Tailchaser’s Song

As he dove into the shelter of a bramble bush, he felt his paws come down astonishingly on unsolid air. Losing his balance, he toppled forward.

As he slid over the precipice-and caught a swift glimpse of a dry stream bed a fatal distance below-he twisted his body sharply, managing to catch the bramble bush and slow his headlong plunge. Grappling the prickling branches with all four legs now, and teeth and tail, he found himself dangling precariously over the drop-only the brambles between him and a long, long fall.

He hung for a moment, maddened with surprise and terror. Tok!… tok-tok-a-tok!-and another shower of nuts and stones hailed down on him. Fritti began to yowl piteously.

"Why are you-ow!-hurting me-ow!" he cried, and was rewarded with a hazelnut on his sensitive pink nose.

"I have done nothing to harm anyone here! Why are you hurt-ow!-hurting me?"

There was another swift series of knocks, followed by quiet. Then, from the trees above, came a shrill, cluttering voice.

"No harm it says-says!" The voice was high-pitched and angry. "Liar-liar-liar! You-you! Are killer! Coming here, here hunt and kill. Liar-cat-liar!"

Although it spoke in a fast-paced and excited way, Fritti could understand its Common Singing. He struggled for a better grip on the roots.

"Tell me what I have done!" he pleaded, hoping for time to regain the edge of safety just a paw-reach away. Angry chattering that he could not understand came from all the trees at once; then the rapping noise quieted the voices again.

"We are not stupid nut-droppers, no-no. Bad, so-bad cat, the people of the Rikchikchik not for you, for you to tease and fool, oh no no!"

The Rikchikchiki The squirrel-folk! Even hanging at clawtips from a bramble bush, Fritti felt a moment's wonder. It was known they would hiss and scold intruders, and even fight viciously when cornered-they were among the strongest and bravest of the Squeaker-folk. But band together to attack one of the Folk, one who had not even been stalking? It was incredible!

"Hear me, O Rikchikchik!" Fritti cried. His claws were begi

Then a large brown squirrel made his way down the trunk of an aspen-headfirst and slowly-and stopped not two jumps away from Tailchaser's precarious position. The Rikchikchik looked angry, its lips pulled back from long front teeth, but it was only one-quarter Fritti's size. He had to admire its bravery.

"Tails, teeth, lies. This is-is what cats is!" The squirrel still spoke angrily, but more slowly, and was easier to understand. "Can trust? No. Cat has got-got Mistress Whir. So-bad cats!"

"I haven't harmed anyone, I swear!" cried Fritti plaintively.

"Many tooth-and-claws attack nests! Even now, now, killing cat has caught my chiknek, my… mate. Caught! Spoiled seeds - unburied nuts! Terror, terror!"

Pains were shooting up Tailchaser's legs, and he was finding it hard to think. He extended a paw carefully to the cliff's edge, to relieve the pressure on his hind legs. A stone from a tree above struck the questing paw - he almost lost his grip as he pulled the injured foot back. A shrill chorus of squirrel voices in the foliage above called out for blood.

He tried to concentrate on what the brown squirrel was saying.

"Do you mean that a cat has your mate right now? Nearby?"

"Bones of birds! Horror, woe! Poor Mistress Whir. Caught, caught she is!"

Fritti seized at the opportunity. "Listen to me! Please, throw no rocks down, I am at your mercy. I will try to save your mate, if you only let me get up from this place! You don't have to trust me. Go back into your trees, and if I try to escape, or harm you, you can drop boulders on me, pumpkins, anything! It's your only chance to save her!"

Tail erect and trembling, the large brown squirrel fixed him with a bright eye. For a moment all was frozen in the tableau: the stone-still squirrel and the small orange cat, grimacing in pain and hanging from a bush above a steep fall. Then the Rikchikchik spoke.

"You go. Save chiknek and you free-free. Word of Master Fizz. Sacred Oak-promise. Follow, we lead you, lead you."

With a leap and scrabble, Master Fizz was gone into the leafy branches above. Tailchaser carefully pulled himself up to where he could get a better grip, then got his back paws up against the bramble roots for leverage and jumped to safety. He was weaker than he thought. His muscles trembled as he clambered up onto solid earth, and he lay for a moment panting. The Rikchikchik made excited noises among the leaves. He got painfully to his feet, and their chirruping voices led him forward,

On the outskirts of a grove of black oaks the Rikchikchik came to a halt. Tailchaser could see what had happened.

One of the old trees had fallen over long ago, forming a huge arch. He could hear the frightened crying of a squirrel from beneath it, and smell the scent of one of the Folk. The sheltering oak shielded the cat so that it could finish its game in peace without being disturbed by the stones and nuts of the vengeful Rikchikchik.

Fritti crept slowly and cautiously around the mop of dead roots that extended from one end of the fallen tree. However he was going to persuade the other cat to give up its rightful hunt-prey, he would have to begin with deference and care. So as not to startle, he called, "Good dancing, hunt-brother," as he walked under the arching trunk. He stopped short.

Mistress Whir, her eyes bulging with panic, lay pi

"Well! Young Tailchaser." Stretchslow did not rise or move his paw from the terrified squirrel, but gave a nod of greeting that was not unfriendly. "Isn't this a surprise! I was expecting you through this area eventually, but waiting is so boring." He started to yawn, then caught himself. "Well, now that you've arrived, would you like to share my catch with me? She's a nice fat one, as you can see. Had quite a bit of fight in her, too-at first. Stimulates the appetite."

Things were happening too fast for Fritti. "You were waiting… for me?" he asked. "I don't understand."

Stretchslow sneezed humorously at Fritti's bewilderment. "I expect you don't. Well, plenty of time for all that after a toothsome bit of Rikchikchik. Sure you're not hungry?" Stretchslow raised his paw to deal the squirrel a killing blow.

"Stop!!" Fritti cried.

Stretchslow was now the one to look surprised. He squinted at Tailchaser with keen interest-as if Fritti had grown a second tail.

"What's wrong, youngling?" inquired the older male. "Is this some strange sort of poison squirrel?"

"Yes… no… oh, Stretchslow, could you let her go?" asked Fritti weakly.

"Let her go?" The hunter was genuinely astonished. "Heavenly Viror, why?"

"I promised the other squirrels that I would rescue her." Fritti felt as if he were turning to dust under the curious stare of the other cat, dust that would blow away in the next strong breeze. After a moment's careful scrutiny of Fritti, Stretchslow gave an immense huff of laughter and rolled onto his back, waggling his paws in the air. The she-squirrel did not move, but lay still, breathing shallowly, her eyes glazed.

Stretchslow rolled to his stomach and gave Fritti an affectionate thump with a large forepaw. "Oh, Tailchewer," he wheezed, "I knew I was right! Going on quests! Saving squirrel maidens! Whoof! What a song yours will be!" Stretchslow shook his head from side to side with merriment, then turned his attention back to the huddled Rikchikchik. Fritti's nose burned. He did not know if he was being praised or mocked-or both.