Tailchaser's Song

by Tad Williams

  The M‘an placed something on the floor near him. He recognized it instantly. It was a supper bowl. One scent of its contents and Tailchaser’s caution evaporated.

  The Big One scratched behind Fritti’s ear as he ate. Fritti did not mind.

  Hushpad seemed different. The slenderness and grace of her paws and tail were unchanged, but she had become a good deal plumper—round and soft beneath her glossy fur. Neither did she seem as energetic as she had once been—she preferred sleeping in the sun to running and jumping; Fritti could only entice her into games with great difficulty.

  “You always were very bouncy, Tailchaser,” she said one day. He felt hurt.

  She was pleased to see him, of course, and enjoyed having a companion to chat with, but Fritti felt unsatisfied. Hushpad just did not seem to understand all that he had gone through to find her. She did not pay much attention anymore when he told her of the wonders of Firsthome, or the majesty of the First-walkers.

  The food was very good, though. The Big One gave them lovely meals, and was always kind to Tailchaser, stroking and scratching him, and allowing him to roam at will. Fritti did not get along so well with Huff-so-Gruff, the dog, but they maintained an uneasy truce. Fritti was careful never to get too far away from shelter.

  So the days wore on in the place Firefoot had called Villa-on-Mar. Each sun was a little warmer than the one before. Flocks of migrating fla-fa‘az stopped briefly on the island as they passed away to the north, and Fritti had great sport with them, although he was seldom hungry enough for serious hunting. Time passed smoothly as a quiet stream. Tailchaser grew plump himself, and restless.

  One night in high spring, as Meerclar’s Eye approached another fullness, several Big Ones came across the Qu‘cef in a large shell to visit the M’an. The nest was full of Big Ones, and their booming voices echoed everywhere. Several of them tried to play with Fritti.

  Big, grasping paws jerked him up in the air and squeezed him, and when they held him close to their faces their unpleasant breath made him squirm. When he pulled away the booming voices roared.

  Fritti leaped to the window, but Huff-so-Gruff was stalking sentry outside, in an evil temper. Running between the legs of the bellowing, grabbing Big Ones, Tailchaser retreated to the room where Hushpad lay curled in sleep.

  “Hushpad!” he cried, prodding her. “Wake up! We have to leave this place!”

  Yawning and stretching, the fela looked at him curiously. “Whatever are you talking about, Tailchaser? Leave? Why?”

  “This place is not right for us,” he said excitedly. “The Big Ones grab us and carry us, they feed us and stroke us ... there is no place to run!”

  “You are making no sense at all,” she told him coldly. “We are treated very well.”

  “They treat us like kittens. This is no life for a hunter. I might as well have never left my mother Grassnestle’s nest!”

  “You’re right,” said Hushpad. “You’re right, because you’re acting like a nervous newborn. Whatever do you mean, ‘leave’? Why should I go anywhere ?”

  “We can hide in the shell, as I did before. We can steal away and go back to the forest, the marshes, anywhere,” Fritti said desperately. “We can run where we want. We can raise a family.”

  “Oho, a family, is that it?” she said. “Well, you just put it out of your mind right now. I’ve had enough of your pawing and sniffing, Skydancer knows. I’ve already told you I’m not the least bit interested in that sort of thing. I’m shocked to see you acting so ridiculous. The forest indeed! Leaves and burrs in my fur, and nothing to eat for days at a time! Visl and Garrin and ... Harar knows what else! No, thank you.”

  When she saw the hurt, startled expression on Fritti’s face, her expression softened. “Listen, dear Tailchaser,” she said. “You’re my friend, and I think you’re very special. I think you’re just upset. The Big Ones can be noisy and frightening sometimes. Just stay away from them, and tomorrow everything will be as calm and quiet as before.” She rubbed his muzzle with her nose. “Now, just go to sleep. You’ll see later that this is all very silly.” She laid her head down and closed her eyes.

  Fritti sat and stared.

  Why doesn’t she understand? he wondered. Something is wrong here, I can feel it.

  But what was it? Why should he feel as trapped as ever he did belowground?

  Hushpad mewed in her sleep and flexed her claws.

  I should be happy, Fritti thought. Finding Hushpad was my heart’s desire ... wasn’t it? Lord Firefoot said I would find my heart’s desire here on Villa-on-Mar....

  Tailchaser walked slowly to the open window and bounded up onto the sill. The great light from the hill above the dwelling cast its bright beam out across the dark waters of Qu‘cef. The air was warm, and full of the scents of growing things.

  When the shell-thing bumped against the shore, Fritti emerged from his hiding place. He bounded past the startled Big Ones, out of the shell, and onto the gravelly beach. The M‘an flock made noises of surprise. With a flirt of his orange tail he was up the slope and into the Eye-lit meadows.

