open meadow up to the forest’s edge, one stride behind Sam. “Where are you?” she shouted.
“Here!” came the reply from deep within the woods.
Sam pushed past some low branches.
Scrambling through the trees, the two burst out of the thicket together, emerging into an open area. Josephine still wasn’t in sight and dread scorched Cassie’s heart. Turning a complete circle, Cassie scanned the area. Panic pushed her forward, and she ran for the other side of the field, where a steep incline threatened to block them.
Side by side they climbed. At the top of the rock face, they bolted forward.
“Where are—” Before Cassie could finish calling, Sam skidded to a halt and grabbed the back of her shirt, saving her from falling into a deep crevasse directly in front of them. Eight feet across, perched on a narrow ledge, was Josephine, her back pressed up tight to the red earth wall. Ashes was clutched tightly to her chest with her left arm and her right hand, in a white knuckled grasp, held the root of a tree to keep her balance.
A low moan came from the child’s lips as dirt and a few pebbles under her boot gave way and fell in a clatter against the rocks below. Ashes squirmed. The frightened cat looked as if she was on the verge of panic. If that happened, Josephine was sure to fall to her death.
“Drop the cat,” Sam demanded.
The shake of Josephine’s head was almost imperceptible. She held tightly to her beloved pet, her eyes never wavering from those of her sister.
Sam changed tactics and his voice became pleading.
“Joey, you need to let her go. She’ll be okay. You’ve seen cats jump from very high places, haven’t you? Please, son, let her go.”
Still Josephine refused. “He’s in shock,” Sam said to Cassie. “I’ll get my rope.
With Sam gone, all Cassie could do was pray. “Just stay still, Josephine. Don’t move a muscle. Sam will be back soon. Stay still, honey.”
Josephine moaned as the cat scrambled up around her neck, trying to find some sort of security. Her little legs shook violently, and her smooth leather sole slipped off the edge. She cried out.
Cassie gasped. She couldn’t bear to lose her sister. “Hold on!” she choked out. She reached out her hand, wanting desperately to touch her, stroke her velvety soft cheek. Every moment felt like an hour. “Sam will be back. He’ll get you out of there. Just stay very, very still.”
Right then, Sam came bursting through the trees on Split Ear and slid to a halt. He slung his leg over the saddle and dismounted his rope already in his hands. He tossed his reins to Cassie.
“Joey, there’s another branch a few inches above your head. It’s bigger than the one you’re holding. I’m going to toss this rope and lasso it. If I miss and the rope lands on you, don’t let it knock you off. Just keep holding tight to that root, okay? Keep your eyes focused on your sister.”
Cassie jerked up straighter and heat rushed to her face. He’d known!
“Here it comes.” He hesitated. “You sure you won’t drop that cat first?” When Josephine didn’t respond, he slowly swung the rope over his head.
Cassie gripped Split Ear’s reins tightly in sweaty palms.
Sam let his loop fly. Gracefully, as if in slow motion, it went up and then began to descend towards Josephine. Cassie sucked in a breath when it stopped short, snagged by another root above its intended target. It dangled for a second and Sam gave a gentle tug. It dropped onto the branch above Josephine’s head, teetering precariously.
“Okay, Joey, now you have to let the cat go and reach up for the rope with your left hand. Don’t worry; the cat’s not going to let go of you. Just try not to react if it moves. When you get the rope, slip the loop over your body. This might be difficult. Be very careful. Go on now. Take your time.”
Josephine didn’t move.
“You must,” Cassie said softly. “Sam’s not going to let you fall.”
Josephine’s small
“Here!” came the reply from deep within the woods.
Sam pushed past some low branches.
Scrambling through the trees, the two burst out of the thicket together, emerging into an open area. Josephine still wasn’t in sight and dread scorched Cassie’s heart. Turning a complete circle, Cassie scanned the area. Panic pushed her forward, and she ran for the other side of the field, where a steep incline threatened to block them.
Side by side they climbed. At the top of the rock face, they bolted forward.
“Where are—” Before Cassie could finish calling, Sam skidded to a halt and grabbed the back of her shirt, saving her from falling into a deep crevasse directly in front of them. Eight feet across, perched on a narrow ledge, was Josephine, her back pressed up tight to the red earth wall. Ashes was clutched tightly to her chest with her left arm and her right hand, in a white knuckled grasp, held the root of a tree to keep her balance.
A low moan came from the child’s lips as dirt and a few pebbles under her boot gave way and fell in a clatter against the rocks below. Ashes squirmed. The frightened cat looked as if she was on the verge of panic. If that happened, Josephine was sure to fall to her death.
“Drop the cat,” Sam demanded.
The shake of Josephine’s head was almost imperceptible. She held tightly to her beloved pet, her eyes never wavering from those of her sister.
Sam changed tactics and his voice became pleading.
“Joey, you need to let her go. She’ll be okay. You’ve seen cats jump from very high places, haven’t you? Please, son, let her go.”
Still Josephine refused. “He’s in shock,” Sam said to Cassie. “I’ll get my rope.
With Sam gone, all Cassie could do was pray. “Just stay still, Josephine. Don’t move a muscle. Sam will be back soon. Stay still, honey.”
Josephine moaned as the cat scrambled up around her neck, trying to find some sort of security. Her little legs shook violently, and her smooth leather sole slipped off the edge. She cried out.
Cassie gasped. She couldn’t bear to lose her sister. “Hold on!” she choked out. She reached out her hand, wanting desperately to touch her, stroke her velvety soft cheek. Every moment felt like an hour. “Sam will be back. He’ll get you out of there. Just stay very, very still.”
Right then, Sam came bursting through the trees on Split Ear and slid to a halt. He slung his leg over the saddle and dismounted his rope already in his hands. He tossed his reins to Cassie.
“Joey, there’s another branch a few inches above your head. It’s bigger than the one you’re holding. I’m going to toss this rope and lasso it. If I miss and the rope lands on you, don’t let it knock you off. Just keep holding tight to that root, okay? Keep your eyes focused on your sister.”
Cassie jerked up straighter and heat rushed to her face. He’d known!
“Here it comes.” He hesitated. “You sure you won’t drop that cat first?” When Josephine didn’t respond, he slowly swung the rope over his head.
Cassie gripped Split Ear’s reins tightly in sweaty palms.
Sam let his loop fly. Gracefully, as if in slow motion, it went up and then began to descend towards Josephine. Cassie sucked in a breath when it stopped short, snagged by another root above its intended target. It dangled for a second and Sam gave a gentle tug. It dropped onto the branch above Josephine’s head, teetering precariously.
“Okay, Joey, now you have to let the cat go and reach up for the rope with your left hand. Don’t worry; the cat’s not going to let go of you. Just try not to react if it moves. When you get the rope, slip the loop over your body. This might be difficult. Be very careful. Go on now. Take your time.”
Josephine didn’t move.
“You must,” Cassie said softly. “Sam’s not going to let you fall.”
Josephine’s small
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