Tailchaser’s Song

A presence tickled his whisker-tips, and he iooked up. Eyeshimmer was sitting beside him, rain-sparkle on his snowy fur.

"The first rains of the year bring out many strong impressions, do they not?" Eyeshimmer's high voice was deceptively careless.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand. What impressions?"

"Impressions. Dream-stuff. Recognition and guide-tailing. I find that the early rains… well, as I said."

Eyeshimmer's presence, and his strange conversation, made Tailchaser nervous. "I'm afraid I don't know much about those sorts of things, Eyeshimmer."

The Oel-var'iz looked at Fritti with amusement. "As you wish," he said, "as you wish." He walked off as if bearing a secret joke balanced on the tip of his long tail.

Quiverclaw watched the Far-senser's departure from across the clearing. He rose and stretched, then ambled around the perimeter, stepping over a drowsing Hangbelly. Watching him walk, Tailchaser was again struck by the harnessed power of the black cat,

"You look disconcerted, young Tailchaser. Did Eyeshimmer cast a disturbing fortune for you?" The Thane relaxed to the ground beside Fritti.

"No. No, he was just being sociable, I think, but I didn't quite get what he was saying. I hope I didn't offend him."

"I would not worry overmuch. The Far-sensers are a strange breed, you see. Brilliant, quick as a wet skink, but a little moody and odd. It's the way they're raised, you know. While the rest of us are learning to catch Squeakers, the Oel-var'ize are taught to read the weather in snail tracks, and sing salamanders out of the mud, and suchlike. Or so it's said. Anyway, they're all a bit daft-and Eyeshimmer not the worst by a long stretch."

Fritti sensed that the Thane was playing the fool a bit for his benefit, but couldn't help enjoying the First-walker's droll ma

"By the by," Quiverclaw continued, "I did want to find out exactly where you and your little friend are bound. We would be happy to escort you, if your path lies with ours."

"Actually, I was just thinking about that earlier," said Fritti, stretching languorously. He stopped in midextension, suddenly self-conscious about showing such indulgence in the presence of the Thane. "I suppose I will have to decide rather soon," he finished quietly.

Quiverclaw showed no sign of noticing Fritti's embarrassment. "Sadly, we ca

Tailchaser sat silent. The task of finding Hushpad loomed once more. How difficult it was being responsible! He missed the simple pleasures of kitten-hood. How could he discover her? Every idea that ran through his mind turned out, under examination, to be useless.

"I suppose," he asked the Thane finally, "that Pouncequick told you why we are abroad in these woods?"

"He did, young hunter. And a right brave and proper thing it is to do. I wish I could give you some wise words about where to find your fela, but alas, it is a large world. She is not the first to suffer from mysterious happenings, though, but more I ca

"I, too, have heard many odd stories," agreed Tailchaser. "As a matter of fact, my clan sent a delegation to the Court of Harar to seek help in this situation. I suppose I should go and meet them there, and see what they have learned. I'm afraid I had not given the whole subject much more than a sniff and a lick when I decided to set out. Yes, I suppose I must try to reach the Court."

A strange look flickered across Quiverclaw's slitted eyes.

"The Court, eh?" he grunted. "Well, each hunter must set his own paws to the path. Unfortunately, when we get to Woodsedge in a day or two's time, we must part ways. Sourweed's territory lies Vez'an-ward-to the east-and your path must take you toward Va'an. We will give you good directions, though… and good wishes." Quiverclaw rose. "Take some sleep, now. I wish to set off again after Smaller Shadows." The black hunter paced sinuously off.

The rain had steadied into a drizzle that matted the fur and muddied the paws of the travelers. Through the gray afternoon and evening they marched on across the failing fringes of the old forest. Pounce-quick-being the smallest and least fastidious-fell into several puddles, not always by accident.

They reached the final line of trees at the threshold of the downs as the sun was disappearing over the horizon. Quiverclaw decided that they should stop and spend one last night beneath the shelter of the trees.

Bobweave and Scuffledig scouted up a relatively dry spot on a rise beneath a stand of pine trees, and after an unimpressive hunt the party repaired to their sleeping place.

For a long time they lay quietly watching the growing rivulets of water snake past them, each trickle seeking its own path to low ground. Pouncequick and Scuffledig played Hide-and-Swipe across Quiver-claw's back for a while-until an errant paw took the Thane on the side of the head. Ears back, he snarled the restless pair into uneasy stillness. Then, realizing that it was a losing battle, the chief of the First-walkers turned to Hangbelly.

"Old friend," said Quiverclaw, "it looks to be a long night. How about a little entertainment-if only to save my aching head from any more Hide-and-Swipe?"

"A grand idea!" shoutted Scuffledig. "Tell the story of Bobweave and the hedgehog!"

Bobweave looked at Scuffledig with a grimace of distaste. "Certainly," he said sourly. "Then we must have the story of Scuffledig's first gopher hunt."

Scuffledig looked over in alarm. "Perhaps we should save the hedgehog story for another time," he conceded.

Quiverclaw smiled. "Why not a song or a poem?" he asked. "Mind you that it's proper for our young friends."

Hangbelly sneezed a laugh and rolled over onto his stomach, which spread impressively beneath him. "I have just the thing," he chortled, "as long as some folks as I could name remember their ma

"This," he said, "is a small verse as is called 'Snagrat and the Spirit-Mouse.' " He hummed for a moment, then sang.

"Snagrat was a cat who liked his rats An' he liked 'em sweet, an' he liked 'em fat Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, liked his rats.

Snagrat, ye know, would a-hunting go In the summery sun and winter snow Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, hunting go.

One day he spied by the riverside A Squeaker plump, rat-mother's pride Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, rat he spied.

At the rat he jumped, with a leap and bump

To take the beast in its hiding clump

Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, leap and bump.

But beneath his claws no rat he saw And he gaped a gape from dangling jaw Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, no rat saw.

Then he heard a squeak, and a rat did speak But he could not find it however did seek Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, rat did speak.

Said the voice: 'Dear cat, I'm the spirit-rat And I will haunt you and hunt you flat! Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, haunt you flat.

Snagrat's head spun at the spirit's dun

And up he leaped and away he run

Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, leaped and run.

No more Snagrat is a mousing cat Now he feeds on beetles and bark and sprat And… here and there a low-flying bat But he has no taste for mouse or rat!

Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack

Yow-meow-a-derry-crack

Hey-crack, derry-crack, eats no rats!"

The end of Hangbelly's song was followed by much laughing and cheering. Tailchaser noticed that even Eyeshimmer had a look of honest amusement on his ascetic face.