They drew closer to the town. I could sense them becoming more excited. They were biting each other and snarling as they fought over who would choose a victim.
Soon I was back in the place of twinkling lights, among the rows of Legwalker dens.
Ahead of me were the monsters.
Werewolves, their fangs dripping with anticipation, looked in through an open window at a small, sleeping Legwalker cub.
“That’s the one,” they hissed. “Get it!”
Suddenly one of them reached in with a long, hairy arm and snatched up the tiny Legwalker.
Crouching by the side of the house, the werewolf opened its great gaping jaws. Its yellow teeth glistened in the moonlight.
My stomach lurched and vomit rose into my throat. The little cub was doomed.
“Nooooooooo!” I screamed.
Chapter 31
I let out a great, furious howl and in one tremendous leap, cleared the whole pack of night creatures and thundered after the one with the cub.
My howl was fierce. It filled the night sky and put fear in the hearts of Legwalkers all over town. As I’d hoped, their sniffing animals set up a desperate clamor and soon the streets were filled with Legwalkers and barking, frenzied animals.
At the first bang of a Legwalker den opening, the werewolves behind me vanished. Somehow they just melted away into the darkness.
All except the one clutching the screaming cub. I was hot on its heels. But the blackness of the swamp was close. I knew that once the night creature reached the trees, I would never catch it. It was too skilled.
Putting on a burst of speed, I gained on the monster. My breath heaved hot in my lungs. I couldn’t keep it up much longer. My throat burned and my legs ached with exhaustion.
The clamor of frenzied animals behind me grew louder. For the first time I felt a pang of fear as I pictured what would happen to me if they caught me.
A nasty thought popped into my mind. Hunger. I hadn’t had anything to eat. Fresh meat, just a little, would make me stronger. Strong enough to escape the Legwalkers’ animals.
I spat the thought from my mind. It was an alien, creeping, filthy thing put there by the desperate night creature I was chasing.
As I ran harder, I heard it snarl in fury. The trees loomed closer.
The werewolf lunged into the swamp. In my head I heard its silent howl of triumph.
I’d never find it now.
The Legwalker cub’s cries weakened.
Chapter 32
The cub’s cries! I felt a new surge of energy as I followed that faint trail of sound.
Breath rasping in my throat, I caught a glimpse of the werewolf as a beam of moonlight glinted on its scraggly fur. Taking a deep breath, I leaped into the air, aiming to come down on its back.
I missed. But not by much. Desperately I swiped at it and my claws raked the length of its back. The night creature screamed in fury and turned to face me, its long teeth bared in a snarl.
As it lunged at me, I sank my teeth into the arm that was holding the cub. With a hideous howl, the night creature dropped the cub. The werewolf’s eyes burned with mindless vengeance as it turned to face me.
I felt its thoughts. First it would tear out my throat, then it would feast alone on the cub.
As it faced me it seemed to swell. I hadn’t realized how much bigger than me it was. And I had been running so long. I was so tired.
“Now you die!” it screamed.
The creature reached for me with claws extended. As its claws sank into my shoulder I lowered my head and butted it as hard as I could in the stomach. Flesh tore from my shoulder as it fell.
Instantly it sprang to its feet, eyes blazing. A snarl started deep in its throat as it crouched to spring.
Then, without warning, it turned and disappeared into the swamp.
For a moment I just stood there, panting and bewildered. I hadn’t butted it that hard. It could have torn me apart in a second. Then why didn’t it?
Suddenly I jumped to my feet. The Legwalkers’ animals! They were almost upon me. That was why the werewolf had run off.
Quickly I leaped into a tree. But then I became aware of the Legwalker cub crying nearby. It was half covered with dead leaves. I glanced toward the pack of crazed animals. They were already in among the trees.
Fixed as they were on hunting me, they might not see the Legwalker cub.
Gritting my teeth in fear, I dropped back to the ground. One of the animals caught my scent and started barking with excitement. I snatched up the Legwalker cub as the dog leaped for me.
Its jaws snapped on air as I sprang back into the tree. The other Legwalker dogs gathered in a snarling pack below, throwing themselves uselessly into the air.
What could I do? I couldn’t take the cub with me and I couldn’t stay where I was. Legwalker voices grew louder every second I waited, agonizing. Finally I laid the cub down in a forked branch and swung into another tree.
“There’s the baby!” a Legwalker cried. “It’s alive!”
While the Legwalkers were busy rescuing their cub, I swung into another tree and then, dropping to the ground, easily outdistanced them.
I ran until I could no longer hear the Leg-walkers or their frenzied animals. When I reached my old pool I slipped in, and for once the cold water felt good. The water hissed into steam as it touched the heat of my body.
Sinking slowly, I felt like I was lowering myself right into the swamp. I was a part of the swamp and it felt good. Creeping among the cypress roots, I let the cold water ease the tension from my muscles.
Soon it would be dawn and I would be myself again.
But one thought kept repeating in my mind. Sneering, one of the night creatures had said, just before they set off
