Free (GoG Book 07) The Hatchling by Kathryn Lasky Page B

snake’s scraping had disappeared entirely. It seemed like hours until they could open their eyes wide and carefully begin to creep about the ground to search for a burrow or cave of some sort. They kept close to the shadowy rock wall and dared not look in the center where an almost full-shine moon flooded the canyon floor with light. Finally, after nearlyan hour as the night began to turn chilly, they found a burrow.
    “It’s a fox’s den,” Phillip said as they stepped into the cavity in the rock wall. They both stood very still and adjusted their eyes to the nearly complete darkness.
    “Red fox, I believe,” Phillip added, noting a patch of reddish fur under his talon. “Actually, I think this was a birthing den.”
    “A what?” Nyroc asked.
    “Foxes are odd that way. They have different dens for different things. During the breeding and birthing seasons, they usually find a separate den to live in.”
    “Is this birthing season?” Nyroc asked, his voice taut with anxiety.
    “Luckily not. Don’t worry,” Phillip said. “This place is empty. I can tell.”
    Nyroc blinked at his friend. “You’re awfully smart, Phillip. I sure am glad you’re here.”
    “I’m just older than you are, Nyroc. There’s stuff that I have seen that you haven’t, and that’s why I know it. But look at you. Had you ever been mobbed by crows before?”
    “No,” he admitted.
    “Had you ever even seen a crow before?”
    “No.”
    “So how did you know how to speak to them, to offerthem that rat, to gain us free passage through all of the light of day so that we would never be bothered by crows?”
    “I don’t know. I just thought real hard, I guess.”
    “ That is really being smart,” Phillip concluded. “Smarter than just seeing stuff and knowing it from experience as I have.”
    “But tell me about what you have seen, Phillip.” Nyroc was still amazed that the Sooty Owl had so quickly known it was a red fox’s den, and a birthing one at that. “I really want to know. All I’ve ever seen is the burnt-up canyonlands. I’ve never even seen a living, growing tree. Please tell me about the rest of the world.”
    Phillip blinked and thought a moment, then began to speak. “I’ve seen the red fox on a snowy morning, and I shall never forget the color of its fur. I’ve seen an eagle take down a wolf.” Nyroc blinked in surprise at that. “I’ve seen a bear cub drown in a stream and watched her mother rage and weep and curse the very water, which quenched her thirst, for taking her cub. And I’ve seen a mother fox and her babies leave a den just like this. And,” he hesitated. “I saw my father pick off one of those babies as the mum’s back was turned. And I ate it because da and I were near to starving.”
    “You were, Phillip?”
    “Yes, I was.”
    Nyroc suddenly realized that although he had known Phillip since the day he had hatched, he did not really know him at all.
    “How did you come to the Pure Ones, Phillip? And why? Didn’t you have a mum? You only ever speak of your da.” Nyroc wanted to know everything.
    “It’s a long, long story, Nyroc, and I’m hungry now.”
    “But we can’t go out. Where will we get food?”
    “These birthing caves go deep and long. There are bound to be some mice around. Let’s find some, and then I think you must first tell me your story, Nyroc.”
    “ My story?” Nyroc blinked.
    “What is this quest for truth, Nyroc? You promised to tell me. Why are we flying away? What kind of truth is worth risking our lives for? Your mum is chasing us with a posse!”
    “Phillip,” Nyroc began slowly and carefully. This would be hard to explain. “Phillip, have you ever seen pictures in the flames of a fire?”
    “No. Definitely not.” Phillip shook his head slowly as if trying to imagine such a thing.
    “Well, I have. Gwyndor thinks that I might have something called fire sight.”
    “Fire sight!” Phillip said, his voice taut with awe. “Yes, Ithink I’ve