The Last Of The Sky Pirates Part 6

Rook froze. What now?

aUrrgh. Aargh. Urrgh. Aargh. Urrgh. Aargh.a The chanting was louder than ever. It seemed to be coming from every direction. Rook was on his own a" wounded and frightened. He couldnat run. He couldnat hide. And something huge was coming towards him a With a surge of panic mixed with nausea, Rook suddenly realized that it was as if his nightmare were actually coming true.

Then he saw it. Tall, brutal, half-formed a" it looked like a larger, fiercer and much, much uglier version of a cloddertrog. Its huge, blunt face was mottled and scarred. The flat nose sniffed the air, the heavy jutting brow frowned over deep-set, red eyes that scanned the gloom of the forest floor.

Rook shrank back down into the soft leaf-cover on the ground and held his breath. His only hope was that it did not see him.

aUrrgh!a it grunted over its shoulder, and was joined by another trog with jagged, yellow nails and long matted hair.

aAargh!a its companion responded. It pulled a spear from the giant quiver slung across its shoulder and brandished it in the air. aAargh!a From all round came replies, and out of the shadows emerged more of the hulking great trogs. Rook trembled with terror. Each of the creatures had skulls a" whole strings of them a" tied on leather thongs around its neck. They rattled as the trogs walked, jaws grinning and empty eye-sockets staring out in all directions.

aAARGH!a The first trog had spotted him. Their eyes met.

aNo, no, no,a Rook muttered as he desperately tried to scuttle away on his backside, dragging himself along with his scrabbling hands.

The creature advanced unhurriedly. It drew back its heavy, muscular arm and threw the spear.

Rook ducked.

It whistled past him, and on into the tangled undergrowth behind. The creature drew another spear and lumbered forwards, the necklace of skulls rattling. Its mouth opened to reveal a set of long, wolf-like teeth.

aAARGH!a it roared.

A sharp pain shot up from Rookas injured knee. He collapsed. It was no good. There was nothing he could do. He could feel the pounding feet vibrating through the ground beneath him, he could smell rancid fat. The facets of the flint spear glinted in the dappled light as the trog raised it, ready to strike.

aAARGH!a Rook closed his eyes. So this was how his nightmare ended, he thought bitterly.

Just then, from behind him, there came the sound of furious scratching, followed by a loud whirring noise. The trog cried out.

Rook looked round to see a dense swarm of small, silver-black angular creatures emerging from the undergrowth where the stray spear had landed. Despite the perilousness of his situation, the instincts of a true earth-scholar were awakened in him. With their long, pointed noses and stubby triangular wings, they were clearly related to the ratbirds which had once roosted in the bowels of the great sky ships. Like the ratbirds, they flew in flocks. Unlike their harmless, scavenging cousins, however, these small, vicious creatures seemed to be hunters.

Wheeling through the air in a great cloud, the countless silvery creatures flapped in perfect synchronization. When one turned, they all turned. Together, they resembled nothing so much as a billowing sheet, tossing and turning in the wind. aAARGH!a bellowed the trog.

The flock switched in mid air, and swooped down towards it. Roaring loudly, the trog swiped at them with its spear. Several of the tiny creatures plummeted to the ground a" but with so many, the loss of half a dozen of their number meant nothing.

aAARGa"a As Rook stared, fascination replacing fear, the flock struck. It engulfed the trog in an instant. The sound of gnashing and slurping filled the air a" but only for an instant.

The next, the creatures flapped back into the air, squealing loudly.

Rook felt the icy fear return. The flock had stripped the hapless trog to the bone. Where he had been standing a moment before, there now stood a white skeleton and empty, grinning skull which, as Rook watched, fell to the ground in a heap of bones. The gruesome necklace of skulls lay among them. The spear dropped down on top of them all.

At the sight of what had happened to their leader, the others let out a howl of alarm.

aAargh!a they screamed. aUrrgh!a And they turned on their heels and hurtled back into the forest.

