Clyde The Donkey

 

It was a day like any other day. Mary carried alfalfa to her horses as the dogs nipped and barked at her heal. The temperature seemed cooler than usual, but after all it was late November which meant that a white Christmas snow was hovering just around the corner.

     It was now feeding time and Clyde was waiting patiently as Mary carefully separated the bale of alfalfa into leafs. She fed her horses and donkeys at the same time each day, carefully laying the hay on the ground in front of each animal. Mary loved her horses and especially those silly little donkeys.

   Clyde was the oldest of three donkeys that Mary kept at her Rock Canyon Ranch. He was very used to Mary’s routine and knew she always fed the donkeys last. The older Clyde got the more he needed a steady routine to follow. His daily routines usually included getting up early at the crack of dawn, walking the ranch fields and waiting for Mary to supply him with breakfast. Life was all so sweet and special for Clyde the donkey.

    C-r-a-c-k, p-o-p, k-a-c-h-i-n-g a loud noise suddenly broke the quiet-stillness that usually hovered on the valley floor of Rock Canyon. Clyde was day dreaming about long orange carrots with bright green feathery tops when suddenly a very noisy and angry sounding machine interrupted and disturbed his thoughts. Its engine was popping and spitting out smoky-black colored, half burnt up engine exhaust. Clyde turned his head from side to side thinking that would help him discern what was making the awful racket.  

   Just then Farmer Smith’s bright, yellow tractor came into view as he broke up the fallow soil that lay between the rows of grapes in the vineyard. With all the commotion passed, Clyde returned his attention towards Mary as she began feeding Lucito, Bresha and Gabby. Each of the horses received their own individual leaf of alfalfa hay and a coffee can full of oats. Clyde knew his food would soon be arriving over the white fence rail bringing much needed relief to the funny guzzling sound that was coming from within his tummy.

    Clyde always walked the ranch with head held high as though he was a king on his way to a royal engagement. He was the largest of three donkeys that were free to roam the Smith’s Ranch. His soul mate was a medium sized donkey named Bonnie. She was a two years younger, a tiny bit shorter and smarter than Clyde. Together they made a happy family and produced a foal named Roxy.

    Today was special day as the entire ranch was preparing to celebrate Roxy’s birthday. Bonnie gave birth to Roxy exactly one year ago today during the first snowfall of the season. As far as donkeys go Roxy was very beautiful. Although, she stood just a little shy of both her mother and father.

   Mary had finished feeding all the horses and was preparing to feed her donkeys. As Mary walked by, Clyde reached his head through the rails in the fence in a sneaky attempt to steal a bite of hay ahead of all the other donkeys.  Clyde always looked forward to his feeding time. He loved to be near Mary and would rub his nose on her pant leg if given the chance.

    “Hey there now!” Mary exclaimed pulling back the leaf of hay as she scolded Clyde for his apparent lack of manners.

    “It’s Roxy’s birthday! Be a gentleman Clyde and let her have the first nibble” said Mary a little disappointed in Clyde’s lack of manners. Clyde’s ears drooped back and his eyes narrowed which often happened when he was miffed or annoyed by something. Mary threw an extra large portion of hay to Roxy.

     “Happy Birthday, girl!”  said Mary and then finished her chores by throwing down two medium sized leafs for both Bonnie and Clyde.

      Farmer Smith jumped down from his noisy, clickity-clack-tractor and killed the engine switch just as Mary rang the dinner bell. Clyde knew by the sound of the bell it was time for all the human critters to eat. He often wondered about what they did inside the big ranch house and the kind of hay they were about to eat.

     “Y-u-m, y-u-m,” said farmer Smith “By the aroma I think your cooking up chicken! And I love the way you cook chicken Mary, it ends up being such a feast! It’s amazing what you can do with chicken, rice and vegetables” said Farmer Smith as he gave Mary a pat on her back.

   Outside the sky was cooking up something too and just as the words were leaving his lips a brilliant, orange flash lit up the early evening sky. Rolls of thunder crackled and bounced off the shear granite cliffs in Rock Canyon.

    “We have one mighty wicked storm brewing up here Mary and we better get the animals into the barn before it starts snowing and we have a real white out” said Farmer Smith as he ran out the door sadly leaving his dinner sitting on the table.

