Bravelands: Curse of the Sandtongue #1: Shadows on the Mountain by Erin Hunter

Author:Erin Hunter [Hunter, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2021-05-19T14:43:26.384000+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Day and night meant nothing. Chase drifted in a world of shadows and occasional, sudden flashes of light. They hurt her head, and she was afraid to open her eyes. Yet she desperately wanted to, because she could hear Seek’s voice, and she wanted to help him. He needed her.

“Chase? Chase, please wake up. Please. I’m scared.”

Her eyes creaked open. She was lying curled; she could see her own scrawny flanks rising and falling with jerky irregularity. It did not look right, so she squeezed her eyes shut again, letting herself float back to the darkness.

“Chase, I don’t know what to do. Tell me what to do.”

If Seek would just leave her alone to rest for a while, she would be fine. That was all she needed: a long, long sleep. Her head whirled, and she sank farther below the surface. That was it: she was underwater. She liked the water. Leave me be, just for a little bit longer. . . .

“Chase?” That was not Seek’s voice.

She woke again, abruptly. A big male leopard stood over her. There was something wrong about him—yes, that eerie pelt, dappled black like a midnight forest. Chase lashed out a paw and felt one of her claws catch flesh. “Go away!”

Her growl sounded slurred, but he must have understood her. Yet he still waited there, peering down, Seek crouched anxiously at his forelegs. “What’s wrong, Chase?” asked Shadow gently. “How can I help?”

“You can’t! Go ’way. ’M fine. Go.”

He must have gone this time, because the next time she looked, Shadow wasn’t there and the sunlight had faded. Gratefully she fell back into unconsciousness.

When she wakened again much later, the moon bathed her with its cooling light. An adult leopard was once more at her side—but this one she was happy to see. More than happy.

“Mother!” Chase sprang to her feet, completely fit and rested. “Mother, I thought you were dead!”

But Prowl curled back her muzzle and snarled, bringing Chase’s joyful dash to a halt.

“Stop being lazy, Chase! You have work to do.”

“No, Mother.” Suddenly she was a cub again. “I’ve been sick, that’s all. But I’m better now.”

“No, you’re not. You’re still lying around here while Seek has gone!”

“What?” Chase spun around. She stared hopelessly around at the patch of crushed foliage where she’d lain for far too long. The cub was nowhere in sight. “Where is he? Mother, where has Seek gone?”

“That’s for you to find out, not me. I am dead, daughter.”

“No, you’re not!” Chase twisted desperately back to Prowl. “What happened to Seek?”

Her mother hunched her shoulders, sadly. “Perhaps a predator took him while you were asleep?”

“I’m sorry, Mother! I tried to care for him.” She trotted toward Prowl. “Mother, don’t go. Please! I’m scared. Stay with me!”

But Prowl had turned and was walking away, her elegant tail flicking. “Seek was scared too, I daresay. I don’t have time to look after you, Chase. That’s not something I can do anymore.”

“Wait! Mother!” Chase sprang after her, but Prowl was gone, dissolving into the misty morning.

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