Tailchaser’s Song

Eatbugs' eyes blinked open. For a moment, while his body still lay slack and motionless, they filled with an intense, cool fire. Then the light flickered in their depths, and seemed to die. The lids sagged back into place, and all was still as stone once more.

Skinwretch was waiting for Fritti when he arrived at the spur tu

"Tu

"Silence!" Fritti himself hissed. "What news?"

"I have found your prisoner!" said the Toothguard gleefully. "Ssskinwretch hasss done it!"

Tailchaser felt the pressing of time. "Where? Where is she?"

Skinwretch gri

Trying to keep his patience, Fritti waited with dry mouth as Skinwretch described where Roofshadow was being held. When the eyeless Toothguard had finished Tailchaser began to back away, pla

I'd better keep up appearances, he thought. This creature is a terrible enemy, but he makes a good ally.

"You have done well," he told the Toothguard. "The Master will be pleased. Remember, not a word to anyone!"

"Of coursse not. Not clever Ssskinwretch!"

As he watched the creature's mad caperings, Fritti suddenly noticed something he had missed in his excitement. "Where's Scratchnail?" he demanded. "You were to keep him with you."

A sudden look of fear crossed Skinwretch's ruined features. "Oh, Tu

Nothing to be done, thought Fritti. "Never mind," he told Skinwretch, who brightened immediately. "Go on, now, and if I need you I will find you."

Tailchaser darted out of the spur tu

Hiding in pools of deeper shade, stealing quietly past squadrons of bristling, congregating mound-dwellers, Fritti moved like a spirit-cat through the awakening underworld. The mound-beasts were everywhere-moving, whispering, flexing sharp red claws.

Fritti reached the junction of three tu

A shaft entrance in the tu

He reached the hole and peered cautiously down. In the dim light at the bottom of the shaft he could see… Pouncequick! His heart leaped. The young killing and Roofshadow were being kept in the same cave! His luck was holding.

Leaning farther forward, he could now see two more shapes. Roofshadow! And was the old one Eatbugs? But why weren't any of them moving? Could they be… but no. He could see Pouncequick's sides rising and falling.

Something crashed down on him like a toppling tree. With a yowl of pain he tumbled to the side of the cavern entrance. Standing over him with a massive paw cocked for another blow was a large black shape. The half-familiar face of the Clawguard leered down at him.

"What are you up to, then?" the brute growled.

"N-nothing!" squeaked Fritti. "M-m-my name is T-Tu

"Is that right?" he snarled, and his hot breath made Tailchaser blink. The beast's eyes narrowed. "Just a moment. You look familiar. What's that mark on your head?"

His head? Forehead? Skydancer's Tears! Fritti cursed himself. He must have wiped the masking dust from his face when he had emerged from the slave tu

Fritti made a sudden squirming movement toward escape, but the heavy paw descended on his neck, scarlet claws softly pricking his throat.

"By the Great One!" said the Claw. "If it isn't our little escaped sun-rat! Isn't that fine!"

In a rush of despair, Fritti recognized his captor. It was Bitefast, Scratchnail's former companion, who now bared his teeth at the trapped Tailchaser in a terrible smile. "Well now," chuckled the Claw, "it's awfully good that I should be the one to find you. Because of you, they ruined the chief. All because of you!" The paw pushed cruelly down on Fritti's throat. He coughed helplessly.

"Well, I'm the chieftain now." Bitefast smirked. "And I'm going to make sure you get what you deserve." The black beast squatted, and pushed his deep-set eves up next to the face of his wheezing captive. The Claw's voice descended to a vindictive whisper.

"I'm giving over you straight to the Fat One!"

CHAPTER 28

Wheresoever thou art our agony will find Thee Enthroned on the darkest altar of our heartbreak Perfect. Beast, brute, bastard. O dog my God!

–George Barker

Tailchaser was pushed, prodded, bitten and bullied down the now-crowded corridors by Bitefast. As they passed-the dark and muscular Clawguard driving the small orange cat-some of the mound-dwellers turned to stare curiously after the mismatched pair. There was nothing unusual in the sight of one of the captive Folk being herded to punishment or doom, but the small cat was snarling and balking-resisting! It had been a long time since any had seen the sun-dwellers showing any fight.

Fritti, in a haze of pain, frustration, and anger, did observe an unusual thing: there were no slaves; no work gangs to be seen sullenly treading the roads of Vastnir. Apparently their work was done. No wonder he had been discovered.

Bitefast directed Fritti down through crowds of indifferent Clawguard and hissing, wrinkle-ski

Before the entrance to the Seat of Hearteater stood a group of Clawguard, arguing. The apparent leader, a squat, chunky beast with only a stump where his tail had been, seemed to be trying to restore order. He snapped at one of his minions, who retreated growling, but crept back a moment later with head held low.

"Ho, Crushgrass!" Bitefast called to the tailless one. "What are you and your pack of mouse-huggers doing-down here?"

Crushgrass turned to peer at the new arrivals. "Ah, it's you, is it, Bitefast!? Very bad, very bad all this is."

"What are you whining about?" asked Bitefast with a tongue-lolling grin.

"It's Snapjaw here," said Crushgrass worriedly. "He and some of my other fellows have been hearing strange things in the upper Catacombs."

"Scratching, like," said Snapjaw, low-browed and sullen. "It's not right."

Bitefast barked a harsh laugh. "What these fellows need is some sharp teeth put to 'em. You need to keep these shirkers under a firmer paw, Crushgrass." He laughed again. There was an unpleasant murmuring among Crushgrass' guards. "And what are you all doing here in any case?" Bitefast continued. "The Master'1l have your eyes!"