The Beast of Exmoor Page 5

prowling around Exmoor a few at least would have been seen long before the present, especially the big ones, and unlike Earth felines, Martian Cats were not especially cautious. But her research had not turned up any descriptions of the Beast of Exmoor that even remotely resembled them, so they couldn't have been the source of the legend, or even encouraged it. As far as that was concerned, that humongous housecat was a more likely candidate.

  So, if no one saw them, that suggested they stayed in the mine, out of sight. But why? Are they all hatchlings like the first one I killed? That could make sense. Even after their eyes opened and they became strong enough to move around, Earth kittens never strayed far from the nest until they were old enough to leave their mother. Meanwhile, she provided them with food after she weaned them, particularly live prey to teach them how to hunt.

  Could the adult be here to bear and raise its brood? That seemed the best answer. It would explain the seven year cycle of increased animal killings, assuming that was the normal time interval between births for the Martian species. It might also explain why the mother came to Earth to do it. As their name implied, Cats From Mars were not terrestrial natives. Though little was known about them for obvious reasons, despite their having been previously encountered on Earth they had never shown any interest in invading, possibly because they couldn't tolerate the heavier gravity or the thick, oxygen rich atmosphere for long. But while the adults were incredibly tough and resilient, she had discovered the young were delicate and vulnerable. If Mars held or attracted other predators, they might not be able to take an adult but the young would have made easier prey. Earth probably offered an ideal haven for them to mature until they could survive on their own.

  She considered the question of how the mother got to Earth, and how it would later return to Mars with its brood, interesting, but not particularly mysterious. 'Catness' seemed to be endemic to the Solar System: there were also Saturnian and Uranian feline species, and she had little doubt each planet had its own form. It seemed the farther away from Earth the other species resided, the more alien and 'evil' they became, and both the Cats From Saturn and Uranus were masters of teleportation. She doubted the Martian Cats were handicapped in that regard.

  If that was the case, then she didn't have to worry about there being an incursion, but she couldn't take the chance they wouldn't get loose, and she had to stop the mother from taking any more people.

  "But first, I have to find a way out of this bloody hole."

  By the end of the half hour, she began to hear noises ahead of her. She slowed and continued in a more cautious manner, and came to the opening of a large gallery. She flattened herself against the shaft wall and peered into the chamber. She saw what remained of a railway track, and what looked like rusting ore processing equipment falling apart. She figured that must have been where the excavated ore had been brought to be crushed and partially treated before being taken out of the mine. As if to confirm that, she saw the mouths of seven or eight other shafts on both sides of the gallery.

  More importantly, however, about a dozen Martian Cats were present. Most of them fed on the remains of sheep, pony, and cattle carcasses, though there seemed to be little left of any of them except bones. One appeared to be eating a smaller sibling; that indicated they were cannibalistic. Three, however, had gathered under a ledge, looking up as if desiring to reach it. One after another tried several times to jump or scramble up, but none of them could make it. And each time, something pelted them with rocks. As she watched, a little girl dressed in a winter coat appeared out a shadow to look down, then hastily drew back again.

  Patsy!

  She threw herself into the gallery, yelling a wordless cry to get the Cats' attention. All of them looked towards her and then charged, shrieking like sirens. She shot at them to take them out while as far away as possible, but several managed to get close enough to attack, and she struck at them with Caliburn. They surrounded her and ripped at her parka and skirt, reducing both to tatters, while Patsy threw rocks at them, but with pistol and blade she made short work of the rest. She briefly considered that without the greatsword she would probably have been mauled to death.

  She took a moment to expel her used magazine and insert a fresh one. It was the last one she had, and it only contained thirteen rounds. She then threw off her parka and skirt and ran to the spot under the ledge.

  "Are you Patsy?"

  "Yes, 'um. Yore the one the big'n dragged in sum time ago."

  "That's right. My name is Differel. Can you come down?"

  "Yes, 'um." She sat down on the edge, twisted around, and started to crawl down the wall. Differel had a few anxious moments as she sought for a foot hold, and moved beneath her to catch her if she fell, but after a few minutes the farm girl made it to the floor.

