In the Forest
I started up into the Valley foothills moving alongside the white wisps that ascended deep canyons to wrap and feather the dark forest. Overhead, a quilted pewter ceiling, waves of cushion bolsters stacked into the distance that melded into a gray sheet. The understory of magenta shrubs carried diamond drops on bare stems and milked-coffee ferns covered a carpet of emerald moss.
The forest exhibited the heavy hand of management, tree heights soared wildly from head-high tree farms to raptor loving heights of stands of mature conifers. A scattering of hardwood trees, festooned with licorice fern and owl moss parted the colonnade. Oaks and maples, elderberry and chinkapin, madrone and willow, finding niches, adding warm color and hard shiny green.
I had picked a path that I have traveled many times before. A path that leads one into some of the less visited areas where the trails have names such as 'Narnia' and 'As You Wish' all with the edge of wildness peeking out of the deep. As I moved into ancient forest, I became aware of an unusual watchfulness, the wind silent, the air cold. My senses strained to catch a snapped branch, a snort or low growl, a scuddering disturbance in the low vegetation. The unnatural quiet stretched taut - the entire forest was anticipating and deferring to something very powerful. Scattered fat drops of cold rain relieved the tension but I still began to do very quick turn arounds to see if I was being followed. The very few birds made nervous noises as I passed and a gust loosened more rain from the high crowns.
Since there have been close encounters of the big cat kind in these woods in the recent past, some with alarming and dangerous behaviors, I have made it a habit to keep a close eye on the road or trail edge to determine if I am near a supply of deterrent rock missiles. These and strong, long downed branches are the only natural weapons that might repel a cougar stalking and attack. And a cougar that is prone to stalk and attack a human is usually a young animal. A very dangerous beast that is generally starving and willing to try anything for food.
Then I found the tracks, deep and hurried from a very recent passing cougar. Not large but very close to full grown. As usual, when close to large wild predators, I both thrilled and shuddered at the realization that I was not having panicky delusions when I sensed the presence of the top carnivore of the woods. Since I was miles from the trailhead, I proceeded to go about my planned hike to a series of cliffs and scree slopes I love to visit. My only concern was a half-mile section of trail that entered a stand of 30-year-old trees that had been planted densely and sucked most of the daylight from the stand. A perfect ambush site in the eternal dusk.
I made it through the darkness. But once out, the forest was still holding its breath. The rain increased and I was walking back along trails that I already examined thoroughly (for mushrooms, plants, birds, colors and form) on the way in, so I was moving long quickly when I saw it. It had not been on the trail on the way in. It was from today's kill - which both alarmed and settled me some because it had been gnawed to the bone (probably signifying a well-fed animal) and it had been seemingly been left on the trail purposely. I spent a moment photographing and deciding what this grotesque message meant. It could be the discard of a fleeing animal startled in its meal or it could be a wildling message that simply said, 'I know you are here; this is a token of the level of your risk. Have a nice day'.
I tend to ascribe to the later interpretation. The bulk of the kill was nowhere to be seen, the body part was fully consumed, and the placement seemed to indicate knowledge that I was headed back down and out of its realm. Indeed, it might be a blunt message with gory visuals but preferred to the alternative.
