The Red Peril

Illya heard the cry of an animal from a distance, his large head coming up out of the water. It was a sight to see such a big male polar bear emerging from a lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Polar bears not being native to the area. There was another cry. The animal making the sounds seemed terribly hurt. And not too far away. He climbed out of the water and shook himself dry, then at a quick pace, he headed in the direction of the sounds. Pushing through brush and trees as if they were not there. At times he was grateful that when he changed, it was into a larger animal.

It didn't take long for him to cover the distance. The sound was coming from below the ridge of the hill. There was something there, hidden by brush and trees. It was badly hurt, the smell of blood was proof of that. Illya carefully climbed down the steep hill. He pushed through a heavy thicket of brambles and on the other side of it was... a snow leopard? It's leg caught in one of those horrible steel jawed traps.