Tallstar's Revenge (38 page)

C
HAPTER
37

Talltail twitched in his nest as
a dream wound its way into his sleep. With his fur lifted by the wind, he stepped onto a broad, sloping moor. Heather trembled in the distance and grass streamed around his paws. A hole yawned in the ground beside him. Talltail trembled as he peered inside. Darkness sucked him in, drawing him down through the tunnel before he could stop himself. He struggled to find his paws, scrabbling against the muddy walls, the scent of water and earth filling his mouth.

“Talltail!” Sandgorse's agonized yowl echoed from the shadows.

Through the darkness, Talltail could see the anguished face of his father, half-buried in mud. Lunging forward, he reached for Sandgorse's scruff and dragged him backward, hauling him, heavy as stone, up toward sky and wind. Bursting out onto the moor-top, he laid his father on the streaming grass. “Sandgorse!”

Mud bubbled at Sandgorse's lips. His flanks quivered weakly. Eyes closed, he twitched and fell still.

“Don't die.” Talltail crouched down and pressed his nose against Sandgorse's cheek.

Sandgorse's eyes blinked open.

Talltail jerked back, pelt bushing up. “You're alive?”

Sandgorse stared at him blankly, his eyes black as night.

“Sandgorse?” Talltail thrust his muzzle against his father's fur. “It's me, Talltail. I'm going to avenge you. Your death won't go unpunished. Sparrow will pay for what he did!”

Sandgorse's head lolled, his eyes gazing back emptily for a moment before they closed. Talltail felt his father's body slump against him.
I'm alone now.
Talltail yowled to the starless sky while grief scorched through him, as pitiless as fire.

“Talltail?” A muzzle poked his shudder. Talltail blinked open his eyes, dazed. “Talltail!” Jake's face loomed above him.

Talltail jerked his head up. “Is it dawn?” He stared blearily around the rogues' camp. Shadow swallowed the clearing.

“Not yet,” Jake soothed. “You were twitching in your sleep. I was worried.”

“It was a bad dream.” Talltail looked into Jake's steady gaze, comforted by his friend's soft, sleep-hazy scent.

Jake curled down beside him. “Go back to sleep.”

Talltail pressed closer, grateful for Jake's warmth, and closed his eyes. His dream flashed in his mind. Over and over, he watched Sandgorse die, his belly tightening each time. As Jake relaxed beside him and drifted into sleep, Talltail's tail-tip twitched.

A nest rustled across the clearing. Talltail snapped open his eyes. He saw a shadow move from Sparrow's nest. Where was the rogue going? Holding his breath, Talltail strained to see through the darkness. He could just make out Sparrow as he slid into the bracken. Was he going hunting?

This is my chance.
Talltail leaped to his paws, leaves rustling beneath him.
I'll ask to join him.
He hopped out of his nest.
I'll lead him to the cliff.
The fur rippled excitedly along his spine.

“Talltail?” Reena was blinking at him from her nest, her eyes shining in the darkness. “Where are you going?”

Talltail froze. “I saw Sparrow head into the woods,” he whispered. “I wanted to see if he was hunting so I could join him.”

“Sparrow doesn't like company when he goes out early,” Reena warned him.

Talltail's pelt pricked with frustration. “He might like mine.”

“I wouldn't risk it.” Reena stood up and stretched. “You can hunt with me, if you want.”

Talltail shook his head. “I'll get some more sleep, thanks.” He left her staring at him, round-eyed, and climbed back into his nest. Jake didn't stir as he curled down beside him. Talltail's paws itched. How much longer would he have to wait?

It was dawn by the time the rogue padded back into camp. Weak daylight was filtering though the branches. Thick clouds hid the sun, and snow was flecking the forest, settling lightly on top of yesterday's thin coating. Talltail stretched in his nest and pretended to yawn, then trotted into the clearing.

Sparrow was carrying a fat pigeon in his jaws. He dropped it and met Talltail's gaze. “Have you just woken up?”

“Yes,” Talltail lied. He glanced at Sparrow's catch. “Another pigeon?” He remembered what the rogue had told them
.
I've found a place where the Twolegs scatter grain. There'll be pigeons coming for as long as it's there.

“The Twolegs leave food for them in the field,” Sparrow reminded him.

Talltail's ears pricked. “In the
field
?”

“Near the Thunderpath.” Sparrow padded to a pool of snowmelt caught in the crook of a twisted root and began to drink.

Talltail's thoughts quickened.
Can I persuade him to take me hunting there?

“Pigeon!” Bess's delighted mew interrupted his plans. She hopped out of her nest and sniffed the fresh-kill. Still warm, it was melting the thin snow beneath it. Reena hurried to join her, licking her lips while Mole stretched in his nest. Jake was still sleeping, a light coat of snowflakes dappling his fur.

“Will you take me there?” Talltail called to Sparrow.

“Where?” Sparrow glanced around.

“Where the pigeons come.” Talltail pressed back excitement.

Sparrow shrugged. “Okay.”

Talltail felt the need to explain. “I want to hunt for you. To thank you for letting us stay.”

Jake stirred in his nest, lifting his head. “Who's letting us stay?”

Sparrow gazed impassively at Jake. “No one's letting anyone stay.” He licked water from his lips. “You're just sharing the camp for now.”

Talltail dipped his head. “Of course.”

Reena rolled the pigeon over. “They can stay, though, can't they?”

Bess's gaze darkened. “Warriors and kittypets don't belong with rogues,” she murmured.

