Hunters Unlucky Part 54

Storm could never decide, when he told these stories, whether Teek identified more with him or with the cats. Teek certainly liked to hear about Storm foiling his pursuers, but he also seemed intensely interested in these larger-than-life hunters. Storm had avoided vilifying his old enemies in Teek's hearing. He did not want the cub to feel more conflicted than necessary.

Storm watched Teek dash through a ray of sunlight, whirling dust moats and dried leaves into the air, and he braced himself for what was coming. In two days, the ferryshaft herd would journey to the cliffs, and the winter conference would commence.

Kelsy was right. This is an opportunity that might never come again-for me, for the ferryshaft, for Teek.

He remembered what life had been like this time last year-the bitter despair of the foals' failed attack on the creasia, his grief at Sauny's horrific injuries, the helplessness and desperation. He would never have considered attending a creasia conference then. Would I have been able to see another way without Teek?

Storm didn't think so. He watched Teek race halfway up a tree for the sheer joy of it and then drop to the ground in a shower of leaves. You gave me my life back. Now I have to give you yours.

He was distracted by a flash of movement off to his left. He craned his neck, trying to see through the trees. Throughout the summer, he'd noticed the unsettling presence of lowland curbs skulking in the distance wherever he went. They had not approached him since the attack on the way to the summer feeding grounds. They never came close enough to force a confrontation or even a conversation. They were just there-on the skyline, in the distance, beyond the next ridge. Storm hardly ever saw an entire pack. Usually, it was just one or two individuals, watching.

Is this meant as a threat? Are they trying to play on my nerves? Are they afraid of me, or are they trying to make me afraid of them?

He had not pointed out the curbs to Teek, although the cub had noticed them on several occasions. Storm didn't think Teek was aware of their near-constant stalking, and he couldn't see a reason to mention it.

Teek burst into his thoughts. "Is this it?" He was looking at a great tree that overhung the river.

"Yes, I believe it is," said Storm.

Teek clamored up the tree, as agile as a squirrel. "I bet I can get out on the end of a branch."

"I bet you can," agreed Storm. "And if you fall, I bet you can swim to sh.o.r.e."

Teek appraised the view from a limb that might very well have been the spot where Storm had taken a nap two years ago. "The river had ice in it when you and Halvery were here," said Teek.

"Yes," said Storm. "It was extremely cold."

"Was Halvery mad?"

Storm snorted. "Wouldn't you be?"

Teek looked down at Storm through the branches. "Do you think he's still mad?"

I'm certain of it. "If you see him, you probably shouldn't ask him about it."

Teek giggled. "Oh, I'll never see him."

"Don't be so sure," muttered Storm.

Three days later, they sat in the trees near the headwaters of the Igby, where it rushed in a half dozen waterfalls from the cliff. Storm felt ill with anxiety and angry with himself for feeling this way. Tollee had insisted on waiting with him. She would not be deterred, and he eventually stopped trying to convince her to go away.

Myla provided a good distraction for Teek in any case. Storm had told him nothing, but Teek seemed to sense Storm's anxiety. He kept asking why he couldn't go into the boulder mazes and begin exploring.

The weather was clear. According to Pathar, there were no signs of a Volontaro. Under these conditions, Arcove and Roup usually came to the conference with a single clutter and sometimes one or two other officers. Charder warned Storm that all the officers might come this year, due to the unusual nature of the conference. "However, there is an explicit agreement of no hostilities for three days before or after the conference," he told Storm. "You do not need to be worried for your safety."

And yet you keep telling me how all of this is unprecedented, thought Storm. What exactly can I do if they attack me? He wished, belatedly, that he'd tried to contact the telshees the day after he had reached the cliffs. It would have been comforting to know that Shaw was lurking in the headwaters of the Igby.

But would she have come? Storm had had no news from Syriot all summer. It seemed likely that Sauny, Valla, Eyal, and the rest were still thriving, but he would have liked to know it. He would also have liked to know that Shaw still felt well-disposed towards him in spite of Teek. As soon as this is over, I'll visit, he promised himself. I'll go down to the Dreaming Sea, too, and check on Keesha. Maybe I'll even take Tollee and Myla. As soon as this is over.

Storm finally finished the thought that he'd been avoiding all summer. When Teek is gone.

He knew, objectively, that it was for the best. The herd was not friendly to Teek. Storm had no doubt that, if anyone else had adopted a cub, it would have been hara.s.sed and tormented to death. Only his reputation, and his caution, kept Teek safe.

As Teek grew older, he would become harder to kill, but he would also become harder to hide and feed. Pathar a.s.sured Storm that, when Teek reached breeding age, he would become more aggressive and a new set of problems would present themselves.

"He will probably go back to Leeshwood eventually no matter what you do," Pathar had said, "but if he goes back as an adult, he'll be a rogue-a cat with no clutter or den. He'll have to fight his way into a clutter if he wants to avoid a life of loneliness. He'll have poor social skills by creasia standards, and he may not be able to manage the transition. Creasia are social animals like ferryshaft. You don't want to doom him to a life of isolation and misery, Storm. He won't thank you for it in the end."

There's something else he won't thank me for, either, thought Storm. If he ever finds out.

The herd remained close together along the edge of the Igby River, as was traditional during the conference. Storm could see a few of them from where he sat among the rocks. He was pretty sure that the council ledge gave a good view of the whole area. So that Arcove can count us? Surely not. Charder and the other elders must count them during the migration...unless Arcove's cats do it before the conference starts.

That idea made Storm glance around nervously. He'd grown so accustomed to Teek's scent that he might easily miss the subtle distinction of a different cat.

