Tallstar’s Revenge

Kittypet scent touched his nose as he landed on another patch of wet grass. A ginger-and-black she-cat was sheltering under a bush near the Twoleg den. Perhaps she could give him a clue if he was headed in the right direction. He padded toward her, blinking calmly at her to reassure her.

She huddled deeper under the bush, her pelt bristling, her eyes wide with alarm.

“I only want to ask you a question,” Talltail called.

She stared at him. “My Twolegs will be back in a moment. They’ll chase you off.” She lifted her muzzle bravely.

Talltail stopped a tail-length from the bush. “Before they do, can you tell me if you’ve seen any rogues around here recently?”

“Only you.” The she-cat backed away.

Talltail gazed at her wearily. “I’m a Clan cat.”

“A Clan cat?” Her pelt spiked. “That’s worse!” Eyes sparking with terror, she scrabbled from the bush and hared toward the fence, leaping over it and disappearing.

Talltail shook out his pelt. He was tired and hungry and had no idea if he was getting any closer to the rogues. He didn’t know if he would ever find his way out of this forest of Twoleg dens. And his belly was growling again. He had to find food. He hurried through the rain and leaped the next wall. A small wooden den sat at one end of the bushy clearing. It looked deserted, too small for Twolegs to live in, too ramshackle for pampered kittypets. A good place for prey to hide. He stalked toward it, searching the sides for a gap. There was a small hole at one corner. The edge was ragged. Small teeth had chewed it.

Rat? He’d never eaten rat. But it was food. He crept into the shadowy den, his nose wrinkling as pungent smells wreathed around him. He swallowed his rising queasiness. They were just scents. They couldn’t hurt him. He slunk around the pieces of wood that littered the den floor, sniffing for prey and wondering if he’d even smell it through the stink. He blinked in the gloom. Something was lying on the ground in the corner. Talltail padded toward it, nose twitching. The soft, dead body of a rat showed in the half light. Someone had left prey behind.

Dumb kittypets. What was the point of catching prey if you didn’t eat it? He crouched beside the rat and took a bite. It was so fresh, it was still warm. There was a sharp taste to its flesh, barely detectible over the thick scents swirling around the shed. Twolegplace rats must taste different. Hungrily Talltail took another bite. His belly heaved. I have to eat. I have to stay strong.

He forced himself to keep chewing despite the taste, swallowing until every morsel was gone. Relieved, he licked his lips, thinking longingly of fresh moor rabbit. The weight in his belly made him sleepy. He curled down onto the hard floor and closed his eyes, flattening his ears against the thundering of the rain. It might stink in here, but at least it was dry. Tucking his nose under his paw, he tried to ignore the tiny jabs in his belly. I ate too fast. He curled up tighter and let sleep enfold him.

Chapter 30

Talltail’s belly was gripped in vicious jaws with teeth that bit through fur, skin, muscle. What’s happening? He screeched in agony and fought to get free. He woke with a gasp, staring into the shadows that filled the wooden den. The pain in his belly didn’t disappear. It hardened, making him writhe. Jerking, he vomited. He hauled himself to his paws and dragged himself from the den. So thirsty!

Thoughts clouded with pain, he staggered across the wet grass, lapping at the raindrops until he reached a puddle. He drank desperately, but as soon as the water hit his belly, another painful spasm seized him. He vomited again, unable to stop himself. But the tormenting thirst was still there, as if all the water in the world would not quench the fire inside him. Terrified, Talltail crouched on the wet grass and sank his claws into the earth. StarClan, help me! He let out a long desperate moan.

“Talltail?” A voice sounded from somewhere above him.

Had Sandgorse come to take him to StarClan? Talltail looked up weakly, then opened his mouth to release a thin stream of bile. Paws landed on the grass beside him. A muzzle reached toward his. He was dimly aware of warm breath bathing his nose.

“You ate that rat, didn’t you?” The shocked mew rang in his ear. “Didn’t you realize it was poisoned? I didn’t think Clan cats would be so dumb!”

Jake. Talltail recognized the voice and saw ginger fur, pale in the moonlight. “Help me,” he rasped.

“Wait here.” Jake backed away and vanished.