Chapter Two: Lost In The Storm

      The wind began howling as the dwindling orange light of the fading sun flickered and then disappeared behind Gaskill Peak.

     “Get the horses Jim and I’ll find the dogs” Screamed Mary. She never called Farmer Smith by his first name unless she was very frightened or angry. Mary continued fighting the wind and the noise of the thunder as she continued calling for the dogs.

   The ranch was patrolled and protected by two medium sized dogs named Biscuit and Gravy. The dogs were trained to herd the sheep, cattle and goats Famer Smith was raising on his vast ranch estate. But in the midst of all the commotion the dogs were nowhere to be found. Panic was in the air as the storm began to intensify. “C-r-a-c-k” as another bolt of lightning and a huge crash of thunder echoed against the rock walls of the canyon. The entire valley floor was buzzing with activity as cows, coyotes, rabbits and foxes ran for cover.

   The clouds had all but hidden the remaining afternoon light, making it seem as though it was night. There was also a familiar silence to the air, a noticeable stillness right before the snow would begin to fall. The calm before the storm had settled in and you could almost smell the snow in the air. Mary had Lucito and Bresha by their halter ropes while Gabby and Roxy had already made their way into the barn. Following close behind the horses in fact right on their hooves, was Mr. Whiskers the cat, some chickens and a few goats.

   Roxy, now safely in the barn, still had the unusually large leaf of hay she had received for her birthday hanging from her mouth. Clyde was lagging behind as usual because he was a real straggler at heart. He

never liked leaving the freedom of the outdoors for the comfort and safety of the barn. And often he could be found at the very front of the ranch, standing completely still near the two large fir poles that held up the gate to the property. At times Clyde could be really stubborn and this was one of those times as he ignored Mary’s calls to follow her into the barn.

     The weather was getting bad and soon the frozen rain turned to dime-sized hail balls. The temperature was nearing 30 degrees as the hail quickly began piling up on the ground against the barn. The tree branches too were bending down from the added weight of the hail.

   As soon as the hail began, it stopped and was now replaced by large, gently falling powdery snowflakes. The wind swirled and floated the flakes through the still night air depositing them gently down onto Clyde’s coarse, black back as he stood out in the front pasture. Although he liked to be alone he also knew it was not safe to be locked out of the barn all night and especially during a snow storm.

    C-R-A-C-K! “What was that!” said Clyde to himself.

    What sounded like an explosion went off behind the donkey’s back. Clyde had not only heard the explosion but also saw the cliff behind him giving way. He bolted away from the pursuing rocks and debris that were already in motion tumbling down the side of the mountain on a collision coarse heading straight for him.

      The snow was falling harder now as Clyde leaped over the corral fence just as the roaring rockslide came to an abrupt stop on the dirt road that led to the barn. Had the donkey hesitated even for a second longer he would now be at the very bottom of a huge pile of rocks, snow, trees and soil. The snow was blowing so hard by now it was a full blown white out. Disorientated from the rockslide, Clyde could not distinguish or tell which direction the barn was in. So he lowered his head, shook off the snow that had accumulated on his back and ran in what he thought was the right direction.

   Everything looked so different, covered in a pure-white blanket of snow, that Clyde mistook the gate at the end of the road for the gate leading to the barn. Five, ten then fifteen minutes went by but still nothing looked familiar to the old, gray donkey. As he plodded along in now what was a full blizzard he could hardly see five feet in front of him on the now dark and snowy path. At that moment, Clyde realized he was lost.

Chapter Three: Dark is the Night

     Hours had now passed, Clyde was getting very tired, and so he lay down under the protection of a large Manzanita tree that was growing out of the base of an even larger Stone pine. As he lay down he rolled into a ball snuggly tucking in his head, legs and hooves in an attempt to keep from freezing.

    “I’m going to freeze to death out here!” said the donkey to himself just as a strong gust of wind put an extra chill to the air. The biting cold now nipped at the donkey’s long ears and chilled him to the bone. Not only was he cold and wet but he was exhausted too. As Clyde drifted off to sleep he thought back to earlier in the morning; thoughts of Bonnie who was now snuggled safely back in the barn and of Roxy with her extra large leaf of hay. Oh how Clyde wished he too was back in the security of the barn, cuddled warmly in a soft bed of fresh straw.

