Varjak Paw Page 12

  ‘I'll show you how to hunt, to fight, to live Outside – if you come with me.’

  He looked around the family circle. One by one, they all looked down. But he didn't feel alone. He felt free.

  ‘Varjak, thank you for saving us,’ said Father. ‘You were right about the Gentleman; we were wrong about your friends. We were wrong about a lot of things. But we can't come Outside with you. Not yet, anyway.’

  ‘If you ever need us,’ said Mother, ‘we'll be here.’

  ‘I understand,’ said Varjak. And at that moment, for perhaps the first time in his life, he really did.

  They said their farewells, and then Varjak turned to Holly and Tam.

  ‘So, do you want to be in a gang, then?’ he said. Tam nodded and grinned.

  ‘There's only one gang I want to be in,’ said Holly, ‘and that's ours.’

  ‘Cludge too!’ barked the big dog.

  Cludge carried them out. As they went, the friends talked and laughed together about the things they had done and the things they would do. Many of the cats they'd freed from the cage followed them, like they were the leaders of a gang.

  So much lay ahead of them. Anything was possible now.

  It was a beautiful morning. The earth was decked out in dewdrops. The open air was fresh and clean. And up in the clear blue sky, the sun was rising with the promise of a new day, dawning on the wide world, shining bright and amber, like the eyes of Varjak Paw.

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  Dell Yearling

  an imprint of

  Random House Children's Books

  a division of Random House, Inc.

  New York

  Copyright © 2003 by SF Said

  Illustrations copyright © 2003 by Dave McKean

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  eISBN: 978-0-307-54869-6

  v3.0