“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded.
This wasn’t the first time I’d been attacked by an animal.
Hell, it wasn’t even the tenth.
It wouldn’t be the last, either.
That’s what happened when you lived in an animal rehab facility.
Animals were unpredictable. Animalistic beings acting on what was in their nature, and if that was attack, then that’s what they did.
I just hadn’t been expecting to be attacked in the middle of town after getting donuts…
“I’m fine,” I sighed. “I feel worse for Wendy. She was terrified. Clinging to me and not understanding what I needed to do. Luckily, all her teachings here worked out well, and she listened immediately, took off to safety. The doctor that I’ve been telling you about was in town eating at Hopps. He was able to get her inside before he came to help.”
“Jan from your mom’s sewing circle sent her a video,” he said. “It’s shaky at best, but you can see what happened. You’re lucky that man knew what to do.”
I knew that.
I also knew that my mother was going to grill me on situational awareness again when I got home.
She was always drilling that into me.
Again, you had to when you worked with wild animals.
Not to mention, wild animals in containment facilities drew other wild animals not in containment facilities. It wasn’t abnormal to go outside and see wolves in the front yard investigating. Or elk.
Or bears.
Hell, even other raptors came to check out the area.
“I know.” I sighed. “Do you think you can pick up Wendy from school? I’m getting a later start than I intended. And I have to get some photos taken, or I’ll be late on my project.”
I contracted for a natural wildlife magazine that expected new photos every month from the region I was in. Usually, I had them turned in by this time of the month.
“Of course,” he said. “Be careful. Make sure you turn on your GPS locator, too.”
I nodded.
My mom and dad took hiking very seriously.
They’d taught me to always be cautious and always have a line to the “outside world.”
My mom had been stuck on the side of a mountain for a week before Dad had found her.
She’d gone out on a solo hike, bound and determined to “live off the land.” Though she hadn’t meant to live off the land quite like she had been forced to. A storm had surged in, forcing her to take shelter. That shelter had then swept away her bag, her phone, and anything else she could’ve used to help guide her home. Forcibly making her stay still until rescue had arrived in the form of my papa bear dad pissed off that his mama bear had been missing.
From then on, they’d been super cautious and always prepared.
It was easier to agree than argue.
Plus, I had a kid to think about.
I knew that my parents would take care of her if I wasn’t here, but still, it was better to be safe than sorry.
A short, sharp whistle and Possum flew to me from wherever he happened to have been .