  He stood on a grassy hill and thought of all the things he would do. Pouncequick waited for him at Firsthome. He must see him again. And his friends at Meeting Wall, of course. What stories he had to tell! So many places left to see!

  And Roofshadow, of course. Firsa Roofshadow, dark and slender as shade.

  A night bird trilled. The world was so big, and the night sky was so full of glimmering light!

  Like a fire, like a star that burned in his heart and head, it came to him then; he understood. He laughed and bounded, and then laughed again. He leaped and whirled on the hilltop, and his voice rose in delight.

  When his dance was finished he sprang down the slope and ran singing into the fields, his tail waving behind him. Meerclar’s Eye watched calmly as his bright form vanished into the tall grass.

  AUTHOR’S NOTES

  With a very few exceptions, all the unfamiliar words to be found in this story are in the Higher Singing of the Folk.

  The Folk, like all their warm-blooded brothers and sisters, and some others, possess two languages. The everyday language, the one they share with most other mammals, is the Common Singing, made up mostly of gestures, scents and postures, with a few easily decipherable sounds and cries to round out the range of expression. The Common Singing has been represented by a rough translation into English in this story.

  For special times, or for specific descriptive chores where the Common Singing falls short, the Higher Singing is employed. Almost all ritual—and certainly all storytelling—falls into this category.

  The Higher Singing is a predominantly verbal language, although meaning can be shaped with posture and emphasis. So the reader needn’t be Constantly looking up words, much of the Higher Singing in use has been translated within the text; there is, however, a glossary at the back for the faint of heart.

  A few notes on pronunciation.

  “C” is always pronounced “S”: thus, Meerclar is pronounced “Mere-slar.”

  In the instances where an “S” has been used, it is only to clarify the pronunciation. For example, I felt that “Vicl,” although the true spelling, was a little boggling; hence, “Visl.”

  “F” has a soft “fth” sound.

  Vowels tend to conform to Latinate “ah-eh-ih-oh- ‘ ooh.”

