Tallstar’s Revenge полностью

“Just stand still,” Talltail ordered.

“But it’ll see us.” Jake’s mew was edged with panic. “There’s nowhere to hide out here.”

Talltail guessed that Jake was missing his shadowy alleys and dens. “There are plenty of places to hide.” He nodded toward the long grass sprouting beyond the boulder. It stretched all the way to the bottom of the valley. They could cross the entire hillside hidden among the rippling stems. Trees and bushes lined the river where it ended. “Just imagine that the grass and bushes are walls and fences. Besides, the wind will protect us.”

“The wind?” Jake blinked at him. “How?”

“It’s blowing this way,” Talltail explained. “We can smell the fox, but it can’t smell us.” He opened his mouth and let the musky scent wash his tongue as the fox slunk toward a swathe of bracken and disappeared. “See?” He flicked his tail as the fox’s pelt melted among the russet fronds. “It never even noticed us.”

Jake was already heading for the long grass. Talltail bounded after him, pushing through the stems a tail-length behind. He could smell Jake’s fear-scent, stronger than his normal aroma, and knew he had to calm Jake down before the fox detected it. “We could beat a fox easily,” Talltail called. “If we fought together.”

Jake slowed. “I guess we drove off that dog.”

Talltail fell in beside him. “I can teach you some battle moves if you’d like.” The ground sloped more steeply as they neared the river.

“Battle moves?” Jake let out a tiny yelp as his paws slithered beneath him.

Talltail dug in his claws to get a better grip. “We’re called warriors for a reason.”

“Who do you fight?” Jake bounded down a sharp drop, scrambling to a halt as the land began to flatten out.

“ShadowClan and RiverClan mostly,” Talltail replied, negotiating the drop more smoothly. “We share borders with them.”

“Like fighting over fences.”

Talltail’s pelt ruffled. “It’s more important than that,” he huffed. “We’re not just being selfish over a patch of ground. We’re fighting for our Clan’s survival! A true warrior would die to save his Clan.”

Jake narrowed his eyes. “Is that why you’re out here, risking your life?” he asked. “To save your Clan?”

Talltail hurried ahead, grass brushing his pelt. “I’m avenging my father.”

“How will that help your Clan?”

Talltail turned on Jake, hissing. “My Clan has nothing to do with this!”

“It has to! You’re a warrior.” Confusion clouded Jake’s gaze.

Talltail’s thoughts whirled and tangled. A warrior avenges the death of a Clanmate, doesn’t he? I’m doing this for Sandgorse! He stiffened. My father wants me to avenge his death. Sandgorse’s amber gaze glowed in his mind. Then he pictured it disappearing under a deluge of mud. Blood roared in his ears.

“Talltail?” Jake was circling him. “Are you okay?”

Talltail padded past him, forcing his pelt to flatten. “I’m fine.” He slid from the long grass at a point where scrubby, cow-trodden pasture sloped gently toward the river.

Jake popped out beside him. As he gazed across the valley to the wooded hollow, his belly rumbled.

“There’ll be prey in those bushes.” Talltail nodded toward the hawthorn that crowded the riverbank. Beyond the bare, prickly branches, sun sparkled on the rippling water. Overhead cold, blue sky stretched between the hilltops. Talltail tasted the air. The scent of fox was growing stale. The stone tang of frost was tinged with the smell of sheep, refreshing after the jumble of acrid Twoleg scents. Talltail bounded across the grass. Jake raced beside him, taking the lead and skidding to a halt by the bushes. Talltail stopped beside him, surprised to find himself breathless.

“Are you okay?” Jake leaned closer.

“Fine,” Talltail panted.

“You look ruffled.”

“I guess I’m still weak from the poison.”

“Do you want to rest while I hunt?” Jake offered.

A purr caught in Talltail’s throat. “Do you know how to hunt?”

“I caught a bird once.” Jake puffed out his chest. Talltail tipped his head, impressed. “It was a bit injured when I found it,” Jake admitted. “But it flapped a lot before I killed it.”

Talltail rolled his eyes. “Let’s hunt together,” he suggested. He nosed his way between the hawthorn bushes. Beyond them, water lapped against the dark brown earth, deeply pitted by the hooves of animals. Talltail padded along the edge of the river, keeping a wary eye on the surface. Mouse scent touched his nose. “Wait.” He dropped to a crouch, beckoning for Jake to do the same with a flick of his tail. Something was scuttling beneath the branches up ahead. He crept forward, his paws as light as falling snow, and rounded the bush. Stopping, he peered through and caught sight of the mouse. It was sitting under a branch, grasping a berry in its paws. Talltail held still. He could see Jake creeping closer on the far side of the bush. Wait! He willed Jake not to scare away their prey.