     After spending many long hours shivering out in the cold, Clyde was beginning to wake up. He had a very vivid dream, a dream that had a lot to do with a warm barn, fresh straw and an extra large leaf of hay.    

 “Why am I so warm?” thought Clyde.

 The donkey was toasty warm and could not hear the wind as it had been howling just before he had fallen asleep. There was a white wall of snow in front of him, on the sides, in back, and above Clyde’s head. As the donkey began to stand up on his front legs, Clyde bumped his head into a ceiling of snow. He now realized why it was so warm and quiet. He had been sleeping underneath a big pile of snow. During the night, while Clyde was sleeping there on the forest floor, the snow had continued to fall. And as it accumulated it made a natural blanket that kept his heat inside and warmed him. The snow cave had saved his life. But Clyde now had to struggle to push his way through the pile of snow and emerged from safety of its shelter. After shaking the snow off him, Clyde turned all around looking at his new surroundings. He sensed he was not alone and had the distinct feeling he was being watched.

Chapter Four: A Friendly Voice

      As the donkey turned to look behind him a voice from out of the darkness broke the silence of the early morning snowfall.

    “Hoo are you?” cooed the mysterious voice.  “And where did you come from?” the voice continued.

    “Why, I’m Clyde” the donkey brayed back at the stranger “And I live on the ranch that is at the end of the road in the valley” said Clyde.

    Suddenly, a large brown barn owl glided out from the top of a snow covered Douglas fir tree. The owl gracefully landed, hopped then perched on a lower branch near where Clyde had been sleeping.

    “I’m Cruiser” cooed the large owl as he cocked his head slightly to one side.

     “It’s nice to meet you Cruiser! It’s actually nice to meet anyone right now. I got lost in the snow storm and spent the entire night out here on the ground” said the donkey to his newest friend, the owl, shivering a little as he remembered how cold it had been during the night.

       The snow continued to fall more than usual that day but Cruiser and Clyde hardly noticed as they shared story after story of the forest, Rock Canyon Ranch and the fearsome rockslide that had almost buried Clyde alive. Soon there were many other forest animals popping out of their holes in the snow to listen to Clyde tell his story. A family of rabbits spotted Clyde as they hopped along the trail and decided to stop and see what all the fuss was about. A group of chipmunks were busy gathering and storing acorns into a dead oak stump that had fallen over not too far away from where the donkey was sitting. They too stopped their busy endeavor to see how this large gray creature happened to be here next to their home in the hollowed out log.

      “Hey everyone, this is Clyde” cooed the owl. “He lost his way in the snow storm last night and needs some cheering up” offered Cruiser as the crowd continued to grow.

     “Where did you come from? I don’t think I have seen you around here before?” said the oldest rabbit as he continued to thump his right foot on the snow covered ground.

      “Well, I belong to the family from Rock Canyon Ranch and I live in their barn at the end of the road in the great valley” said Clyde feeling a little less lonely and just plain happy to have someone to talk to.

      Soon there appeared many other forest animals; a fox, four squirrels, two raccoons and even a family of beavers huddled around Clyde. They were all so curious about this unusually large beast and how he managed to wander into their home. The raccoons had brought a couple of fish from their trip down to the lake. They offered Clyde one of their fish, but he told them he only ate grass and thanked them just the same. Cruiser knew the donkey must be getting hungry.

      “Clyde, there must be something you can eat that grows out here in the forest?” inquired Cruiser the owl.

      “Well, I found some wild onions back in the meadow that had bright purple flowers. They tasted really good so I could eat a few more of those.” said Clyde as his stomach gave another gurgle.

       At that the four squirrels scampered off down the path in search of some wild onion flowers for their new found friend. The animals continued to ask the donkey many questions about what life is like on a farm. They were amazed that Clyde had his own warm place to sleep complete with fresh straw, hay, oats and the occasional bright orange carrot. It was hard for them to believe that Clyde did not have to look for his own food but humans actually fed him each morning.

    Within minutes the squirrels were back and each had several onion stalks complete with purple flowers hanging out from both sides of their mouths.

    “Here you go see how these taste Clyde!” said the youngest squirrel as she dropped the tasty onion snacks right at Clyde’s hooves.

