandpa, nickered to him and nearly jumped in his lap, as if to say,

“It’s good to see you.”

That was the last time the cougar came to the ranch.

AGAINST THE ROLL OF LAUGHTER NOTHING CAN SHINE. {Mark Twain}

Chapter 3.

THE HOUDINI

What was taking so long for Grandpa to check on the new colt?  Half an hour had passed since Grandpa had gone out in the cold winter night.  Calypso seemed to settle into his new corral. With the other horses next to him, we felt that he should be fine.

“I had better take the flashlight and check, as Grandpa may need my help,” Grandmother said to her grandson, Dustin.

When Grandmother went outside, she saw Grandpa coming around the barn, and leading the dark chocolate colt.  Grandmother was surprised to see Calypso was out of the corral, and asked,

“What is the young horse doing out of his corral?”

“He got out on his own.” Grandpa said

“How did he do that?” Grandmother asked.

“I wondered the same thing; I guess he is like the great escape artist

Houdini and it is a mystery.  I’ll tell you a story you aren’t going to believe.”

Then Grandpa began to tell what had happened.

“When I arrived at Calypso’s corral I found it vacant.  No gate was open and no fence had been broken.  So how had he escaped?   Better yet where had he vanished to?  He was not anywhere in sight. I flashed the light around in the dark yard area, but saw no sign of him.  I was hoping to catch the gleam of his eye, because it is a really dark night and Calypso is a dark horse. Then I heard a soft nicker, answered by another.