Running Low On Those 9 Lives

Alex and Rory are so grateful that Sebastian is back home and safe. Their prayers were answered when he came sauntering up the driveway (if you can saunter with a limp; he somehow managed it) on our return from church last Sunday. I was fearing the worst and trying not to fall apart myself... even contemplated skipping church so I could look for him some more, but the Spirit whispered that I should go and that would be a better lesson for my children, no matter what the outcome. I really feel like it was a tender mercy and blessing that he came back to us. So here's what happened:
Remember how nice and sunny it was on Saturday? Rory was still a little weak from being sick so I put her in the stroller and took the girls for a walk. I thought Sebastian was still inside, but he escaped without me knowing. We didn't know he was following us until we were on the other side of the big street. We noticed him the same time as the red healer, whose owner didn't think it necessary to keep his dog on a leash. The dog charged Sebastian, who kept his cool (like a smart cat should) but when the dog nipped him, Sebastian tore off running. I couldn't move fast enough to help because I had my little girls with me, so we made our way back across the street, all of us screaming at the dog the whole way. The owner, realizing that the actual owners of the cat were witnessing his dog's murderous intentions, decided he should take some action to avoid a lawsuit. He retrieved his dog forcefully and disappeared (though the dog did not stop barking). Keep in mind that I love dogs. I grew up with dogs and I'm saving up my budget pennies right now to buy a newfie. What I don't love are irresponsible owners who don't keep their dogs on leashes and don't properly train them (and trust me the list goes on but I'll spare you).
You may or may not know that Sebastian has no claws, front or back. Cats are cats, and as gentle as I think Sebastian, I wasn't going to let him scratch my new baby. Because of this, we do try to keep him inside, but it's hard to keep a cat inside when they've had a taste of the outdoors. Anyway, he's large and beautiful, and I had no idea that he was capable of climbing a tree without claws. He tore up the tallest tree (next to that greenish house with the porch fan) and was half way up (that tree is so tall, I was amazed). Once the owner disappeared with his dog, Sebastian fell from the tree (landed on his feet, of course). He looked really bad and at a glance I could see his paws were bleeding. I had no idea if he was hurt anywhere else because I just wanted to get him home before anything else could happen. I gently picked him up and spoke softly as I asked Rory to get out of her stroller so we could walk home, as there was no way I could push her back. She threw a tantrum and refused. I begged and bribed but it was no use on this stubborn stinker. So I asked Alex if she thought she could push Rory back up the hill. She pushed and grunted and tried her hardest but it was just to heavy and steep for her. So she started to pull the stroller backwards, and I nudged the stroller forward with my foot. We started to inch our way back up the hill this way, when we grew close to the house where the red healer lives. The dog started to bark and Sebastian lost his mind. No exaggerating... he absolutely lost his mind and attacked me. I had to let him go and he scampered a few feet away and then was too hurt to go any further. He didn't want to run from me, but his sanity wouldn't abide a closer proximity to that dumb barking dog.
So there I was completely stuck. By this time, I'm covered in Sebastian's blood. I took my jacket off and wrapped Sebastian up in it and covered his head, hoping that this would get us by the dog. You know, I would have been so grateful if this guy had come out of his house to help me... it would have done so much. But he was in there worried about having to pay for vet bills or something, and letting his dog bark outside and make my cat crazy. So wrapped up in my jacket, we proceeded again, but as soon as that dog started to bark again, Sebastian lost it and I had to drop him again. He lied down a few feet away. The only choice I had was to run my girls back to the house as fast as possible and race back for Sebastian. But he was gone when I got there. I searched and searched and couldn't find him. If you know cats, you know that when they've been injured and know they're dying, they crawl off into a hiding place to die by themselves. He always comes when I call him, but not this time. After Dave got home, I searched more and again past midnight. He still wasn't home the next morning and I searched again before leaving for church.
So after many prayers from the girls (ahem, and myself included) we got Sebastian back. The girls were so happy, and Alex was next to tears as she took her sweater off and wrapped it around Sebastian. She moved him to the couch and gave him a pillow, and tucked him in her sweater again. He took a nap there, trying not to let his paws touch the couch. At bedtime, Sebastian climbed back into bed, that is Alex' bed cuddling at her feet.