Page 24 of Blacktail

Blacktail squinted at him suspiciously and gave a low growl. “I don’t remember,” he said. “You prey types all blur together after a while.”

“Ah. Of course,” the cat said. “Well. No matter, I suppose. The point is that the Old Kitty Mother is aware of your appetites as well. If you hunger before your long journey, she commands that I am to offer myself as your next meal.”

“She commands that you—and you do it?” Blacktail blinked and shook his head. “I will never understand cats.”

“The Old Kitty Mother’s instructions are”—the cat swallowed hard—“somewhat unusual. But there are worse things than death.”

“I see,” Blacktail said, though he didn’t. Then, after a moment, “Don’t worry yourself, little fellow. I just ate.”

“Thank you, lord,” the cat said. “I am most pleased to hear this.”

“What was that you said about a journey? I’m not going anywhere except home.”

“You really haven’t any idea what you’ve done, do you?”

Blacktail leaned in close. “Why don’t you explain it to me?” He spoke softly, and displayed more teeth than was strictly necessary.

The cat didn’t flinch, only glanced over Blacktail’s shoulder at the house. “Did you leave any survivors?”

“No,” Blacktail said. “I ended their family as they ended mine.”

“That was wise. When men come, they will not know exactly what manner of creature they seek. But they are clever, and they will find your trail soon enough. When they do…”

“When they do, I will be the hunted,” Blacktail said grimly. “I take your meaning now.”

“Lord Hunter, I am not sure that you do.”

“You have my attention,” Blacktail said. He moved back to a less threatening distance, settled on his haunches. “Speak.”

The cat swished his tail. “Thank you, lord,” he said. “Let me begin by saying that I do not speak only for myself, but also convey the will and wishes of the Old Kitty Mother. She honors my Lord Hunter, and demands all others treat him in kind. She also, ah…” The cat trailed off.

“What?”

“She commands me to apologize.”

“For what?”

The cat set his jaw. “These are her words: ‘Lord Hunter, please forgive me for sending this perfumed idiot to act as my messenger. I took his measure some years ago and found him lacking in ways too numerous to list here, but at the moment he is the best that I can do. Had there been more time I would have greatly preferred to send someone worthy into your esteemed presence but alas, I am a bit rushed. Respectfully yours. Et cetera.’ ”

Blacktail considered this for a moment. “What’s your name, little fellow?”

“Snooky-Ookums, lord.”

“Snooky-Ookums, this Old Kitty Mother of yours is something of a terror, isn’t she?”

“I would rather not say, if you don’t mind.”

“That’s fine. But feel free to skim over any further humiliations she may have laid on you. I won’t tell.”

“Thank you, lord.”

“Don’t mention it. Now, what exactly is this all about?”

“Lord, the Old Kitty Mother fears that you may underestimate the vengeance of man. Long and long have the two-legs subjugated these lands with none to challenge them. Even the oldest of them have no memory of what it is to be prey. They will not thank you for this reminder, I think.”

Blacktail offered a thin, cold smile. “Perhaps not.”

The cat purred. “Perhaps not, indeed. I wonder, what are we to make of you, Blacktail, we cats who no longer hunt? My father lived wild and died wild, but I myself dwell in a house of men. I take their food, sleep in their dens, and in turn they take liberty to soil me with their paws and chastise me when the mood suits them. Oh, it’s survival, true enough. And I suppose it’s small of me to complain when so many suffer worse under their hand, but…sometimes I think of my father. It would be difficult to explain my choice to him, even when there was no real choice at all. Do you see?”