Close Encounters of the Moose Kind
Contributed by Improbable Scribe
It is Spring in Alaska, through the snow lies deep and drifts are still higher than my head.
A moose comes to find sanctuary in my fields, she lies beneath my windows and walks my paths and snow-covered yard.
One day, she has a child, a sweet long legged moose child.
They feel safe, and there is still so much snow, there's nowhere for them to go.
So they stay and munch on the trees, I've left short for them (and me the light-blocking things they are)
In the first encounter, Mom and baby are in the hollow next to the Willow, eating. I'm allowed to walk the path beside them as the trees are between me and them.
In the second encounter, the baby is eating from a poison tree, the May Day or Rowan. I see her through my bathroom window, just having exited the shower. She won't move on despite my tapping, and using cat shoo language. So I don a robe and on the back porch, clap my hands. That moves her on, and Mom who's on the other side of the barn hears and comes charging across the yard. I quickly jumped back inside. Mom stands by the tree, looking baffled, who did that?
In the third encounter, I leave my house to feed the horse. The baby is again near the Willow, but now on my side of the tree. I cough, so she can see me but she doesn't recognize that as meaning anything. I shift my position and cough again. Mom hears and comes charging again from afar. The noise draws the attention of Mr Peabody the Old Arab that lives in the barn. He sees me, and walks the path to reassure me it is OK to bring in breakfast! Mom is none too pleased; he dares to walk by them and charges him.
Now a strange noise emerges from behind the house, clanging and ringing as if multiple metal poles are falling. Another moose? Peabody stops near me, he snorts like a horse dragon as if to say, I am powerful, all do my bidding
He won't stay, he starts pushing them back towards the barn (food is SO important), and the baby and Mom start going that way. I see that he's pushing, by walking too fast and I warn him “Peabody, Peabody Woah!” He listens and in his old horse way turns around and comes back to me as I call, Mama giving a final charge. Luckily I have his food bucket with me, so I dump it on the ground to give them time to move on.
Which they do, slowly and taking their time, until… From the opposite side of the farm, a crashing is heard and a head shows through the dark trees.
Although I know it is another moose, the shape I see is a “Dire Wolfe”??? My Peabody snorts and charges off to the barn, moving Mom and Baby a bit faster and now breakfast is served!