      “We don’t see many donkeys in the forest” said the beaver as he slammed his flat tail onto the snow pack acting as if he was a little upset that Clyde was in his territory.

     “You had better be careful Clyde, mountain lions are hungry this time of year and food is scarce. They wouldn’t think twice about taking you down”, barked the fox.

    “You know I can help you get home Clyde” the owl confidently cooed.

    “But won’t you have to wait until the clouds lift? How would you find the ranch in weather like this?” brayed the donkey.

     “Well I think there is a small break in the clouds which will allow me to see down to the ground. Hey, I think it’s worth a try anyway” said Cruiser and with that he turned and launched from the safety of the pine tree and out into the cold, windy darkness. In a moment the owl was gone. He had vanished into the clouds just as quickly as he had appeared in the first place and Clyde’s new found friend was gone. What seemed like hours passed and the owl had not returned. Slowly, all his new friends left, one by one, leaving the donkey all alone.

   Clyde’s legs hurt and were cramping up from his long sleep on the forest floor. The cold air was not helping his legs either. As the donkey reluctantly stood up he had to once again shake off the snow that had fallen on his back. With a loud bray Clyde made himself known and started back out in the direction he thought was the ranch.

   The little lost donkey found himself walking and walking until he could walk no more. The misty darkness of the forest slowly lifted to reveal a completely unknown and surreal looking landscape. It was so unfamiliar to Clyde because all the plants and trees were covered in a pure white blanket of snow. But because Clyde was so homesick for the ranch, Bonnie and Roxy he was not enjoying his new adventure through this winter wonderland full of snow. 

“If not for the fact that I was lost, this really would be a very awesome and beautiful! Place!” whispered Clyde as he made his way down through the forest glade.

Chapter5: Back At The Barn

         At first light, Mary and Farmer Smith searched frantically for Clyde. They immediately noticed the huge rockslide that had taken out a long portion of their fence. They all thought the worst but no one had the nerve to think that Clyde lay under the rock strewn debris. The other donkeys were busy using their hoofs to move some of the rubble out of the way in the hope they might uncover a clue to the where-a-bouts of Clyde.  Roxy brayed while Bonnie kept sniffing the ground around the rockslide for any sign that he might have escaped.

      Mary was not convinced either that Clyde was buried under the huge pile of rocks and debris. She knew how quick her little old donkey could move when he had to or when he wanted to. Mary went to saddle up Lucito, her Andalusian stallion, and head out into the elfin forest in search of her missing donkey. They called it the elfin forest because the underbrush grew so thick a man would have to be as small as an elf in order to walk underneath it.

       Lucito’s ears were pointing straight up as Mary approached him with his saddle and blanket. He was ready to go even before seeing Mary with the saddle and blanket because after all Clyde was one of the family and he were in need of some help. The large dapple gray Andalusian horse was not only tall but strong. Lucito came from southern Spain near the village of Marbella next to the Mediterranean Sea. His ancestors were called pure Spanish horses and had lived in southern Spain for thousands of years. They were bred for battle and for rescue missions in inclement weather just like this.

    Mary’s thoughts were running wild as she imagined Clyde being circled by several crazed mountain lions poised to attack him. She thought of snow covered pit falls that Clyde might have stumbled into where wolves were lurking in the shadows just waiting for a large animal like Clyde. Finally she thought, “Maybe he was just cold, tired and hungry somewhere in the Cuyamaca Mountains to the east. This allowed her heartbeat to slow a bit and the lump that was stuck in her throat to release.

      Farmer Smith loved his old donkey very much. He remembered the first day he had gotten Clyde and how small the donkey originally was. He was so tiny that the young donkey had once put his muzzle between Farmer Smith’s knees to scratch his nose and gently nibble at his leg. Farmer Smith surveyed the eastern sky. The sky was reddish orange in color which meant another storm was getting ready to hit.

    “Please be careful, Mary” said farmer Smith. “When do you think I might expect you home?” inquired the wise, old farmer. He had seen many emergencies during his life, many with unhappy endings. And he knew how quickly even the rescue party can become stranded, lost and in need of help.

“I will Jim, and I won’t stay out past dusk. You can expect me home in time for dinner, I’m going to find that donkey!” said Mary then softly whispered something into Lucito’s ear and the horse bolted off towards the mule trail at the edge of the forest.

