Short Story Of The Month |
New South Wales’s Mountain Panthers
by Lord R.e. Taylor
For decades, reports of the panther being spotted throughout New South Wales but remained mainly in the Blue Mountains. Reports became so common that, in 2013, the government ordered a commission to investigate the reports. After an appropriate amount of time and debate the commission decided that the Blue Mountain Panther was just a creation of overactive imaginations and some really good storytelling.
Sadly, a young girl named Kirra Ingram never heard of any commission and would not have cared anyway. Kirra was born in Katoola, about ninety minutes east of Sydney.
While Kirra was young, she learned a lot about the wildlife and flora of her homeland. After all, both of her parents were born and raised in the Blue Mountains, so wanting to know was in her blood.
Once she became a teen, she wanted to learn more, so it was not uncommon for her and her friends to take off and spend a couple of days wandering around the rainforest.
Although she knew better, Kirra was not one to listen to the stories that everything in Australia wants to kill you. So, on one of their trips, Kirra’s friends woke up to find her gone. At first, they didn’t think much of it but eventually became concerned.
After a couple of hours, one of the friends said, “I think we should go look for her. " The others quickly agreed, so they set off into the forest to find the missing Kirra.
They did find a set of footprints leading away from the camp but following them was useless. They disappeared suddenly about three hundred meters from where they began. Instead of searching more, they all decided their best course of action was to return to Katoomba and find some help.
Once they made it back, they first talked to Kirra’s parents who notified the police where they filled in a missing person’s report. The police told her parents that most of the time the missing person came home on their own and that they shouldn’t worry yet because they were sure that would be the case with Kirra. She had just wandered off and would be home soon.
Of course, the friends didn’t notice some very large feline footprints in the area around the campsite nor did they hear the growls which persuaded Kirra to go walkabout in the middle of the night. If they had seen the footprints, they would have noticed that they were exactly where Kirra’s footprints had stopped.
It was clear that Kirra and the large cat had met and that something had happened.
So, after a couple of days, a search party was formed and went to the campsite with her friends as guides. Once again, they followed Kirra’s footprints, and once again, they saw where they had just ended. But this time, an elderly man named Birrani was with them, and he immediately saw the prints the feline left.
Burrani looked carefully at them, even touching them and smelling the soil from each print. Finally, he turned to the group, lowered his head, and spoke to them. “We are not looking for a girl,” he said. I know these tracks, and if she met with what I think she met with, we are looking for remains.”
Then a police officer said that he was afraid to find out, but he had to know…what it was.
“I am not sure,” Burrani answered, “But, if I have to make a guess, I will have to say it was a very big cat.?
“We do not have big cats here,” the officer said.
“We do,” Burrani answered. “It is well known in this area. Everyone knows about it but no one will admit that it might exist.” Just then they heard another growl somewhere in the distance. “I hate to suggest but everything points to a Blue Mountain panther.”
Then another sound came, which no one expected. It was the sound of a human girl, and she did not sound scared or hurt. She sounded happy.
“Kirra,” someone yelled, but there was no answer. “KIRRA,” they yelled again, but once again, there was no answer.
Suddenly Burrani charged into the forest. He did have a single weapon, a hunting rifle, but he also did have Aboriginal knowledge to fall back on. After all, they had survived in that land a lot longer than the Europeans and that, he felt, gave him a better chance than the others had and maybe he could save Kirra and bring her back.
Searching for several hours, he no longer used sounds or footprints to know where to go. Instead, he just used his instincts which led him to an area with large rocks with trees and flora to match.
Steeping in quietly he eventually found a place where animals had been resting. All through the area were feline and human footprints, so he just knew he was in the right place. Burrani took a spot a little distance away and just waited.
Just as the sun began to set he heard some of the vegetation cracking and breaking. Then he heard a loud growl, and he saw the largest coal-black feline he had ever seen. Four cubs of the same coloring were following her.
“I got you,” he said quietly as he placed his rifle against his shoulder. At that second, he was not thinking about Kirra’s welfare. He was facing a mythical legend and, if he did what he was thinking. He would have the proof.
The panther looked at him with its teeth bared and he looked straight at the panther without a blink.
As he began to pull the trigger he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. So, instead of firing he lowered the rifle and released his grip.
“Mr. Burrani,” a girl’s voice screamed. “Please do not kill my friend. She has done nothing wrong.”
“Kirra?” Burrani asked with confusion in his voice. “What happened to you?”
“I went out late one night,” Kirra began. “I guess I must have gotten lost and then I twisted my ankle. I was too far away to make it back so I thought I would sit and wait. I knew someone would find me in the morning.”
Burrani said he could understand that, so Kirra continued. “
“I must have fallen asleep and, when I woke up, she had her head resting on my shoulder,” she said. “I felt safe, so I came back here with her, and she fed me, gave me water, and let me rest with her children.”