  "Did the Cat bring you here?"

  "Yes, 'um. It carried me 'ere to feed its little'ns."

  "How did you escape?"

  "I couldn't, the little'ns would've gotten me."

  For a moment she felt perplexed. "The adult trussed me up like a partridge. Didn't it do the same to you?"

  "Naw, Mum, it carried me into the middle o' the cave and dropped me, then took off. The little'ns came at me and I climbed up 'ere to get away from 'em."

  Both eyebrows climbed up her forehead. "You mean you spent five whole days up there? How did you survive? What did you do for water?"

  "There were a trickle in the back so I could get a drink."

  "Are you all right?"

  "Yes, 'um. I'm pretty hungry, and very tired, but I'm okay."

  "Hmph. Well, once we get out of here I'll take you back to the village. You can get a bath and something to eat, and I'll have a doctor check you over while we wait for your family. Er, you wouldn't happen to know the way out, would you?"

  "Yes, 'um." She pointed to a shaft that sat at a twelve degree angle off the line of the one from which she had emerged. "The big'n always came in through there."

  "Very well. Now, you stick close to me, no matter what happens, but if I tell you to go, you run as fast as you can, hear me?"

  She nodded. "Yes, 'um."

  Holt took point as they headed up the slope. They had been climbing for some time, but he didn't see more evidence that Differel had been dragged that way, or where she might have been taken. He began to worry he might be wrong, that he might have misread the signs. If that was the case, Differel was lost; they could never get to her in time.

  And it would be his fault.

  "Are you sure this is the right way?" Aelfraed asked. There was no accusation or suspicion in his voice; it was probably based on genuine concern. But it still stung.

  He paused, and the others, who followed in single file, bunched up around him. "No."

  Aelfraed only raised an eyebrow, but Maggie looked shocked while Mrs. Widget frowned with her whole face. She was good at that.

  "Bloody fine time to say so!" she spat.

  "Should we go back?" Aelfraed asked.

  "No. This is still the best option."

  "Guys," Maggie said.

  "But if you're wrong we'd just waste more time," Mrs. Widget pressed.

  "Guys!"

  "We'd waste even more time if we went back and tried another way," Holt said.

  "GUYS!"

  He glanced at her with the others, not without some irritation, but he felt startled at the sight of her pale as a sheet. She pointed past them further up the slope. When he turned, he saw the creature Differel had described no more than three fathoms away. It stood on a boulder, watching them.

  Mrs. Widget and Maggie raised their weapons as Aelfraed removed a Sykes-Fairbairn dagger from under his parka, but the huge cat didn't appear threatening. It almost seemed expectant.

  "Wait," he said, holding up his hand. He stepped away from the others. The cat didn't move or change demeanor. It just continued to stare at him, as if waiting for something to happen.

  What was it Differel had said? It's definitely hunting something, just
not the ewe.

  It turned and bounded up the rocks a couple of yards, then paused and looked back.

  It wants us to follow! It started back up again, but at a leisurely pace.

  "Follow that cat." He started after it. He could imagine the others were surprised and even a little shocked, but none said a word as he heard them fall in behind.

  It took longer than Differel expected for the two of them to reach the entrance. The tunnel ran longer than she thought it would be, but she also couldn't move any faster than Patsy, and she couldn't hurry her along too quickly. She had no idea how weak she might be, and the last thing she wanted was to have to carry her.

  Finally, however, she noticed a small spot of light that steadily grew the further they went. She realized it must have been the entrance to the mine. Patsy seemed to recognize that as well, because she quickened her pace, and that allowed her to go faster also.

  When they were only about fifty feet from the opening, however, she heard the familiar calliope scream of a charging horde. She and Patsy stopped and glanced back. She could see them at the far end of the tunnel, coming fast. She willed Caliburn to vanish, then picked up Patsy and held her in one arm.

  "Hang on!" The farm girl wrapped her arms around her neck as she sped down the tunnel. Unfortunately, she wasn't a sprinter; the physical training Holt had put her through years before had been based on the regimen developed by the Royal Marines, and they emphasized strength and endurance over speed. She