I looked across the pasture on Ranger's back. I was checking cattle and making sure no one was missing. After checking the number of cows and calves, I went out to the cabin and stopped Ranger at the steps. I dismounted and let Ranger walk around the house. I walked up the steps to the creaky porch and opened the door I secured. I tore down the old fabrics covering the windows and piled them in the middle of the room. I did what I could in thirty minutes before stepping out onto the porch. Ranger was waiting for me. I mounted him and scratched his neck. He shook slightly before I asked him to start walking.
We took the long way back to the ranch, enjoying the beauty around us. It's been one year since everything happened. Kane and I have been enjoying each other's company. We keep falling deeper and deeper in love each day we are together or apart. While he is working on the ambulance, I work on the ranch and trust my favorite mount. He doesn't spook at much.
He started to get anxious. I knew there was a predator around. "Shhh." I tried calming him as I tried to move him faster. He snorted a warning sound. I moved him away from the treeline. He spooked and reared. I tried to keep my seat. He moved away from the treeline and reared again. Before I could dismount, I felt the ground hit hard on my left side. I looked up as Ranger ran at a cougar stalking us. He scared it away before coming to check on me.
"I'm ok, boy," I told him as I pet his muzzle. I couldn't move my left leg, and my shoulder was throbbing. "Go get help," I told him. He nickered, sniffing me and licking me before backing away and running towards the barn. I took a deep breath, trying to get through the pain. It did not take long for me to hear hooves. I tried to look up. Ranger was running back towards me. He jumped over me, and I could hear the cat was back for me. I could hear Ranger fighting the cat off. I could hear engines getting louder.
A gunshot rang out. Ranger came up behind me. He moved to step over me to stand guard until they could get to me. I rubbed his nearest leg to my right arm. "Good boy. I'm ok." I kept saying to him as he stood still over me. He looked down at me under him. "Good boy." I kept rubbing his leg. He let out a whinny. "Over here!" He whinnied again as the engines got closer. He kept whinnying to let them know where we were. Two four-wheelers came into view. Ranger didn't move away from over the top of me until they were close enough to jump off.
He kept his head over me to be my comfort and guard. I kept petting him. "Good boy," I told him. Two of my brothers got to me first. "Cat spooked Range. He dumped me off to keep me safe." I said. "Don't move, they're bringing the flatbed out with a plywood board," Kade said. "I can't move," I said. "I figured. You may need a stretcher ride." He said. "If I have to, I guess," I said.
Ranger sniffed me and licked my right arm. I reached up to pet him. He instantly put his head in my hand. "He's the best stallion we've ever had here," Matthew said. "He's my best friend," I said. The flatbed came around the corner. Three more bodies were on the back of the flatbed.
I flexed my right leg as the flatbed stopped near me. The three on the bed got down and grabbed the board. Mom got out of the cab. She came running over. She wanted to move Ranger away. I know her. Ranger moved towards my head out of the way. He was definitely watching for the cat to try again. "Mom, leave him. He's guarding us." Matthew said. "He's not in the way either," Jax said as he and Timothy slid the board to my back.
Ridge, Matthew, and Kade rolled me onto my back. They used a strap to hold my legs and hips aligned. I was trying not to wince at the pain. Kane is going to either enjoy seeing me today or wish it were under different circumstances. They hoisted me up onto the flatbed and strapped the board to the bed. I called for Ranger so he'd follow, knowing he would follow anyway.
It's been pounded into our heads that if a tacked-up horse comes running back to the barn, someone either fell off or it got away, depending on the age and horse. We know each other's horses about as well as we know our own horse. I knew Ranger would come back to me because that's a part of his personality. It did not help that the pain was starting to spread from my shoulder and leg to my back and both hips. I wiggled my toes on both feet just to see if I could feel them. By the time we had gotten out of the pasture, I could hear sirens in the distance.
I was ready to be off this wooden board and to go to the hospital. As soon as the ratchet straps were released from the bed, I was lowered to the ground. The ones around my arms were removed and pulled away. "How are you today, beautiful?" Kane asked as he secured a blood pressure cuff on my right arm. "My left shoulder and left hip probably hit some pretty good-sized rocks when I was almost attacked by a mountain lion," I said as the cuff got tighter.
His partner put a C-collar around my neck even though I did not think it was necessary. "What is your pain level?" Kane asked. "Probably about an eight since I cannot move my left arm and can only wiggle my left toes without any pain," I said. "Can you please move your left fingers?" The other medic said as I was rolled onto my right side. I tried my best, but could not see if they were moving or not. My guess, they were not moving.
I was laid flat and strapped to a different board now. I could definitely feel the pain now. The adrenaline was wearing off faster now. I could feel every single bump and move from the stretcher, even though it was on the concrete pad of the barn. My pain level now? Higher than a nine or a ten. I could feel my whole body tense up from the pain. The two of them got me loaded up, and I was trying not to fade out from the pain.
"I'm feeling it now," I said. "How high is your pain now?" Kane asked. "Higher than a nine but not yet a ten," I said. "Hang on, we're going to give you something to make it come down for a minute." He said while holding my hand.