Chapter Six: Riding The Storm Out!

       Lucito was on a flat out run through the white, snow covered pasture that led to the edge of the forest. He couldn’t feel Mary’s weight on his back because he was focused on finding Clyde. Minutes turned into hours and hours turned into more worry as fresh snow kept falling. It was covering up all their chances to track Clyde through the forest. Mary and Lucito were now miles from the ranch. The sky was clearing a little bit but toward the east she could see another storm approaching.

     “Clyde! Cl-y-de!” Mary continued to call out in an attempt to locate her lost donkey. As Lucito whinnied for his friend he could hear his cry echoing off distant canyon walls disrupting the quiet peacefulness of the forest. He strained to listen for any sound that might be Clyde’s reply.

    Meanwhile, the small break between the two storms had allowed Cruiser, the owl, to find the ranch at the end of the road. He had found it right where the donkey had told him to look. Now it would be a race to retrace his flight path, find Clyde, and get the donkey safely home before the next storm hit.

    Mary being both tired and hungry found a clearing and stopped near a fallen tree at the edge of the glade. She dismounted from Lucito and unlashed her saddle bag in search of something to eat and a handful of some oats for her horse. As she pulled out the coffee can full of oats from her saddle bag she caught a glimpse of an owl soaring high over head and thought it to be a good sign that they were on the right trail. Mary knew from folk lore that seeing an owl out flying meant that the air was calm. A clearing sky meant she would have more time to find her donkey.

    “I think that’s a good sign that maybe the weather will stay calm and clear for the rest of the day” Mary said to Lucito in a soft whisper as she cupped her hands full of oats for the horse to nibble on.

    Further away, Clyde could also see that the storm was clearing, at least for the moment. Encouraged by the break in the weather his stomach started to growl reminding him that he was very hungry. Inspired by the improving weather he nibbled at some tender young plants sticking out of the snow. Their bright purple flowers were like neon signs for the donkey to see against the pure white snow. Eating the wild onions reminded him how kind the squirrels had been. And he longed for home and the company of his friends.

      Just then Cruiser the owl swooped down out of the sky and landed on a stump next to Clyde.

    “I found the ranch Clyde but you have been walking in the wrong direction.  You must turn around and go back the other way”. Screeched the owl clearly winded from his hurried flight.

     “I think there is someone looking for you riding a grand horse and they are not far behind us” said the owl now much more in control having caught his breath.

     “Was the horse very large and dappled gray in color?” mumbled Clyde as his eyes widened forgetting all about the wild onion flowers that were still sticking out from both sides of his mouth.

Chapter Seven: A Joyous Reunion

   The owl launched himself back up into the air as Clyde got himself off the ground and ready to run.  Lucito, still a mile to the west, perked up and turned his head towards the east. His ears were tall, bent forward and turned in the direction of the owl. Mary was excited as if there was electricity in the air. Just like when you rub your hands over the surface of a wool sweater. Quickly she mounted Lucito, whispered something in his ear, and off the horse and rider went disappearing into the forest canopy.

     The clouds were beginning to bunch together now, covering the entire late afternoon sky. All but a glimpse of warmth was left lingering through random streaks of sunlight that pierced through open spaces in the clouds. Thunder too could be heard aloft but it was still quite a ways off in the distance.  Lucito’s ears rose as Mary too though she heard the donkey braying. Oh, what a glorious sound it was to the both of them. Lucito managed to return the call with a loud whinny and soon the horse and rider were racing towards the sound at the opposite end of the clearing. Mary saw the owl again circling high above the meadow but Lucito kept focused on the mule trail at the far end.

     Clyde had been trying to follow the owl through holes in the forest tree tops. It was hard and slow going as he ducked under branch after branch making his way toward Mary and Lucito. Cruiser screeched for Clyde to follow him as the donkey kept a watchful eye on the sky for his friend’s directions. The donkey soon came upon a stream that was partly frozen over. Gingerly he stepped one hoof at a time as the thin ice cracked under his weight. Lucky for Clyde the stream was only a few feet deep and moving very slowly. The icy cold of the water made Clyde shiver and quickly jump towards the bank. Within the blink of an eye Clyde was across the stream and safe on the other side. As Clyde stepped out of the stream and out onto the bank he shook off the last few remaining drops of water from his thick winter coat.

