Tigerheart’s Shadow

A growl sounded beside them. Tigerheart’s chest tightened. The fox! He turned, unsheathing his claws as red fur exploded from the grass. It sent Cobweb and Ant tumbling. Tigerheart smelled dog fox. Thinking fast, he leaped as it snapped at Cobweb, who was struggling to find his paws. Hooking his claws into the fox’s fur, Tigerheart tugged it back in time for Cobweb to escape.

Ant was already back on his paws. With a hiss, the tom swung a paw at the fox’s nose. The fox lunged at him, its eyes sparkling with rage. Ant ducked just in time and, dodging beneath the fox’s chin, spun and aimed another blow at its muzzle. Fierce leaped onto the fox’s back and sank her teeth into its shoulder. Cinnamon snapped at its hind paw and sank in her teeth. The fox yelped and shook Fierce off, turning to snarl at Cinnamon.

Tigerheart hesitated, watching the guardian cats fight. They were brave and fast, but their attacks were hasty and uncoordinated. Each cat fought as if facing the fox alone. Each attack distracted the fox from the one before, but none was fierce enough to frighten it. They’re just making it angry. Tigerheart could see frustration flashing in the fox’s eyes as it responded to each assault, turning to meet one and then another. With a sudden bark of rage, it darted at Cobweb, sank its teeth into the tom’s spine, and shook him. Cobweb shrieked with pain and fear.

Tigerheart flung himself beneath the fox’s belly. “Bite its tail!” he ordered Fierce. “Get on its back!” he yowled at Ant. “Claw its throat!” he told Cinnamon. As the three guardian cats leaped to obey, Tigerheart twisted under the fox’s belly and began churning his hind paws at the soft flesh above him.

As the cats swarmed around him, the fox yowled in pain. Cobweb dropped to the ground. His flank thumped the earth, and for a moment, he was still. Tigerheart glanced at him. Was he dead? Then the smoky gray tom twitched and groaned on the grass. The fox turned on the others. Tigerheart darted from beneath its belly and leaped to stand beside them. The fox stared at them as Cobweb scrambled to his paws. Tigerheart felt a surge of triumph as doubt flashed in the fox’s eyes. It’s scared.

Suddenly the fox’s gaze flicked past them. Its expression changed in an instant. Joy, so malicious that it made Tigerheart’s blood freeze, sparked in its eyes. A growl sounded behind them. Two foxes. He spun and saw a vixen padding toward them, her teeth bared.

“Cobweb! Get up!” Tigerheart stared desperately at the injured tom. “We’ve got to get out of here.” These cats didn’t have the skill to fight two foxes at once.

Fierce flung herself toward the dog fox, hissing and snarling, swiping her paws so wildly that it drove the fox backward. Ant darted toward Cobweb and nudged the smoky tom to his paws. Tigerheart turned to face the advancing vixen. Cinnamon pressed against his side. Together they reared as the fox leaped at them. Flailing wildly, they pushed it back. “Run!” He yowled at Fierce and Ant as they helped Cobweb down the slope. His gaze flicked to Cinnamon. “You too!”

She searched his gaze. “What about you?”

“I’ll follow,” he promised.

As she raced after her friends, Tigerheart faced the foxes alone. They slid together and snarled at him menacingly. Fear closed his throat. He wanted to give the guardian cats a chance to get Cobweb clear. But he couldn’t fight two foxes either. He backed away as they advanced. Blood roared in his ears. Showing his teeth, he bushed out his fur. As he glanced down the slope and saw Fierce guiding Cobweb and the others into the tunnel, the foxes rushed him. Their eyes glittered with glee. Swiping out one paw, then another, Tigerheart caught the muzzle of each. But they were on him. The force of their hard, strong bodies knocked him backward. He landed clumsily and turned. He had to flee. Hot breath bathed his tail as he hared down the slope. The tunnel was only a tree-length away. Run! The others had already disappeared into the shadows. He leaped for the entrance, panic scorching through his heart. Sharp teeth caught his tail. Agony seared like fire as he felt his fur rip. Ducking into the tunnel, he ran. Water sprayed out behind him as he pelted through the darkness. His tail shrilled with pain, and he glanced over his shoulder. Two pairs of eyes peered down the tunnel. The foxes had stopped at the entrance and were watching him flee.