Tailchaser’s Song

"Oh yes, some do," he said. "As a matter of fact, my whole tribe of flying cats is thinking of making this spot our new nesting grounds. We need a place to lay our eggs, you know."

Tailchaser got up and began to walk in a wide circle around the dog. "Yes, think of it," he said, looking from side to side. "Hundreds of flying cats… big ones, little ones… it's quite a marvelous idea, isn't it?"

He was almost safely past when a deep, rumbling snarl issued from Huff-so-Gruff. "Cats ca

The mastiff leaped forward, baying, and Fritti turned and bolted up the hill. Within a few jumps he realized there were no trees to climb, no fences to dodge behind; it was open grass to the top of the rise.

Well, he thought suddenly, why should I bother to run? I have faced worse dangers before, and survived.

He whirled to face the great mastiff bearing down on him.

"Come on, dung-sniffer!" Tailchaser howled. "Come and meet a child of Firefoot!"

Huff-so-Gruff, in mid-bark, ran unsuspectingly into a faceful of yowling, scratching cat. His deep baying turned to a yelp of surprise as sharp claws raked his jowls.

Like a small orange whirlwind, Fritti was suddenh all over the Growler-claws and teeth and screechir

voice. Shocked, Huff-so-Gruff pulled back, shaking his large head. In that second, Tailchaser was off again, ears back and tail trailing.

As the dismayed Growler gingerly ran his tongue over his lacerated nose, Fritti reached the M'an-dwelling. With a leap and scrabble he was up the low stone wall and onto the thatched roof. Standing at the edge, he let out a cry of triumph.

"Don't take the Folk so lightly again, you great clumsy beast!"

Down on the ground below, Huff-so-Gruff grunted. "Come you down and you be eaten, cat," he said disgustedly.

"Hah!" sneezed Tailchaser. "I will bring you an army of my Folk to settle here, and we will tweak your tail and smack your hanging chops until you die from shame! Hah!"

Huff-so-Gruff turned and trudged away with heavy dignity.

Fritti walked softly back and forth across the thatch, his heart gradually slowing to its usual pace. He felt wonderful.

After some searching-leaning out over the edge, wrinkling his nose-he found an open window underneath the eaves of the roof. He looked carefully around for the Growler, but Huff-so-Gruff was many jumps down the slope, nursing his wounds. Fritti sprang down to the stone wall, then quickly back up to the windowsill. He paused for a moment to gauge the distance to the floor inside, wavered on the sill, then leaped down.

In the middle of the room, curled in a deep-furred ball, lay Hushpad.

CHAPTER 33

A certain recluse, 1 know not who, once said that no bonds attached him to this life, and the only thing he would regret leaving was the sky.

–Yoshida Kenko

She did not appear to recognize him. He stood before her, back arched and legs trembling, and could not speak.

Hushpad raised her head languidly and stared at him. "Yes? What do you want?"

"Hushpad!" he choked. "It's me! Tailchaser!"

The fela's eyes opened in surprise. For a long moment both cats were still.

Hushpad shook her head wonderingly. "Tailchaser? My little friend Tailchaser? Is it really you?" In a heartbeat she was on her paws, then they were together, sniffing, rubbing noses and muzzles. Fritti felt a great warmth in his breast. Soon the room was filled with the drowsy sound of purring.

Later they lay nose to nose while Fritti told Hushpad of his travels and adventures. At first she was full of praise and wonder, but as the story wore on she asked fewer questions. Eventually she fell entirely silent, grooming Fritti contentedly as he talked.

When he had completed his tale he rolled over to look at Hushpad.

"You must tell me how you came here!" he cried.

"I went down into the depths to find you-yet here you are, safe. What happened?"

Hushpad arched her chin. "It was very brave of you, Tailchaser, really-going after me like that. All those terrible creatures, too. I am quite impressed. My own story, I'm afraid, is nowhere near so exciting."

"Please tell me!"

"Well, it's very simple, really. One day-it seems so long ago, now-the M'an simply put me in a box. You know, like a sleeping box, but with the top covered. Well, he didn't really put me in the box- actually there was a little bit of pril fish in there. I am very fond of pril fish, of course, or I simply never would have gotten in. I was in the box for ever so long, but I could see out through some holes in it. We traveled and traveled, then came at last to the Bigwater. We got into a shell-thing and swam across the water."

"I rode in the shell-thing!" said Fritti excitedly. "That's how I got here."

"Of course," Hushpad said absently. "Well, that's how I came to this place. I think it's very nice here, don't you?"

"But how about the Growler?" asked Tailchaser. "Don't you ever have trouble with him? It seems as though he would make this a dangerous place to live."

"Huff-so-Gruff?" She laughed. "Oh, he's really just a big kitten. Besides, I don't go out much. It's so nice and warm in here… and the M'an gives me such nice food. So nice and warm…" She trailed off.

Fritti was disconcerted. Apparently Hushpad had never been in any danger.

"Did you think of me often?" he asked, but there was no reply. She was fast asleep.

When the Big One came into the room and found them lying together, Tailchaser sat up, bristling. The M'an approached slowly, making low noises. When Fritti did not run, the M'an leaned down and stroked him gently. Tailchaser pulled away, but the Big One did not follow-only crouched with paw extended. Fritti moved hesitantly toward it. When he was close enough he gave it a cautious sniff. The M'an-paw smelled, interestingly enough, of fish, and Fritti closed his eyes, nose wrinkling with pleasure.

The M'an placed something on the floor near him. He recognized it instantly. It was a supper bowl. One scent of its contents and Tailchaser's caution evaporated.

The Big One scratched behind Fritti's ear as he ate. Fritti did not mind.

Hushpad seemed different. The slenderness and grace of her paws and tail were unchanged, but she had become a good deal plumper-round and soft beneath her glossy fur. Neither did she seem as energetic as she had once been-she preferred sleeping in the sun to ru

"You always were very bouncy, Tailchaser," she said one day. He felt hurt.

She was pleased to see him, of course, and enjoyed having a companion to chat with, but Fritti felt unsatisfied. Hushpad just did not seem to understand all that he had gone through to find her. She did not pay much attention anymore when he told her of the wonders of Firsthome, or the majesty of the First-walkers.

The food was very good, though. The Big Onfe-gave them lovely meals, and was always kind to Tailchaser, stroking and scratching him, and allowing him to roam at will. Fritti did not get along so well with Huff-so-Gruff, the dog, but they maintained an uneasy truce. Fritti was careful never to get too far away from shelter.

So the days wore on in the place Firefoot had called Villa-on-Mar. Each sun was a little warmer than the one before. Flocks of migrating fla-fa'az stopped briefly on the island as they passed away to the north, and Fritti had great sport with them, although he was seldom hungry enough for serious hunting. Time passed smoothly as a quiet stream. Tailchaser grew plump himself, and restless.

One night in high spring, as Meerclar's Eye approached another fullness, several Big Ones came across the Qu'cef in a large shell to visit the M'an. The nest was full of Big Ones, and their booming voices echoed everywhere. Several of them tried to play with Fritti.