  CHARACTERS APPENDIX

  Allmother, Meerclar, Creator of the Folk

  Bandyleg, Firsthome cat

  Bast-Imret, Boneguard

  Beetleswat, young Meeting Wall tom

  Bitefast, Clawguard

  Bite-then-Bark, Rauro, Dog-king of Eatbugs’ story

  Blueback, a prince of the Folk

  Bobweave, a First-walker

  Brightnail, a prince of the Folk

  Brindlesides, Fritti Tailchaser’s father

  Bristlejaw, Meeting Wall Master-singer

  Brushstalker, First-walker Thane

  Cleanwhisker, a prince of
the Folk

  Clearsong, Tirya, Tailchaser’s oldest sister

  Click, Master, a squirrel

  Climbfast, a prince of the Folk

  Cloudleaper, Cat-queen of Eatbugs’ story

  Crushgrass, Clawguard chieftain

  Dandlegrass, Firsthome cat

  Dayhunter, companion of Fencewalker

  Dewtreader, Prince Sresla, Prince Consort to Queen Sunback

  Earnotch, Vastnir prisoner, storyteller

  Earpoint, Meeting Wall elder, delegate

  Eatbugs, mad cat, Tailchaser’s companion

  Eyeshimmer, Far-senser to the First-walkers

  Fencewalker, Prince, son of Queen Sunback

  Firefoot, Tangaloor, one of the Firstborn

  Fizz, Master, a squirrel

  Fleetpaw, young Meeting Wall tom

  Flickerswift, sister of Jumptall

  Fumblefoot, Vastnir prisoner

  Furscuff, First-walker; Squeakerbane’s companion

  Glideswallow, Firsthome cat

  Glitterfur, a queen of the Folk

  Goldeneye, Harar, father of the Folk

  Grassnestle, Indez, Tailchaser’s mother

  Hangbelly, a First-walker

  Hearteater, Grizraz, one of the Firstborn; lord of Vastnir

  Hissblood, master of Toothguard

  Howlsong, apprentice Master Old-singer

  Huff-so-Gruff, Villa-on-Mar dog

  Hushpad, Tailchaser’s friend

  Jargum, a mythological frog

  Jumptall, young Meeting Wall tom; delegate

  Karthwine, a fox

  Knet-Makri, Boneguard

  Krelli, a young raven

  Leafrustle, a young Meeting Wall tom

  Longtooth, Clawguard

  Lungeclaw, ancestor of Quiverclaw

  Morningstripe, a queen of the Folk

  Mudtracker, cat from Beyond-Edge-Copse

  Nightcatcher, companion of Fencewalker

  Ninebirds, mythical prince, progenitor of the Big Ones

  Nipslither, Toothguard

  Nuzzledark, Toothguard

  Pawgentle, Firsthome cat

  Pawgrip, Vastnir prisoner

  Pfefirrit, a prince. of birds

  Plink, Master, squirrel messenger

  Pokesnout, Firsthome cat

  Pop, Lord, squirrel-ruler

  Pouncequick, Tailchaser’s companion

  Quiverclaw, First-walker Thane

  Rebum, Mother, a frog

  Redlegs, Cat-prince of Eatbugs’ story

  Renred, a mythological fox

  Riptalon, Clawguard

  Roofshadow, Firsa, Tailchaser’s companion

  Rumblepurr, Chamberlain of the Court of Harar

  Satinear, a queen of the Folk

  Scratchnail, Clawguard chieftain

  Scuffledig, a First-walker

  Shredfang, Clawguard

  Skinwretch, Toothguard

  Skoggi, raven father

  Skydancer, Fela, mother of the Folk

  Skystone, Irao, a prince of the Folk

  Sleekheart, a prince of the Folk

  Slipwhisker, Roofshadow’s father

  Slitbelly, Toothguard

  Smackbush, Firsthome cat

  Snagrat, cat in Hangbelly’s song

  Snap, Lord, squirrel-lord, brother of Lord Pop

  Snapjaw, Clawguard

  Snaremouse, Firsthome cat; dancer

  Snifflick, Meeting Wall elder

  Snoutscar, Clawguard overseer

  Snufflenose, Roofshadow’s brother

  Softwhisker, Tailchaser’s youngest sister

  Sourweed, First-walker Thane

  Squeakerbane, Ranking First-walker Thane

  Streamhopper, Meeting Wall delegate

  Stretchslow, Meeting Wall elder, Tailchaser’s benefactor

  Strongclaw, a prince of the Folk

  Sunback, Queen Mirmirsor, the Queen of the Folk

  Tailchaser, Fritti, our hero

  Thinbone, Tailchaser’s Meeting Wall friend

  Treesinger, a princess of the Folk

  Twitchnose, Snifflick’s mate

  Volenibble, Firsthome Master Old-singer

  Wavetail, Meeting Wall elder

  Whir, Mistress, mate of Master Fizz

  Whitewind, Viror, one of the Firstborn

  Windflower, strange cat in Squeakerbane’s story

  Windruffle, a queen of the Folk

  Wolf friend, a prince of the Folk

  GLOSSARY

  APPENDIX

  A, to; at; toward

  Akor, eagle

  An, sun

  Ar, yes

  Az, cat; person

  Az-iri‘le, “we-cats:” the Folk

  Az‘me, “earth-cat:” tree

  Cef, water

  Cef‘az, “water-cat: ” fuh

  Cir, sing; speak

  Cu, sibling

  Cu‘are, “heart-brother:” friend

  E, hot

  E‘a, “toward-hot:” south

  Erunor, sheep

  Fa, jump

  Fe, mother

  Fela, female

  Fik, loud, frightening

  Fik‘a, “loud-cat:” dog

  Fikos, “terrifying badness”

  Fla, run

  Fla-fa‘az, “run-jump-cat:” bird

  Fri, small

  Garrin, bear

  Har, father

  Hlizza, snake

  Iri, I; me

  Iri‘le, “many-me:” we

  Ka, spirit; soul

  Krauka, raven

  La, birth

  Le, many

  Ma, away from; out of

  Me, earth

  Mela, “birth-ground:” nest

  Mela‘an, “sun-nest:” sky

  Me‘mre, ’food-soil:“ droppings

  Meskra, hawk

  Mre, eat; food

  Mre‘az, “food-cat:” mouse

  Mri, sleep

  Mri‘fa, “sleep-jump:” dream

  Mri‘fa-o, “good dreaming:” good night

  Nre, heart

  Nre‘fa, “heart-jump: dance

  Nre‘fa-o, “good dancing:” hello; goodbye

  0, good

  Oel, master; chief

  Oel-cir‘va, “Master Old-singer”

  Oel-var‘iz, “master seer:” Far-senser

  Os, bad, incorrect; wrong

  Praere, rabbit

  Pril, salmon

  Qu, big

  Ri, head

  Rikchikchik, squirrel

  Ruhu, owl

  Tesri, deer

  Tom (ptom), male

  Ue, cold

  Ue‘a, “toward-cold:” north

  Va, old

  Va‘an, “old-sun:” west

  Vaka‘az’me, “old-spirit-tree”

  Var, sight; sense

  Vez, young

  Vez‘an, “young-sun:” east