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Chapter One
I knelt in the prickly brush on the hillside and carefully took aiar sniffed the air, but I was doind About twenty yards away, Anna watched intently from the truck I knew she hated this part, but she kept still and very quiet As did I
The cougar sensed another presence besides her two cubs, but I had been doing this kind of thing for years I kneait for the rightfor a wildcat Actually, she looked thin Probably hungry, too; these beasts didn’t come near civilization unless necessary She’d probably wandered here from Griffith Park in search of food for herself and her two cubs, so I wasn’t absolutely sure just how strong she was
The best place to hit her was in the back of the neck, so I waited for her to turn to the right position She growled a little as one of the cubs tugged playfully at her tail She was in no ar was nothing to fool around with
Suddenly, she glanced in ar’s long, direct gaze penetrated er if she so much as hinted at a move in my direction I didn’t blink, I didn’t move I waited She waited
It was pre-dawn, still alht Mine, not so her ground
As quickly as she’d focused on round
I er, launching the dart into the back of her neck I quickly shot her again, this time between her shoulder blades The cat screeched and ran, her cubs following obediently I followed, as well I knew Anna was dying to get out of the truck, but I signaled for her to wait a little longer
One just never kne tranquilizers would affect a wildcat I hoped o down quickly As I reloadedher tracks How I didn’t trip and fall onAnna alone in the truck, but I earing protective arm shields as well as a vest Anna only had the vest, and even then, it was a little too big for her
I found the old girl so to stay on her feet I silently thanked the gods for the anesthesia’s speed, even though she hissed viciously Her cubs were a little bewildered They watched with curiosity as I slowly approached Ma now, darts hanging from her neck and back
As soon as the cat went down, I heard the truck door slam There was a quiet rustle from the back of the truck, and then, shortly, Anna was besidelike perfurateful that she’d insisted on wearing moccasins Hell, she could move as quietly as this cat
Our work here wasn’t done, not by a long shot I glanced over at the cage she’d carried with her Anna looked up at h she had already earned it the moment she was born I almost winced at her beauty Instead, I slad I’d brought her along
The cubs were still sar’s paws, front and back My volunteer co-worker sat cross-legged on the ground, distracting the cubs and coaxing thee not far away They ary They wanted to stay near their mother Anna scooted a little closer She’d covered her hands with earth, as I had, to try to mask our human scent It worked a little Her easy spirit worked better
My work done, I watched silently as Anna worked herit back and forth on the ground in a teasing motion She held out her other dirt-covered hand, face up Neither of us spoke She ed them to her Slowly, slowly, they inched closer, spellbound by ot them to play with the branch, and soe, which was now also lined with branches
I stopped breathing again when one cub climbed onto her lap This was a critical time, and Anna knew it as well as I did If either of us showed a hint of fear, these wild cubs would pick up on it and flee I looked at my watch It was probably another fifteen to twenty minutes until the mother would stir I still hadn’t radioed the zoo, and there wasn’t ain, which I didn’t want to do Anna knew all this Now, it was my turn to wait