Tailchaser’s Song

Despite his fear, Tailchaser felt great pity well up in his being at the terrible desolation of the white cat.

"Little star, I sense something strange about you. What is it?" asked the sorrowful, distant voice. "Do you bring a message, or are you merely lost… as I am? Do you bring tidings from my brother? No, it would only be a cruel trick! The cold is too great, the night is too hollow… leave me alone, the thought of the living burns me… it burns me! Ah, such pain!"

With a muffled, echoing wail, the apparition began to spin faster and faster, and fell away from Tailchaser's sight.

He was surrounded by darkness once more.

Suddenly, he felt matter beneath his paws, although the impenetrable dark had not abated. He tried to cling, to bury himself in this tangible, solid thing. It was like the earth, it was something to touch-and it was the only other thing besides himself in this gigantic, black stillness. For a moment. Until he felt a presence.

Somewhere, out in the lightless reaches, something was searching for him. He could not tell how he knew-could not name the sense that told him-but he knew. Something huge and slow and relentless was stalking him… in a questing silence that was far worse than any sound could be in that comfortless waste.

His forehead felt warm again. Did it shine? He felt nakedly obvious; exposed. His brow burned, and he felt that it was signaling his presence to the hunting thing, as light draws the eyes from the forest. Tailchaser tried to cover his face with his paws, to bury the burning mark… but could not reach his forehead. His head had stretched away-no, it was his legs that were shrinking! He could feel it now, feel them dwindling away-tingling for a moment, then gone-and now he was lying helplessly on his stomach, unable to run, although every nerve screamed at him to flee. The presence was reaching out, now, groping blindly… touching closer and closer. All sense of unreality was submerged in horror. Something had sensed him-and it wanted him.

He shut his eyes tight, like a kitten-hoping something that he could not see would not see him-but in the infinite blackness it was a cruel mockery to exchange one darkness for another. It was almost upon him, probing… and now it seemed that he could smell it: rank, foul, and older than stone. The heat on his forehead pulsed like a heart of fire.

Then something seized him and began to shake, and shake, and shake…

For a brief instant he thought he sensed a terrible gust of disappointment from the darkness; then he was rising. A spot of light appeared above, shining down like the sun. In the middle of this hole in the blackness he saw a strange, tall shape-a form like a tree with no branches, entirely surrounded by water. As his eyes blinked at the brightness the upright form took on the lineaments of Howlsong, shaking him and shaking him…

Tailchaser fell back into normal sleep, and when he awoke later he found himself in Pouncequick's bower. Howlsong, Roofshadow and his young friend were all in attendance.

"Well, here he is!" said Howlsong. "We were all terribly, terribly concerned for you. I suppose that they just don't make catmint like that where you come from-I mean the real thing. We're so pleased to see you feeling better."

Pouncequick leaped forward and licked Fritti's face. The gray cat stayed in the background, but measured Tailchaser with her eyes.

Trembling, he thanked them for their attentive-ness. He did not feel completely normal yet: the light beaming down through the trees had an odd, refracted quality-a shimmering-and all the sounds that came to him echoed slightly. He felt very light and insubstantial.

Howlsong stood. "Well, I know you have been awfully ill, but we have been lying in all morning, and I have ever so many things to do. I hope you will not hate me if I run off and attend to some of them."

As he was leaving he turned and added: "Oh, of course, I almost forgot! The Prince has made an appointment for you at Court for tonight, at the begi

"I think I will be able to receive that honor," Fritti said after a moment's pause. "I have come a long distance to speak with the Queen, and…" He paused again. "And, well, yes, I will be there."

"Good. I will come back to fetch you in plenty of time," said Howlsong. The patchwork singer bounded out of the glen.

Fritti lay back for a while, pondering the odd, lingering sensations as Pouncequick contentedly groomed him. After a short time Roofshadow spoke up.

"Are you sure you feel strong enough to go before the Queen, Tailchaser?" The slim gray cat watched him as she waited for his reply.

"I think the sooner I get on with this, the better." he said. He found it difficult to articulate what he was feeling. "As I told Howlsong, we've come a very great distance. I've made a promise, and I've sworn an oath to it… but this Firsthome, I don't know, it makes everything feel sort of unimportant-I mean, you could just lie here day after day, if you wanted to, and think about nothing but waterbugs. Not chase waterbugs, mind you," he tried to explain, "just think about them. You could spend your whole day, every day, just wondering and pondering about waterbugs, and talking to others about waterbugs… and before you realized it, you'd be old. One day you'd realize that you'd never actually seen a waterbug… but by then you wouldn't want to, because it would spoil all your lovely ideas.

"I'm afraid I'm not explaining this very well," he continued, "but I feel that if I'm going to find my friend Hushpad then I'd better get on with it, because… I'm sorry, I just can't express it properly…"

Roofshadow walked over to Fritti and looked at him carefully. She sniffed him-not in a suspicious way, but in an interested one-then sat down.

"I think I sense your meaning, Tailchaser-but, of course, I am a stranger here also. I don't think Howlsong and the others would understand you."

"They probably wouldn't," admitted Fritti. He looked down at Pouncequick, who had finished grooming him and was nestling happily against his body listening to their talk. "What do you say, Pounce?" he asked.

Pouncequick looked up solemnly. "Well," he said, "I am not sure that I understand everything you just said, but I do think that some of the thinking that Folk do here is important-at least it makes me want to ask what seem like important questions… although I don't really know what makes them important. There, do you see?" chortled the kitten. "I am an even worse explainer than my wise old friend Tailchaser. I think we should answer these dull matters with some food. It's far past breakfast time!"

"I agree, cu'nre." Fritti smiled, although he himself did not really feel up to eating yet. "Would you like to come hunt with us, Roofshadow?" he asked the quiet fela.

"Honored."

All that day they explored the forest maze of First-home, discovering brush-choked passages and long-neglected pathways.

The Folk of Firsthome and Rootwood seemed very quiet on this day after Celebration. Most were napping, or lying on their sides chatting lazily with friends. Many had left after the festivities, and the byways of Rootwood were nearly empty.

Roofshadow paid much attention to Pouncequick, leading him into games and coming over to look when he found something that interested him.

She was friendly with Tailchaser, but somewhat reserved. This was fine with Fritti, who was still feeling the effects of his experience the previous night. Most of his waking symptoms had dwindled, but he could not shake loose from the odd feeling of detachment. His companions' conversation seemed distant; he felt himself full of brooding stillness as he passed beneath the old trees like a spirit.