“Dead Cat” is whispered on the wind. In the rolling hills through the beautiful countryside where pastel colors paint the sky, a sigh on the wind whispers dead cat. “Beware of the Dead Cat.” Those who know the story feel a chill down their spine. Those who don’t think it’s just an echo of a forgotten dream. What does it mean?
In a time not too far gone, a young family moved to these rolling hills to find their place and plant roots. With stars in their eyes and hope in their hearts they built their home.
One day while her family was working the land the youngest of the family, a girl named Harmony was playing in the yard. Not far away she saw some butterflies fluttering in the sky. Entranced by their colorful wings and graceful dancing, she began to follow them.
As she chased the beautiful creatures she unknowingly went deeper and deeper in the forest through the orchard, flowing with gorgeous fruit trees. Past the lake and deeper into the woods as the day gradually turned to evening, she continued to chase these beautiful butterflies unknowingly stumbling into the deepest darkest part of the forest where a bunch of outlaws were hiding.
This rough band of criminals had done many terrible things. They thought their hideout, deep in the woods couldn’t be found. Much less by an innocent girl. Because of their evil deeds they could leave no witnesses behind to their location. With evilness in their hearts they slowly walked toward her. The young girl was frozen in fear. As they approached and reached out to grab her a sudden stark animal scream ripped through the air.
Slowly a large black cat came out of the early evening mist. Large and muscular looking parts mountain lion, part cougar and maybe part devil it stared unblinkingly as it stalked the men.
They backed away from the menacing cat but it was too late. Their last thoughts as they looked into it’s eyes was that they could see their own death coming for them in its piercing yellow gaze.
As the cat pounced, the girls closed her eyes. Once the screams slowly died into silence, she cautiously opened them to see, nothing. No men, no cat, no sign of what had occurred. She looked up into the hills and saw the shadow of the cat and its glowing eyes looking back at her.
For one brief moment Harmony and the cat locked gazes and she somehow understood, as long as she respected the land, as long as she did not do harm to others it would not touch her.
Slowly the cat turned back around and made its way back into the darkness under the soft pink sky.
As this story spread far and wide the legend of Dead Cat was born. Still to this day people often remark about hearing an ear piercing scream in the distance or seeing the outline of a large cat but those who have not headed the warning are the only ones who have to worry.
To this very day those that live and work in this majestic countryside, named Dead Cat Ranch, after its feline protector, swear they see glimpses of its namesake. And they insist, if you’re very still and listen with your heart and your mind is open you can hear a whisper on the wind, “dead cat.” “Beware of the dead cat.”
