Эрин Хантер - Tigerheart’s Shadow

“Thundersnake?” Tigerheart pelt prickled with unease. “What’s that?”

Ajax stared at him. “You don’t know? Are you kidding?”

Tigerheart fluffed out his fur self-consciously. “We don’t have Thundersnakes in the forest.”

Fuzzball padded between him and Ajax. “A Thundersnake is a huge monster that travels along the Silverpath.” He nodded toward the shiny tracks that lay a few tail-lengths in front of them.

“The Silverpath leads to the big Twolegplace.” Ajax added. “That’s why the Twolegs are waiting. When the Thundersnake arrives, they’ll climb into its belly and let it carry them there.”

Climb into its belly? Shuddering with horror, Tigerheart followed his gaze and saw Twolegs milling on the ledge now. Some were gazing eagerly along the track. Others hung back or paced. Tigerheart could sense impatience in the Twolegs’ restless movements. “How long till the Thundersnake comes?”

“Soon.” Ajax turned his head and looked expectantly along the shiny tracks.

Tigerheart watched the Twolegs on the ledge. One of them put down the heavy bundle it was carrying and crouched beside it. The Twoleg used its forepaws to open up the bundle, revealing colorful pelts crammed inside. “What’s that?” Tigerheart nudged Ajax.

Ajax turned to look. “It’s a shell,” he grunted. “Twolegs use them to carry their spare pelts around.” He stiffened and looked back along the track. “The Thundersnake’s coming.”

Tigerheart followed his gaze. His ears twitched as the tracks began to hum. He felt the air tremble around them as their vibration grew stronger. Suddenly a monster appeared where the tracks dipped behind a ridge. It rumbled toward them like a storm.

Tigerheart’s paws froze in fear. The Thundersnake was huge—far bigger than any monster he’d seen before. The earth shook as it pounded closer. Its paws carved a path along the tracks, which seemed to scream beneath its weight. He glanced at Ajax and Fuzzball. Why weren’t they running away? He held his ground beside them, fighting the urge to flee as the Thundersnake screamed closer. It roared past them like forest fire. Hot air blasted from its flanks, which flashed by, flank after flank, until Tigerheart wondered if the Thundersnake would ever end. He narrowed his eyes against its choking stench and dug his claws into the earth. Its wind tore at his pelt, and he flattened his ears against its deafening howl. Stiff with terror, he held his breath as the world seemed to explode around him. Was this really where Dovewing’s dream was supposed to lead?

Tigerheart pressed himself against the earth, trying not to tremble as the Thundersnake’s long tail slowed a short distance in front of him. Finally its flanks drew level with the stone ledge, and the creature rumbled to a halt. The waiting Twolegs didn’t flinch as it growled to itself beside the ledge. How could they be so calm? Twolegs were even stranger than he thought. When gaps opened in the side, the Twolegs on the ledge shifted away as other Twolegs streamed out, then began to push past them and climb into the belly of the snake. Tigerheart’s pelt bristled with fear. Why were they so trusting? Did they really believe the Thundersnake would let them out of its belly when they reached the Twolegplace? What if it was hungry?

“Quick!” Ajax hissed in Tigerheart’s ear. “If you run, you can get inside.”

Tigerheart stared at him in horror.

“Go on!” Ajax nudged him toward the ledge. “You have to get in before it closes back up. Then the Thundersnake will take you to the Twolegplace.”

“I’m not getting into the belly of a Thundersnake!” Tigerheart blinked at him.

“Twolegs do it all the time,” Ajax argued.

“But Twolegs are crazy,” Tigerheart pointed out.

“He’s right,” Fuzzball agreed.

“ I’ve been inside a Thundersnake,” Ajax reminded them.

“And it let you out?”

“Of course.”

“What was it like inside?” Tigerheart couldn’t imagine it had been safe.

Ajax looked thoughtful for a moment. “It was loud and smelly and full of Twolegs. And my Twoleg carried me in a cage.” He shifted his paws. “Okay. It wasn’t the best day of my life, but I survived, and how else are you going to get to the Twolegplace?”

“I’ll walk.”

“It’ll take forever.” Ajax stared at him. The Thundersnake suddenly hooted and began to shudder. “Hurry!” He flicked his tail. “It’s about to leave.”

“Good.” Tigerheart glanced toward the Thundersnake, relieved as the gaps closed. He let his fur smooth as the great creature began to pull away from the ledge.

“You can’t walk all the way to where you’re going,” Ajax argued. “It’s too far.”

“I can walk anywhere,” he told Ajax. “My Clan once walked over a mountain range to find a new home.”

Ajax shrugged. “I don’t know who your Clan is, but they sound as crazy as Twolegs.”

“They sound awesome.” Fuzzball was staring at him, wide-eyed. “Are they your family?”

“Some of them.” A pang of loss jabbed Tigerheart’s belly as he thought of Rowanstar and Tawnypelt. He might never see them again. He changed the subject. “I’ll follow the Silverpath. It will take longer, but I trust my own paws more than I trust a Thundersnake.”

Ajax shrugged. “If that’s what you want.” The black-and-white tom looked at the sky. The sun was sliding toward the hilltop behind them. “When will you leave?”

“You can stay with my Twolegs tonight,” Fuzzball offered. “They feed strays.” His tail twitched. “I’m always having to share my food.”

“ Warriors can feed themselves.” Tigerheart meowed pointedly. He scanned the scrubland. The low-growing shrubs were bathed in golden light. Prey would be moving between them. He blinked at the two kittypets. He was grateful for their help, even if they did keep calling him a stray. “Thanks for the offer, Fuzzball, but I want to leave soon. I’ll eat here first, though.”

“How?” Fuzzball blinked at him. “There aren’t any food dishes here.”

“Who needs food dishes?” Tigerheart whisked his tail. “Let’s hunt.”

“Catch our own food?” Ajax looked unconvinced.

Fuzzball paced excitedly. “Hunt? I’d love to. I’ve chased the birds in my garden and tracked a mouse once, but I’ve never caught anything.”

“You will today.” Tigerheart dipped his head to the young tom.

“I guess it sounds interesting.” Ajax wandered over the Silverpath, his fur gleaming in the afternoon sun, and headed onto the scrub. “I’d like to stretch my legs before I go home.”

Tigerheart leaped over the Silverpath, careful not to touch it. It gleamed suspiciously, and stank of Thundersnake scent. Fuzzball followed him. On the other side, Tigerheart tasted the air. As the Thundersnake stench settled, he smelled the aroma of leaves and, breathing deeper, could just taste the musky scent of prey. He licked his lips. “Let’s go this way.” Keeping low, he pushed between two spiky bushes and followed a scuffed trail through the scrub. His nose twitched excitedly as the scent of prey grew stronger. He saw peck marks around the stems of the bushes and could smell that they were fresh. It must be a bird, a large one by the look of it.

Fuzzball and Ajax set the bushes rustling behind him as they followed.

“Are we tracking something?” Fuzzball asked loudly.

“Hush!” Tigerheart glared at the kittypet over his shoulder. If he carried on yowling like that, he’d scare their prey away.