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It was dark and damp on a cool Autumn night. Deep in the forest
of the Northeast Kingdom there was a silence perpetuating and
only interrupted by the intermittent and slow effusion of water
down the smooth auburn leaves.
The cottontail principality was just getting ready to nestle down
for their long winter nap. Across the ancient dry-stone wall the
monax king had been warning all the little furry beasts to be
prepared. A snowshoe hare had brought a message that the
bobcats were on the prowl.
Across the meadow and down the glen a rustle was heard, but
then nothing. However, if you just listened close enough, you
might think you caught wind of a tribal chant, ancient and mystical.
The bobcats were chanting in unison. A long and piercing
"meeeeeooooowwwww" then became apparent.
Quickly the rabbits had to react, to get down into their shallow
dales and ready themselves for the onslaught. The hares brought
word from the monax king that they were burrowing deeper and
for the cottontails to seek shelter quick.
Up the mighty oak tree with its burled knots and crooked branches
sat the squirrel fiefdom. They took notice of the commotion, but
thought little until it was nearly too late. The bobcats rushed in by
the score. The squirrels had never seen so many forest felines before.
What could be the cause? They never knew.
The squirrels sacrificed their acorns for their own salvation. The
bobcat chant became louder, stronger, longer, not unlike a high-school
pep-rally. The felines were fierce and un-remorseful, down went
one two three squirrels as prey to the blood-lusted pussycats of
the forest. No matter how many acorns were thrown, the squirrels
never had enough to stave off these predatory cats.
From the scene of feline infused fury the rabbits had run to the
monax king for protection. Waiting, perhaps the long frigid hand
of death was about to make its final grab.
Then, like an apparition, something appeared at the edge of the
meadow and down the stonewall. The ungulates, resting peacefully,
had, perhaps out of curiosity, taken notice of the muted hissing and
growling from afar. The ewes and the rams went first. A slow walk
turned into a trot. The rams could see their friends suffering at the
unmerciful lust of these demon possessed creatures. How heartbreaking
it must have been to see friends and acquaintances turned into nothing
more than a midnight snack. The demon-cats thinking nothing of it
went onto the next, with as little concern as had it been a patch of
alfalfa or a bale of hay.
The demeanor of the rams went from silent curious meditation to a
fierce rage. The trot turned into a run. Down went the horns and
the rams scooped up the bobcats two by two swinging them in every
direction. All that could be heard is the "wrrrooowrrr" and the "hissss"
from bobcats as they were thrown in the air and to the trees. Nothing
could look more surprised than their wide-eyed faces, still dripping with
the blood of the innocent, and outstretched limbs as they flew off to
infamy, shrinking slowly to the horizon.
Then all was silent, all was peaceful, nothing but the sound of the wind
subtly fluttering the leaves above and the mild aroma of pine wafting
through the air. The rams and the ewes, thanked by the monax king,
went back to their paddock. The rabbits had found salvation and went
to their principality.
The moon, showing brightly, kept sentry over the kingdom for another night.
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