    “Can you still see me Clyde?” screeched the owl as he circled above the stream.

     “Yes, Cruiser I can and thank you so much for staying with Me.” sobbed the donkey as he bumped his head on a low hanging limb.     Within minutes Clyde broke out of the forest and was running faster than ever.

     When Mary saw Clyde she  leaped out of her saddle and threw her arms around the exhausted donkey’s neck giving him a kiss right on the middle of his cold little nose. Clyde’s thoughts immediately turned to Bonnie, Roxy, the barn, fresh clean straw and an extra large leaf of hay.

Chapter Eight: The Return Trip

    Lucito too was very relieved to see Clyde. The big horse gave him a nibble on his ear. Back at Rock Canyon Ranch they had been very good friends, close friends and you could even say that they were kindred spirits.

    “You gave us all a big scare, Clyde” said the big gray Andalusian.

    “I never want to lag behind again” said Clyde to Lucito with his ears laid down on his back and closing both his eyes.

     The ride back was very long and tiring for Clyde who had spent the last twenty-four hours lost out in the forest. The donkey now followed so closely behind Lucito that every time the large horse even stumbled a tiny bit Clyde would find his face planted in Lucito’s long gray tail. Clyde couldn’t see Mary but he could smell her familiar scent. Her fragrance sailed through the air, it was a flowery scent that reminded him of feeding time complete with a leaf of alfalfa, a coffee can full of oats and one bright orange carrot.

    Soon the sky was turning blackish gray, lit up by the occasional flash of lighting followed closely by cracks of thunder. The storm was now threatening to unleash her full fury upon them. With the snow blowing hard the view up ahead on the trail and Lucito’s tracks were all but vanishing into the icy mist and fog that hovered and hugged the icy ground.

    “Lucito” whispered the little donkey “How can you find your way home with the snow falling so hard?”

    “Clyde, don’t you worry you were once lost but now you are found. I will not let anything else separate us again. You will get back to Rock Canyon Ranch and safely into the warm barn” The tall Andalusian horse spoke confidently but in his own mind Lucito was worried.

    Mary was worried too, as the landscape looked so very different covered in snow. It was like all the ugliness of the forest with all of its dead and dying trees was covered up and hidden from view. The fresh, white, blanket of snow looked so pretty but covered up the reality of their predicament. Shivering out in the cold was a stern reminder that they did not want to spend another night, tomorrow night or any other night for that matter out in the forest. Clyde longed to see the familiar white fences that circled Rock Canyon Ranch and the gate that he had bolted through just the day before.

     Now the snow was not only blowing hard but it was blowing sideways right into the faces of Mary, Lucito and Clyde. They stopped under a large oak tree to warm up for a bit. Mary once again reached into her saddle bag and gave Lucito some hay and Clyde received special long, orange carrot. Just the sight of the carrot made his mouth water and stomach start making some more of those awful noises he had heard just the night before. Clyde knew very well they were still in danger but no one wanted to say it. Besides he was still too busy crunching on his bright orange carrot.

Chapter Nine: Missing The Mark

    Meanwhile back at Rock Canyon Ranch it was now starting to get dark. Farmer Smith knew Mary should have returned by now and was not waiting any longer. He saddled up the horses, lashed his rifle to his saddle bag and in an instant disappeared into the blowing snow.

    About an hour went by as Farmer Smith followed the hoof prints Lucito left in the snow. Bresha and Gabby were both excellent trackers. Gabby could follow a scent for miles on a clear day so she took the lead with her halter rope held tightly in the farmer’s hand.

    Lucito had drifted about a half of mile off his original course and missed running into Bresha and Gabby. He was a strong horse indeed but his eye sight was not as good as it once was. Bresha’s eyesight was much better and Gabby had an incredible sense of smell. Soon there were miles between each group as Jim continued riding in the wrong direction. They needed a miracle soon or risk being lost out in the forest all night in the snow.

     Mary, Lucito and Clyde all sat together beneath the canopy and protection of a giant oak tree. Mary was getting wet as the snow around her collar melted and dripped down soaking her cotton clothes. Just the sound of the howling wind made it that much colder. Lucito and Clyde were both cold but they were determined to keep walking in the direction of the ranch. They had no idea that Farmer Smith had just passed them a couple miles back and was heading the wrong way deeper into the Cuyamaca wilderness.

