Chapter 16, question
Shadowflight and Rockpool trotted quickly along. The path went steadily and steeply upward. After climbing for at least twenty minutes they came onto a flat area.
There was a large but skinny leopard crouching in the center of the path, completely blocking the way for passersby.
"Er…" Shadowflight said, approaching. "Could you…move aside?"
"Yes, I may have to do that. But you have to answer my question. If you get it right, you get to go on. If you get it wrong, I kill you. Want the question?"
"Okay," Shadowflight mewed.
The leopard took a deep breath. "He's big, he loves to have females and kits around him, and he enjoys battling for mates. He has trouble living without others serving him, but he spends a lot of time sleeping. He lies to his females about stupid things, and yet never in his long life tells her the truth. What is he?"
Shadowflight and Rockpool were quiet.
That sounds like a cat, Shadowflight thought. A male cat. Or a male leopard. Maybe a cheetah. Or a lion.
"Okay. Say what you think."
Suddenly feeling panicky, Shadowflight quickly chose lion.
"What do you think?" the leopard asked Rockpool.
He shrugged. "Maybe a spider."
"I thought of a lion." Shadowflight suggested.
The leopard grinned. "It's a lion. Good. Now, I don't just let you pass, I offer you a shortcut to the top of the mountain. Would you like one?
"Oh yes!" Shadowflight said eagerly.
"Okay," The leopard said. She dipped her tail-tip into a pool of water, then scribbled something on the path. The walls seemed to fall away from Shadowflight and Rockpool, and they were flung far out into space. The cold air whistled around them, then…
Rockpool smashed into the ground, hitting his head and instantly passing out.