Then Burranbi had to sit down because the panther walked over to Kirra and began rubbing her body against the child. There was no growling or sign of viciousness. Instead, she acted as if she was a perfectly behaved kitten and Kirra was her friend.
It was not until he stood up and took a step toward Kirra before any negative reaction occurred. As soon as he moved the panther changed her location to be directly between Burrani and Kirra. The cat’s eyes were locked on the man, and she was showing major signs of aggression.
“Okay, I understand,” Burrani said as he went back to his seat. “I would never harm her.” Now he knew that the panther could never understand him, but he made it better to say it anyway.
“I have to protect them,” Kirra said. “As you can see, they are friendly and would never do anything to hurt me.” Then she smiled at him and then at the panther. “Honestly, I don’t think they would hurt anyone unless provoked.
Burani thought about everything he had seen, and he was beginning to believe the same. These ‘myths’ were not the way everyone described them. “Kirra,” we must get back to the city,” Burrani said. “We must let everyone know that you are safe and what has happened here.” Kirra looked at him and then she looked at the panther and her cubs. “Kirra, I promise I will not let anything happen to your friends. I swear my life on it.” Finally, she agreed.
After Kirra explained what was happening to the panther and promised to return, she turned with Burrani and began the long trip home.
Once they returned, Kirra was surrounded by her family and friends. Burrani never even slowed down. He went to a building where the tribal leaders were usually found. He was right. They were gathered to find out what had happened to the little girl.
“You are truly not going to believe this,” he said. “I saw it and I cannot believe it.” He began explaining about Kirra, the panther, and the cubs she was raising. The detail he brought was enough to make even the hardest disbeliever think twice about it.
Then it was Kirra’s turn. She told the exact same story but with so many more details. Her voice never broke, even though her eyes did water when she told of how she was treated by that wild creature. Then, she was escorted back to her parents.
The elders discussed what they were told for nearly two months. It was hard to believe that two people could have come up with such a fantastic tale. So, it was decided that, for the time being, unless proof that the stories were indeed false was provided, they would create an area measuring thirty kilometers in every direction from the city.
One man spoke to a waiting crowd. “These creatures, these Blue Mountain Panthers, are, from this day forward, to be considered equal citizens of Katoola and are protected from any harassment or harm from any human being in the area.” Then he continued, “Kirra and Burrani are heroes of this community for finding out the truth and bringing it to us.”
Kirra, well, she lived to the ripe old age of seventy-nine, and every year, she made a trip into the forest to spend time with the friends of her youth. The day she died, there were echoes of growls coming from every direction…a fitting tribute to a true friend to the Panthers.
by Lord R.e. Taylor
For decades, reports of the panther being spotted throughout New South Wales but remained mainly in the Blue Mountains. Reports became so common that, in 2013, the government ordered a commission to investigate the reports. After an appropriate amount of time and debate the commission decided that the Blue Mountain Panther was just a creation of overactive imaginations and some really good storytelling.
Sadly, a young girl named Kirra Ingram never heard of any commission and would not have cared anyway. Kirra was born in Katoola, about ninety minutes east of Sydney.
While Kirra was young, she learned a lot about the wildlife and flora of her homeland. After all, both of her parents were born and raised in the Blue Mountains, so wanting to know was in her blood.
Once she became a teen, she wanted to learn more, so it was not uncommon for her and her friends to take off and spend a couple of days wandering around the rainforest.
Although she knew better, Kirra was not one to listen to the stories that everything in Australia wants to kill you. So, on one of their trips, Kirra’s friends woke up to find her gone. At first, they didn’t think much of it but eventually became concerned.
After a couple of hours, one of the friends said, “I think we should go look for her. " The others quickly agreed, so they set off into the forest to find the missing Kirra.
They did find a set of footprints leading away from the camp but following them was useless. They disappeared suddenly about three hundred meters from where they began. Instead of searching more, they all decided their best course of action was to return to Katoomba and find some help.
Once they made it back, they first talked to Kirra’s parents who notified the police where they filled in a missing person’s report. The police told her parents that most of the time the missing person came home on their own and that they shouldn’t worry yet because they were sure that would be the case with Kirra. She had just wandered off and would be home soon.
Of course, the friends didn’t notice some very large feline footprints in the area around the campsite nor did they hear the growls which persuaded Kirra to go walkabout in the middle of the night. If they had seen the footprints, they would have noticed that they were exactly where Kirra’s footprints had stopped.
It was clear that Kirra and the large cat had met and that something had happened.
So, after a couple of days, a search party was formed and went to the campsite with her friends as guides. Once again, they followed Kirra’s footprints, and once again, they saw where they had just ended. But this time, an elderly man named Birrani was with them, and he immediately saw the prints the feline left.
Burrani looked carefully at them, even touching them and smelling the soil from each print. Finally, he turned to the group, lowered his head, and spoke to them. “We are not looking for a girl,” he said. I know these tracks, and if she met with what I think she met with, we are looking for remains.”
Then a police officer said that he was afraid to find out, but he had to know…what it was.
