The War for the Lot by Sterling Lanier

Author:Sterling Lanier [Lanier, Sterling]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Children's Books, Action & Adventure, Children's eBooks, Science Fiction; Fantasy & Scary Stories, Fantasy & Magic, Sword & Sorcery
Publisher: Follett Pub Co.
Published: 1969-01-28T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

LATER THAT same morning, after his return from the meeting in the wood, Alec lay face down under a great spreading apple tree in the orchard above the house. Although he had striven to control himself, the confident leader of earlier in the day had vanished.

The full responsibility he was shouldering, the planned meeting at some future date with the dreaded bear and the dangerous trip planned for that very night to examine the dump and spy on the rats all these things had got him down badly. He was feeling very young and miserable as he lay with his head pillowed on his arms, trying not to let the last remnants of his courage ebb away.

He was aroused by a rasping purr and the touch of a coarse tongue licking his right ear. Sitting up abruptly and wiping dirt from his face with a grubby hand, he saw Worthless eyeing him calmly. Impulsively he reached out and gathered the big orange cat into his arms and hugged him tight. He squeezed rather hard, he was so grateful for someone to share his apprehension; but Worthless did not seem to mind and his purr grew to a loud rumble. The cat even reached up and dabbed at the boy's chin with one broad, velvet paw and then lay back in the lap Alec had made by crossing his legs.

"I wish you could talk, Worthless," he said out loud, his voice choked with the remnants of hard-fought tears. "I sure need someone to talk to. Cats are supposed to be awful smart and I sure could use someone smart right now." What he didn't realize was that he had become so accustomed to the mind speech of animals, that he was thinking, even while he actually spoke, the same thought that he had spoken aloud. He hugged the cat again, his misery and fear of the future beginning to return in fresh waves of emotion.

"Now then, don't crush me, Watcher! I'm not made of old rags," came a voice into his brain. Alec froze, his arms locked around the cat, his whole body stiff and rigid. Had he been dreaming? Was he awake now?

"Of course you're awake," said Worthless. The cat's mind-voice was rather like his purr, a sort of rumbling, growly voice, but with an up-and-down rhythm in it which rose and fell as the mind-pictures came and went, something like background music in a Western movie.

Slowly, Alec loosened his grip. He looked down at the big cat and sent out a thought.

"You can talk? Why haven't you talked to me before? Do the other animals know you can talk?"

The great yellow eyes stared at him with a hint of supercilious amusement far back in their depths. Worthless got off Alec's lap and stretched luxuriously, then sat up and looked at the boy with an unblinking stare.

"To all of your questions," said the cat, "there are several answers. I don't talk to the other animals. I listen. Most of what they say isn't interesting anyway.

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