132 FLUFF-BUTTON THE RABBIT 
Feather Folk stirred and Fluff-Button's solitary 
trail alone broke the blankness before her ; but 
whereas his consisted of four regular punctures, 
that which she left beside it had three only, and, 
in place of the fourth, a red stain. She dared not 
pause, for the twilight was full of a horror which 
was all the greater that it was nameless and but 
dimly realised the fear of the hunted when strength 
fails. The shadows seemed full of shining eyes 
and crouching forms which would spring if she lay 
down, for she did not know that the fox had already 
given up the quest, and left her alone. 
The snow was soft and deadly cold. It clogged 
her limbs like so much clay, and the very air was so 
chilled that she seemed to draw her breath in 
nothingness. 
Still Fluff-Button's trail ran forward towards the 
Pine Tree burrows, which are warm and deep, and 
down which no fox can pass ; and Cuni stumbled on 
blindly, for it is the instinct of the. Fur Folk when 
maimed or sick to death to seek some hiding-place 
where not even the stars can spy upon them. 
Presently she fell into a deeper drift, and 
because she was too tired to struggle out, she lay 
still. It was good to rest awhile before setting out 
once more, and feel the pain and fear slip away 
before the blessed peace which stole over her. The 
