I lost a life last night.

A peaceful night on my lazy street, only interrupted by an occasional car rolling by. The sparse fall grass is cool beneath my paws as I prowl my territory. Raccoons and possums are permitted on my land, only after dark, to scavenge the leftovers of my dinner. The two cars, the house I was born in and the surrounding trees are mine, I protect them. I'm stretching out in the driveway, taking a little rest after chasing squirrels up a tree in my yard. Crisp autumnal air fills my nostrils, until...that brief pause of alertness and attention was focused elsewhere. That brief moment of absent thought is all they need. In that brief moment they lunge from the darkness, two beasts with feral, hungry eyes, head for the porch where my daughter is resting, they have her cornered, she's growling, the beasts are growling. My daughter! My daughter! My baby! My blood! Independent, curious, loving. Not my daughter, no, not tonight. I let out a deadly growl. They turn and quickly jump on me. Long snouts , bushy tails, dirty yellow eyes, the stench of death about them. My human only feet away, behind the door, unaware of the danger. One of them bites into my leg and my stomach, I screech and yowl for help. The pain is sharp, sickening, never felt this much pain before. There's some loud banging and shouts coming from my human in the house. The beast lets me drop from its jaw of knives. I retreat under the humans blue van, to safety, my daughter jumps on top of the van. My right side won't cooperate, won't move, I can't walk. I drag my half ravaged body, inches at a time, further under the safety of the blue van. I'm breathing heavily, eyes wide, I'm shaking, need water. The beasts are prowling around the van, sniffing, growling. Get away, I think. Bang! Bang! Bang! My human! She came to save me! The beasts run, but not too far. Ready to come back, to get their meal for the night, I cry.  She yells, they stand still in the street, ready to pounce, daring her to take them on. She runs and screams at them, they run off into the blackness of the night. I'm feeling nothing. There's a cold shadow over me, the grass under my belly and paws, feeling colder. I'm still afraid for my daughter, urging her to go, praying she will stay, to protect me. The sound of crickets have returned. The pounding of my heartbeat and muffled banging of a door nearby are my new focus. The man human, the food guy, reaches under the van and scoops me up in his arms. I feel safe, he's stroking me and talking to me, taking me to safety in the house. My daughter! She is being cradled by the human woman. I can lay down now. I can relax. We are safe. What will tomorrow bring? What of my body, that was in the mouth of that beast? I feel numb. Will I ever tread my land and home again? I don't know. I close my eyes. My daughter is safe, unhurt. We are safe, protected and the humans care for me.