Hiss Of Death

The Really Important Characters

Mrs. Murphy—She’s a sleek tiger cat in her prime who has less curiosity and more sense than her human.

Pewter—A sometimes-petulant gray cannonball of a cat who can’t believe how limited humans are. She does not suffer in silence.

Tee Tucker—Alert and sagacious, she’s like every other corgi—pound for pound, quite a dog. She loves her humans, horses, and even the cats.

Tomahawk—A seventeen-year-old Thoroughbred, he’s what horsemen call typy, looking exactly like a TB should. He’s usually turned out with Shortro, a young horse whom he guides.

Shortro—A five-year-old Saddlebred being trained for hunt seat. He can jump the moon and is very people-oriented.

Simon—This possum lives in Harry’s hayloft and has a sweet tooth.

Flatface—The great horned owl lives in the cupola of the barn.

Matilda—The blacksnake also lives in the barn, and she’s grown to nearly four feet. She’s made a cozy nest in the hayloft in the back, and has been there for years, emerging after hibernation. As the spring nights are still cold, she returns to her nest at sundown.