Tollee was being very quiet. Storm suspected that she felt almost as conflicted as he did about Teek's departure. She'd never argued about it, though. She thinks it's the right thing to do, Storm told himself, just like everyone else. It is the right thing to do.

"Do you think Teek will ever come on a raid?" she asked, so softly that Storm hardly heard her.

"Surely not."

"Surely," agreed Tollee.

Will I kill him one day? Will he kill me?

"Don't be afraid."

Tollee jumped and Storm's head whipped around. Roup had come up so quietly that neither ferryshaft had noticed. His glossy golden fur gave good camouflage amid the fall wood. Storm scowled at him.

"At least I didn't pin you to the ground this time," said Roup with a twinkle.

Storm had had some vague notion that his comfort around Teek would ease feelings of anxiety in the presence of adult creasia. That idea was immediately dispelled. Roup was easily a head over Storm in height and probably four times his weight. Storm's every instinct screamed, Predator! He glanced at Tollee and saw that she'd crouched, ears flat, breathing quickly, hackles raised.

Roup looked away from them, towards Myla and Teek, playing tag among the tree trunks. Storm had gotten better at reading creasia expressions over the summer. He thought Roup looked sad. "What's his name?"

"Teek," said Storm. A sudden fear gripped him. "You're not going to take him right now, are you?"

Roup looked at him, and now the expression was unmistakably pity. "Of course not. Does he know?"

Storm looked at the ground. "No."

Roup looked back towards the youngsters. "Whose foal?"

"Mine," said Tollee. Her hackles had settled a little, but her voice was not friendly. "Her father was killed by creasia."

Roup did not pursue this. "Teek will go into my clutter," he said at last. "We don't raid."

Storm tried to hide his relief.

At that moment, Kelsy came trotting out of the trees. "Storm, it's time for- Oh."

Roup stretched in what Storm was sure was meant to be a disarming gesture. His claws fanned in enormous crescents. "I just came to say h.e.l.lo."

"You've said it," said Tollee. Storm could tell that it would take a lot more than one friendly conversation to make her trust an adult creasia.

Kelsy's raised voice had attracted the attention of the youngsters. Teek caught sight of Roup and came to a stop with his mouth agape. His eyes darted to Storm for threat a.s.sessment. The moment he saw Storm's relaxed posture, he came trotting forward. "You're Roup Ela-creasia," he breathed.

Roup c.o.c.ked his head. "So I am."

"Storm made you think he was a telshee."

Roup looked startled and then made a chuffing sound. He glanced sidelong at Storm.

"He likes stories," Storm mumbled.

"Do you have hunting stories?" Teek asked, still eyeing Roup.

"I have a few," said Roup. The corner of his mouth quirked up, and the tip of his tail twitched. "I think Arcove has more."

Teek's eyes went round. "Is Arcove here?"

"Yes," said Roup.

Teek looked worried again. He glanced at Storm. "Will he hunt us?"

"Not today," said Roup. "Today, he just wants to hear your stories."

Teek came all the way up to Roup and sniffed noses with him. Then he ran around the whole group in an excited circle. "We're going to meet Arcove! We're going to meet Arcove!"

Roup shot Storm a bemused look. "What have you told him?"

Myla, who'd hung back, became suddenly bold and came up to sniff noses with Roup as well. Storm was relieved that Tollee didn't decide to kick him.

"Can I come, too?" Myla asked.

"Not today," said Roup.

Tollee said, "No," in the same instant.

Myla looked disappointed.

"I'll tell you all the stories," said Teek. "I'll come back and tell you."

Tollee glanced at Storm with a look that said, Please go, before this gets any harder.

"Come on, Teek," said Storm wearily. "Let's go meet Arcove."

Chapter 2. The Truth at Last.

The traditional council ledge was on the ferryshaft side of the waterfall. The trail ascended the cliffs from a point just north of the trees and climbed to a ledge about a third of the way up.

Storm followed Roup and Kelsy out of the trees and across a gra.s.sy patch of plain to the boulder mazes. He glanced back once and saw the ferryshaft herd scattered over the plain to the east. He turned towards the trees and saw Myla, looking small and alone, and Tollee, a darker shape behind her. It's for the best, he told himself again. Our species don't mix.

Teek was scampering ahead, stopping to wait impatiently, and then das.h.i.+ng forward as soon as they reached him.

"What did you tell him?" repeated Roup.

"Everything except the raids," snapped Storm. "I figured I'd let you explain that."

Roup said nothing.

Liar, said a voice in Storm's head. There's one other thing you didn't tell him.

Arcove and Charder were waiting at the foot of the trail. Teek would have dashed up to them, but Storm checked him with a word. The cub came running back and sat down at Storm's side. Roup looked impressed. "Friendly and obedient. Maybe you should start raising mine."

Arcove finished whatever he'd been saying to Charder and turned to give them his full attention. "Storm Ela-ferry." He had a faint smile in his voice, which Storm found annoying.

"Arcove Ela-creasia."

"Last time you were invited to a conference, you seemed inclined to make trouble...and then you left with something of ours." He was looking at Teek.

Storm didn't want to talk about that. "How do I know you won't kill me?"

"There's a peace treaty."

"So I've been told, but I want to hear it from you."

"I won't hunt you for three days," said Arcove. "I give you my word. Ask anyone on Lidian if I've ever broken it."

Storm relaxed a little. At his side, Teek was glancing from Storm's face to Arcove's as though this were the best day of his life.

"And Teek?" demanded Storm.

"I don't kill cubs," said Arcove quietly.