“I am not sure,” Burrani answered, “But, if I have to make a guess, I will have to say it was a very big cat.?
“We do not have big cats here,” the officer said.
“We do,” Burrani answered. “It is well known in this area. Everyone knows about it but no one will admit that it might exist.” Just then they heard another growl somewhere in the distance. “I hate to suggest but everything points to a Blue Mountain panther.”
Then another sound came, which no one expected. It was the sound of a human girl, and she did not sound scared or hurt. She sounded happy.
“Kirra,” someone yelled, but there was no answer. “KIRRA,” they yelled again, but once again, there was no answer.
Suddenly Burrani charged into the forest. He did have a single weapon, a hunting rifle, but he also did have Aboriginal knowledge to fall back on. After all, they had survived in that land a lot longer than the Europeans and that, he felt, gave him a better chance than the others had and maybe he could save Kirra and bring her back.
Searching for several hours, he no longer used sounds or footprints to know where to go. Instead, he just used his instincts which led him to an area with large rocks with trees and flora to match.
Steeping in quietly he eventually found a place where animals had been resting. All through the area were feline and human footprints, so he just knew he was in the right place. Burrani took a spot a little distance away and just waited.
Just as the sun began to set he heard some of the vegetation cracking and breaking. Then he heard a loud growl, and he saw the largest coal-black feline he had ever seen. Four cubs of the same coloring were following her.
“I got you,” he said quietly as he placed his rifle against his shoulder. At that second, he was not thinking about Kirra’s welfare. He was facing a mythical legend and, if he did what he was thinking. He would have the proof.
The panther looked at him with its teeth bared and he looked straight at the panther without a blink.
As he began to pull the trigger he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. So, instead of firing he lowered the rifle and released his grip.
“Mr. Burrani,” a girl’s voice screamed. “Please do not kill my friend. She has done nothing wrong.”
“Kirra?” Burrani asked with confusion in his voice. “What happened to you?”
“I went out late one night,” Kirra began. “I guess I must have gotten lost and then I twisted my ankle. I was too far away to make it back so I thought I would sit and wait. I knew someone would find me in the morning.”
Burrani said he could understand that, so Kirra continued. “
“I must have fallen asleep and, when I woke up, she had her head resting on my shoulder,” she said. “I felt safe, so I came back here with her, and she fed me, gave me water, and let me rest with her children.”
Then Burranbi had to sit down because the panther walked over to Kirra and began rubbing her body against the child. There was no growling or sign of viciousness. Instead, she acted as if she was a perfectly behaved kitten and Kirra was her friend.
It was not until he stood up and took a step toward Kirra before any negative reaction occurred. As soon as he moved the panther changed her location to be directly between Burrani and Kirra. The cat’s eyes were locked on the man, and she was showing major signs of aggression.
“Okay, I understand,” Burrani said as he went back to his seat. “I would never harm her.” Now he knew that the panther could never understand him, but he made it better to say it anyway.
“I have to protect them,” Kirra said. “As you can see, they are friendly and would never do anything to hurt me.” Then she smiled at him and then at the panther. “Honestly, I don’t think they would hurt anyone unless provoked.
Burani thought about everything he had seen, and he was beginning to believe the same. These ‘myths’ were not the way everyone described them. “Kirra,” we must get back to the city,” Burrani said. “We must let everyone know that you are safe and what has happened here.” Kirra looked at him and then she looked at the panther and her cubs. “Kirra, I promise I will not let anything happen to your friends. I swear my life on it.” Finally, she agreed.
After Kirra explained what was happening to the panther and promised to return, she turned with Burrani and began the long trip home.
Once they returned, Kirra was surrounded by her family and friends. Burrani never even slowed down. He went to a building where the tribal leaders were usually found. He was right. They were gathered to find out what had happened to the little girl.
“You are truly not going to believe this,” he said. “I saw it and I cannot believe it.” He began explaining about Kirra, the panther, and the cubs she was raising. The detail he brought was enough to make even the hardest disbeliever think twice about it.
Then it was Kirra’s turn. She told the exact same story but with so many more details. Her voice never broke, even though her eyes did water when she told of how she was treated by that wild creature. Then, she was escorted back to her parents.
The elders discussed what they were told for nearly two months. It was hard to believe that two people could have come up with such a fantastic tale. So, it was decided that, for the time being, unless proof that the stories were indeed false was provided, they would create an area measuring thirty kilometers in every direction from the city.
One man spoke to a waiting crowd. “These creatures, these Blue Mountain Panthers, are, from this day forward, to be considered equal citizens of Katoola and are protected from any harassment or harm from any human being in the area.” Then he continued, “Kirra and Burrani are heroes of this community for finding out the truth and bringing it to us.”
Kirra, well, she lived to the ripe old age of seventy-nine, and every year, she made a trip into the forest to spend time with the friends of her youth. The day she died, there were echoes of growls coming from every direction…a fitting tribute to a true friend to the Panthers.