A Sign

The sun was very warm and the water felt really good as all four friends splashed water on each other. The sandy bottom felt good on their feet and the water was clear enough they could even see their feet. Armando found a short piece of wood that they used to play keep-away. First, they played boys against the girls and then Armando and Consuela played against John and Novia. Because John and Novia were older and taller, they had the piece of wood most of the time. Nevertheless, everyone enjoyed playing in the water.

All of a sudden, they heard a high-pitched screech. As they looked toward the rocks where they had changed their clothes, they saw three kittens running excitedly toward them.

“Oh, look,” said Consuela. “Little kittens. Aren’t they cute?”

“Those aren’t kittens,” said John. “They’re baby Mountain Lions. Stay away from them!”

“Why?” asked Consuela.

“Because their mom is around here somewhere. Stay in the water. Move out where it’s deeper.”

John was picking up his clothes and Armando was at the water’s edge when they heard another shrill screech and saw the female cat, hissing as she came out of the brush. The large cat jumped onto a rock about thirty yards from Armando. John immediately moved slowly toward his brother.

“Shall I run for the water?” asked Armando, whispering through the side of his mouth.

“No,” said John, “stay right where you are. Don’t move a muscle.”

John kept moving slowly toward Armando.

The female Mountain Lion, sometimes called a Puma or Cougar, is a beautiful animal when observed in captivity or from a distance. Her long legs make her a formidable enemy of many animals, some as large as a deer. Measuring five to six feet in length and weighing up to 200 pounds or more, she can travel short distances at great speed and she watches her cubs very carefully.

The kittens were almost at Armando’s feet when the large female hissed loudly, jumped to the ground and bounded toward Armando.

Armando never made a sound…nor did he move. He stood absolutely still.

Springing faster and faster, the big cat leaped into the air before pouncing on Armando, knocking him over into the water. The cat lost her balance in the water, turned back, and stood over Armando with her mouth wide open, ready to grab his throat with her sharp teeth.

Then, very slowly, she began to slump down on top of Armando and, as drops of blood fell on his chest, Armando saw the knife in her throat. Then he saw another knife in the side of her chest and the huge cat collapsed on top of him.

The girls were screaming at the top of their lungs as the cubs rushed back into the brush.

John was about ten feet from Armando and he ran over to his younger brother as quickly as he could to see if he was all right. Armando had a deep scratch on one arm, several scratches on his shoulder and a few on his legs, but seemed otherwise to be okay.

As everyone started to settle down and collect their thoughts, Consuela said, “I wasn’t scared.”

Novia and Armando looked at her in astonishment, and then realized she was joking.