Hunters Unlucky - a novel in progress

Part 3, Chapter 18

Abbie — Mon, 28 May 2012 08:00:27 +0000

Chapter 18. Imitation

By the time the moon set, Storm had confirmed the distressing truth. The creasia had run ahead of him to the next trailhead. He considered trying to loop back to the previous trail. However, he suspected that they’d left one or two cats to guard it, and such an attempt would cost him most of his lead.

Part 3, Chapter 17

Abbie — Mon, 21 May 2012 08:00:59 +0000

Chapter 17. Seaside

Storm dreamed of singing—strange voices crooning in a word-less, melodic hum. It seemed to him that he fell into the song and drowned—floating sightless in a place without light or air, only a song that was as thick as honey and twice as sweet. Then the singing faded, and he heard the familiar beat of the sea.

Part 3, Chapter 16

Abbie — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00:33 +0000

Chapter 16. Round 5: Roup

Storm stayed in the cave all day, dozing fitfully, and lapping up water from the trickle that ran down the cliff. He watched the herd ebb and flow through the boulders below him and bits of the plain beyond. He wasn’t in a good spot to see the stream where he’d sent Sauny and Valla to meet with Kelsy. He wondered what they would say to each other and what they must think. He half hoped someone would come looking for him. Sauny, at least, could have navigated this trail to reach the cave. However, it would require a phenomenal tracker to follow him by scent alone.

Part 3, Chapter 15

Abbie — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:32:31 +0000

Chapter 15. Questions in the Dark

Valla slept beside Storm that night and for many nights after. Every day, he told himself that he should make her leave. And every day, he never quite got around to it. In appearance, Valla was as different from Tollee as any ferryshaft could be. She was a creamy buff color, and her fur was longer than average. It feathered prettily around her legs, and it had a silky sheen. Her ears were small and perfect—not a single nick or ragged edge. Her muzzle was un-scarred, her teeth unbroken. Valla was not the sort of female who fought with males. She was the sort of female who males fought over.

Chapter 14

Abbie — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:00:37 +0000

Chapter 14. Fighting an Idea

“He dumped you in the river?” Roup looked like he was trying very hard to be serious, and that made it worse.

Halvery snarled at his old rival. He could take wounds without a whimper, but to appear foolish was intolerable. Sharmel turned away to smother his own chuckles.

Chapters 12 and 13

Abbie — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:57:49 +0000

Chapter 12. Round 4: Halvery

That afternoon, Storm lay sunning himself in his clique’s favored resting place, trying to banish the last of the river’s cold from his bones. He’d told his story twice—once to his friends and once to his sister. Sauny had met him on the edge of ferryshaft feeding grounds. She’d listened to every detail with absolute attention. When he talked about the river, she grinned. “I bet I wouldn’t have broken through. I’m even lighter than you, Storm!”

Chapter 11

Abbie — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:53:59 +0000

Chapter 11. The River and the Trees

Storm tried to stretch, but his situation in the tree made any movement awkward. They still haven’t figured it out.

Chapters 9 and 10

Abbie — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 21:03:44 +0000

Chapter 9. A Strange Tunnel Kelsy took a certain interest in Storm’s search for new escape routes. “You really shouldn’t limit yourself to the boulder mazes and the sheep trails,” he said one evening, during his customary visit. “The woods at the top of the cliffs can provide good cover, and the sea cliffs have trails, too.”

Chapters 7 and 8

Abbie — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:52:41 +0000

Chapter 7. Threats and Apologies

It was as mild a winter as the island had seen in a decade. At no point did the snow entirely cover the ground, and the tougher sort of bushes and grasses continued to peak through. Animals that were normally dormant came out of hiding. Rabbits and rock rats thrived, and so did the ferryshaft herd.

Chapters 5 and 6

Abbie — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:36:08 +0000

Chapter 5. Round 2: Treace

When Storm opened his eyes again, it was midmorning—bright and cold and clear. He started to stand up, thought better of it, and lay back down. He didn’t think he’d actually climbed very high last night. His whole body ached, and he head was pounding. He licked up the snow around him on the ground.