“I'm
not
a warrior. I'm a—” Talltail hesitated. The words had come before he'd had chance to think.

Jake hopped out of his nest. “You'll always be a warrior, Talltail.” He shook the snow from his fur. “Just like I'll always be a kittypet.”

Algernon padded from his nest. “And we'll always be rogues.” He stretched, nose twitching. “Who caught the pigeon?”

“Sparrow.” Bess looked fondly at the brown tom.

Talltail's pelt pricked. “Come on, Jake.” He padded toward the bracken. “Let's practice your stalking.”

“Stalking?” Jake blinked at him. “Aren't we eating first?” He glanced at the pigeon.

“Later.” Talltail stared at Jake.
I want to talk to you. In private!
He willed Jake to understand, relieved when Jake padded toward him. “We might catch something while we're practicing,” Talltail went on. He led the way into the woods, nosing through the bracken. Snow fluttered onto his spine as he pushed between the stems.

“What should we stalk?” Jake asked when they emerged into a narrow clearing.

Talltail paced the leaf-strewn forest floor. “Did you hear?” he demanded.

“Hear what?” Jake was looking distractedly around the woodland.

“Sparrow!” Had Jake forgotten why they'd come here?

“What?”

“He's taking me hunting beside the cliff.”

Jake stiffened. “You're not thinking of—”

“Of course!” Talltail cut in. “That's why we're here. It's the perfect place. No fighting. No explanations. I just need to time it right and I can give him a push.”

“Onto the Thunderpath?” Jake's eyes widened in horror.

“It's perfect!” Talltail insisted. “He'll pay for my father's death beneath the paws of a monster.”

“Don't do it, Talltail.”

Talltail narrowed his eyes. “You said you would help me.”

“Do you really want to kill a cat?”

“If I'd stayed in WindClan, I'd have probably killed a cat in battle by now!”

“In battle,” Jake pointed out. “That's different. Killing in the heat of battle, to defend your Clanmates—that makes sense. But to kill a cat moons later—”

“He never understood the damage he did.” Talltail curled his lip. “That's why he must be punished. To make him sorry.”

“Just
tell
him!” Jake's fur rose along his spine. “
Make
him understand. How Sandgorse's death hurt you, and how you feel he's responsible.”

Talltail glared at Jake. “Don't you think I tried that when Sandgorse died? He wouldn't admit it. Even when I told him to his whiskers that he killed Sandgorse, he just shrugged it off, like he shrugs everything off. He doesn't care about anything. So I'm going to make him care about this.”

“By killing him?” Jake shook his head. “I know you, Talltail. You're not a killer. You'd die to defend those you love. But kill a cat you hardly know?” He shook his head. “I don't think so.”

“He has to pay!” Talltail hissed. Why was Jake arguing? Was that why he'd come? To stop Talltail from doing the one thing he'd sworn he would do—the one thing that would make sense of his life? “If no one pays for Sandgorse's death, then it's not fair!”

“Life isn't fair!”

“It's not fair to
me
!”
Talltail realized that he was shaking with fury.

Jake gazed at him. “Don't do this, Talltail,” he begged softly. “Please.”

“I
have
to!” Talltail snarled. “If you don't agree, then go home. You're no use to me.” Raging, he stamped away, pushing through brambles and barging past hawthorns, too angry to feel their thorns scrape his muzzle. Even Jake had betrayed him! Why had Talltail trusted him? Why had he trusted
anyone
? Hadn't he learned that he could only rely on himself?
I came here for revenge and I'm going to get it!

 

Snow flurries came and went. The wind grew colder. Shivering and hungry, Talltail headed back to camp. “Can we hunt now?” he asked Sparrow as he padded into the clearing.

Sparrow looked up from his nest. “There's fresh-kill under the holly bush.”

“What about the pigeons?” Talltail pressed.

“They'll be wary after this morning,” Sparrow warned. “Let's wait until tomorrow. We don't want to scare them off for good.”

Frustrated, Talltail paced the camp.

“I'll hunt with you.” Reena's offer came as a relief. But woodland hunting only made Talltail more restless, even though he and Reena caught a squirrel and a fat blackbird. Back in camp, Talltail avoided Jake's gaze, though he could feel the kittypet watching him in silence. As dusk darkened into night, they shared fresh-kill with the rogues. Then Talltail climbed into his nest.

“Are you tired already?” Reena called. “I thought we could go for a walk.”

“It's a bit cold for a nighttime walk,” he grunted, resting his muzzle on his paws.

“I'll go with you, Reena,” Jake offered.

Reena blinked. “No, thanks.” She sighed. “Talltail's right. It's too cold.”

Jake's fur twitched. He glanced around at the rogues, then climbed into the nest, curling up a muzzle-length away from Talltail.

Talltail swallowed back a growl and stared at Sparrow. The rogue was calmly washing in his nest.
Tomorrow.
Talltail's heart was racing too fast to sleep. Fury throbbed beneath his pelt. His claws ached as he curled and uncurled them, picturing Sparrow hurtling into the gorge, a monster racing toward him as he landed on the hard stone.

Above the trees, the sky cleared slowly, the moon showing just as dawn began to push back the night. As soon as milky light showed over the horizon, Talltail hopped out of his nest. He crossed the camp and thrust his nose close to Sparrow's ear. “Let's hunt!” he meowed.

Sparrow lifted his head, blinking. “Now?” He glanced at the dark blue sky. “The sun's not even up.”