    Suddenly, the Andalusian became restless startled by some movement he saw out in the tall grass growing in the middle of the meadow. Yes, Mary had heard it too as Clyde thought back to what the fox had said about mountain lions living in this area. It was during these winter months that the animals became extremely hungry. Mary unlashed her other saddle bag but the pistol and shot she usually kept for rattlesnakes was not there. Through the grass she could only make out a pair of green eyes and the partial sleek outline of a large female mountain lion. In an instant Clyde jumped up and was on all four hooves.

    “No Clyde!” said Mary very softly “Don’t make any sudden movements.” The mountain lion rose up upon startling the donkey and was poised to run. Lucito too was up on all four hooves but he was not afraid like Clyde was. He had encountered mountain lions before and knew his powerful legs could stop an attack if he was ready for it.

    Crouching back down the lion was on the move again. She was turning towards the side that Clyde was on. Mary was frightened and not prepared to deal with the situation at hand. Just the very second the large cat was preparing to pounce on Clyde there was a sudden s-w-i-s-h s-w-a-s-h swoosh of feathers. Scared and frightened by all the commotion, the mountain lion bolted back through the open meadow and disappeared under the protection of the forest trees. Clyde, while still frightened, was overjoyed to hear the familiar sound of a friend.

    “Hoo is with you Clyde?” screeched the owl as he swooped down onto a lower limb of the oak tree.

    “It’s my master Mary and my good friend Lucito” said Clyde with an air of pride attached to it.

    “Did you lose your way again Clyde?” cooed Cruiser, the owl.

    “Yes, we did” Lucito broke in “It’s because I have trouble seeing in the dark and my sense of smell is almost gone. But by the way, thank you my fine feathered friend for scaring off that awful beast” said Lucito as the adrenalin rush slowly dissipated and his pride was beginning to return.

    “May I offer you a little more assistance?” screeched the owl. And without waiting for an answer Cruiser took flight and lifted up into the air.

    “Follow me I’ll lead you home” howled the owl. Mary, Lucito and Clyde all got up in haste. They stretched their legs, returned the goodies to the saddle bags and began to run after the owl that was by now a ways ahead of them in the sky.

     At the edge of the meadow Farmer Smith caught up with them. Bresha and Gabby had heard all the commotion and raced to where they thought the noise had come from. Jim was very glad to see Clyde and even more relieved to see Mary and Lucito. The entire group was all together following the owl as the last bit of light vanished behind the silhouetted trees. The journey back took nearly three hours but it was easy for them knowing that they would all soon be back home, safe and warm at the ranch.

Chapter Ten: The Birthday Party

    It was nightfall by the time they neared the ranch property but Clyde was still able to see some familiar shapes by the light of the moon; the barn, ranch house and vineyard. He was numb with cold as Mary led him into the barn. Roxy nearly knocked him over as she rubbed against his side.

    “Oh, how I missed you Clyde!” said Roxy and she kissed him on his icy-cold nose.

    “It’s so good to be home, girl” said Clyde. Farmer Smith lit the kerosene lamps and woodstove as Mary returned with a birthday cake for Roxy. They were all home now and getting ready to celebrate Roxy’s birthday. Mr. Whisker’s the cat rushed underneath the feeding trough as Cruiser swooped in through the open barn door. He perched on the top bale of hay in the stack and cocked his head to one side.

    “Better get them to shut that door Clyde, there is another storm getting ready to blow out there!” cooed the owl. Clyde turned towards the open door just in time to see another flash of orange lightning from through the door.

    “No way, I’m going anywhere Cruiser” said Clyde as Mary threw down an extra large leaf of hay at his hooves. The barn was now getting very warm as the flames from the wood stove crackled and popped. There was plenty of food and fellowship to go around as Mary sliced and handed out the carrot cake each piece complete with a slice of real carrot. So Clyde said his prayers and thanked God for their Thanksgiving miracle. Everything that was important to Clyde was there that night in the safety of the barn. The donkey was glad to be home again. Clyde was indeed thankful for many things that night but mostly he was thankful for the fellowship of his family, friends and an extra large leaf of hay.

THE END