The Staff of the Winds (The Wizard of South Corner Book 1) by William Meighan Read Free Book Online Page B

into the track, the print was fresh. Their first reaction to the discovery was excitement; the second was alarm. Quickly they scanned the woods all around, trying to peer deep under the trees for any sign of a huge and angry great-cat about to charge. When no sign of the animal was seen, excitement reclaimed the stage, and Aaron suggested that they track the cat backwards to see if they could find its den. They had never found the den of a great-cat before, this one clearly was not at home, so it was an opportunity not to be missed. Owen and Jack enthusiastically agreed.
    Tracking a great-cat through the forest is not an easy task. Their wide soft pads leave little impression except in the softest ground, and unless they are in the burst of speed that completes a charge upon a hapless deer, their claws are withdrawn and the leaf and other litter on the forest floor is almost completely undisturbed by their passing. Both Jack and Owen were very good in the woods, but even they lost the trail several times and had to leave Aaron at the site where the track was last seen while they spiraled out around him searching carefully for the slightest clues of the cat’s passing.
    It was after several hours of this concentrated effort, while Owen and Jack were once again trying to pick their way through a particularly confusing area that Aaron suddenly whispered: “Hey, look over there. Do you see that dark spot in the rock face across the clearing just left of the old holly bush? I think that might be it.”
    Cautiously and as quietly as they could, the three boys approached the shadow on the rock face that, as they grew closer, revealed itself as the opening of a small cave. The mouth of the cave was not large, coming to only half way up Owen’s chest, and just slightly wider than his shoulders. Keeping his staff before him, Owen crouched at the entry and carefully looked in. The cave itself widened a little from the opening to about the span of his arms across, Owen estimated, and as his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see that it went about three spans into the side of the rocky hill. The air from the cave had a sharp musty smell, definitely feline, he thought.
    Owen was about to move aside so that Jack and Aaron could have a look, when he heard a low growl from the interior and saw sudden movement in the dimness. The boys jumped back, and Owen held his staff trembling before him, ready to counter a sudden attack, but none came.  Jack eased himself forward for a look, and after a pause exclaimed: “There are two cubs in there.”
    “Let me see,” cried Aaron, and crowded up next to Jack.
    “We’d better get out of here,” Owen whispered. “Their mother won’t have left them for long, and I don’t want to be caught between her and her cubs when she comes back.”
    “No, wait,” said Aaron. “They’re just little. I want to take one with us.”
    “What,” cried Owen and Jack together. “That’s crazy,” said Jack. “Their mother would tear us apart if she caught us disturbing her cubs. Besides, what would you do with it?”
    “Tame it and raise it as a pet,” answered Aaron, eagerly. “Nobody’s ever done that before, I bet, and besides no one is going to believe us if we don’t take back some proof.”
    “Nobody’s ever done it, because nobody could do it,” responded Owen quickly. “Great-cats are vicious. Even those kittens would tear you open if you tried to pick them up.”
    Just then the discussion was interrupted when they heard a deep cough and a low menacing growl behind them. There across the small clearing was a large tawny great-cat, muscles bunched beneath its crouching body, tail lashing powerfully from side to side. Owen stared for a moment at the intent yellow eyes, the black markings that went up the furrowed brow and back between the tawny ears, and the long sharp fangs evident in the snarling mouth, and knew that he was seeing what many a deer had seen just before it became the