In the Wolf's Lair by Starobinets Anna; Bugaeva Jane; Muravski Marie

Author:Starobinets, Anna; Bugaeva, Jane; Muravski, Marie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dover Publications
Published: 2018-02-25T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8: IN WHICH ASSISTANT CHIEF BADGER ACTS HEROICALLY

The downpour of rain washed the stripes off of Badgercat’s snout. It washed away Yote’s tracks and scent, too, but somehow Badgercat knew in his animal gut where he needed to run and where his target was. Somewhere in the damp darkness, oversaturated with the smell of rotten leaves, the lying coyote was hiding in the prickly bushes. And he would find him! Without fail, he would find him. He was, after all, Badgercat. Not only could he see in the dark, but he had a highly developed sixth sense. He wasn’t sure why this—his predatory ability to sense where his prey was hiding—was called a “sixth sense.” Perhaps some animals had so few senses, only five, that a sixth sense was considered to be something extra. But he, Badgercat, had a multitude of senses—no less than five hundred. But if everyone insisted on calling this one—his killer instinct—his sixth sense, so be it. The point was it was highly developed. Coyote Yote was somewhere nearby…maybe in these very bushes…

There was a clap of thunder, and a hissing bolt of lightning streaked poisonous white light on to the clearing, on to Badgercat, and on to the wet bushes. And in that short penetrating flash, behind the bushes’ thin intertwined branches, as if behind barbed wire, Badgercat suddenly noticed Yote’s distorted mug with his teeth bared in a horrible grimace. A split second later it was dark again. But now Badgercat knew exactly where to pounce. As he leaped, letting out his claws, then digging them into Yote’s fur, it dawned on him that Yote didn’t have a motive. He had nothing to gain, no concrete reason that drove him to kill Rabbit. Yote just wasn’t right in the head, that’s all, with his maniacal laughter, his glare, his scowl. There was no motive. He was just crazy.

“In the name of the law of the Far Woods,” growled Badgercat, holding Yote down in a death grip, pressing his snout against the wet ground, “coyote Yote, you are under arrest for the suspected murder of Rabbit.” Badgercat cuffed Yote’s paws behind his back.

“I didn’t murder…Rabbit… Hee hee hee…ha ha ha!”

Badgercat felt, rather than saw, Yote convulse in a fit of silent laughter. It made Badgercat feel uneasy.

“Get up. We’ve got to go.”

“Go-o-o-oh-ho-ho-ho? Where to-oo-oo-oo?”

“I’m bringing you in for questioning.”

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