Silver Storm by Caroline Clough

Author:Caroline Clough [Caroline Clough]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782503354
Publisher: Floris Books
Published: 2016-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

13.

Cats’ Eyes

The wind sighed and swirled around the ramparts, blowing dead leaves and spindrift across the cobbles. Toby and Tash hid in the shadows of a giant castle buttress, listening to the strange scratching noise getting closer and closer.

Suddenly Hasif appeared, running up the steps towards them, carrying his bow and arrows.

“I can’t hold them back! The rats – there’s too many of them!”

“Not again,” croaked Tash.

“It’s worse than that. I think they’re running from something much bigger.” yelled Hasif. “I had to leave the taxi.” He ducked into the shelter of the stone wall.

Gusts of icy snow began to scatter around them.

“Let’s find somewhere safe here,” said Toby. He darted out and quickly retraced his footsteps back up the steps towards the Royal Palace, following the alleyway that was now white with a dusting of snow.

He waited for the other two to catch up and was just about to cross the empty square when Tash put her hand on his arm to restrain him.

“Wait!” she whispered. “There’s something moving.”

Toby squinted through the falling white flurries of snow – and then his heart gave a leap. In the darkness of the doorway to the palace he could just make out two discs of liquid amber staring at them.

“What is it?” he whispered back, a knot of fear tightening across his chest.

“Big cat,” said Tash, holding tightly into Snowy’s collar. The wolf-dog’s hackles were up and a low rumbling was growing in his throat. He was staring intently at the glinting eyes of the creature opposite them.

“It’s a lion,” stated Hasif.

“Don’t move,” Tash interrupted him. “He might not be able to smell us in the snow.”

Great! We’re stuck between an army of vicious rats, whatever beast is chasing them, and now a lion!

The three of them stood trembling as the large shaggy-maned cat began to pad warily out of the palace towards them.

“Don’t make any sudden movements,” whispered Tash.

Toby and Hasif silently did as they were told, edging tentatively backwards into the gloom thrown by the buildings surrounding the square. The lion stopped and sniffed the air; he hadn’t seen them but could sense something was nearby; something edible.

“Where can we hide?” whispered Toby, trying to keep the tremble of fear from his voice.

“Follow me! I’ve studied maps of the city and I know a secret escape route,” hissed Hasif, feeling his way round the wall behind him. “We need to find Mons Meg – a big gun in the vaults.”

Sliding silently round the outside of the square, they made their way to a low wall where a sign for Mons Meg was posted. There, a staircase led down to an iron gate.

“The gate’s locked,” said Hasif.

“Wait, I’ll get my keys out,” said Tash, rummaging inside her rucksack.

Thank God Tash has still got her great-grandma’s skeleton keys – they’ve got us out of a few tricky spots!

Toby popped his head nervously above the wall. “Hurry up!” he hissed. “It’s getting closer!”

“I’m trying, Tobes! Not making pancakes, y’know,” spat Tash, fumbling with the large bundle of ancient rusty keys.

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