The flock of tiny, blood-crazed creatures wheeled round in the air a" looking, for a moment, like a vast sky ship with billowing sails a" before turning as one, and speeding off after the fleeing trogs.

For a moment Rook could not move. His breath came in short, jerky gasps. Beside him lay one of the small creatures, its neck broken. He picked it up. It was small a" smaller than the palm of his hand and scaly. Four razor-sharp teeth protruded from its slack jaws.

Rook trembled. On their own, the creatures were nothing, yet when they swarmed they were transformed into a huge, fearsome predator.

Rook memorized every detail of the tiny creature, fascinated and repelled in equal measure. If he ever got back to the library, he would describe it and name it, and perhaps one day a young under-librarian would pick up his treatise and read about it, and wonder a He would call it a snicket.

Slowly and painfully, using one of the discarded spears which littered the forest floor for support, Rook climbed to his feet. He stared round into the gloomy shadows. Whichever way he turned, the forest looked the same. He sighed. Head escaped the primitive skull-trogs, and the snickets a" only to find himself lost and alone in the depths of the Deepwoods.

Back in the underground library, he had often wondered why so many of those who had written about the Deepwoods described it as endless. Of course it isnat endless, he would say. You can see that from the map. Look, here it becomes the Edgelands, and here it borders the Twilight Woods a After a week tramping through the forest, however, aendlessa seemed exactly the right word. It was so vast that anyone lost could wander for ever, and never find a way out.

Too frightened to call for his missing companions, Rook set off, orientating himself as best he could by the distant glow of the sun. His knee throbbed and, now that the dangers had pa.s.sed, he was left feeling weak with hunger. He stumbled on, glancing round constantly, trying not to cry out as the forest sounds seemed to grow more and more sinister with every step he took. aStay calm,a he told himself.

But what was that? It sounded like footsteps a" and they were coming towards him.

aItas all right,a he whispered, his voice breathless with rising fear. aDonat panica Yes. Yes. They were definitely footsteps. Heavy, surefooted. Had one of the terrible skulltrogs come back to finish him off? He crouched down behind a vast trunk, festooned with hairy-ivy, and peered out tensely. The foliage parted anda"

aHekkle!a Rook cried.

aMaster Rook!a the shryke exclaimed. aCan it truly be you? Oh, brave master, praise be to Earth and Sky!a Rook climbed awkwardly to his feet. aBut youare hurt! What have you done?a aItas my knee,a said Rook.

Hekkle dismounted and trotted towards him. Crouching down, he inspected it closely. aItas swollen,a he said at last. aBut nothing too serious. Sit down for a moment, and Iall fix it up.a Rook slumped back heavily to the ground. Hekkle removed a pot of green salve and a length of bandage from his backpack and began treating the knee.

aDid you see the flying creatures?a said Rook. aThousands of them, there were. They stripped that giant trog to the bone in a second.a Hekkle nodded as he rubbed the salve into the joint. aAnd not only him,a he said darkly.

Rook took a sharp intake of breath. aYou mean a? Stob a Magda aa Hekkle looked up. aI meant the other trogs,a he said. aThe brave master and mistress are safe,a he said. aThey are waiting for us at the edge of the Silver Pastures.a aPraise be to Earth and Sky, indeed,a Rook breathed.

aThere,a said Hekkle, as he knotted the ends of the bandage securely. aNow, letas get you up onto my prowlgrin.a They set off at a brisk trot, with Hekkle at the front holding the reins, and Rook behind, gripping the saddle tightly. As they loped on, the trees around them began to thin out. A head wind, blowing into their faces, sent the dark clouds scudding away across the sky, and for the first time that day, as warm shafts of sunlight flooded the forest floor, Rook began to feel optimistic about what lay ahead.

aNot far now,a said Hekkle. He pointed to a line of tall lufwoods. aThose trees mark the edge of the pastures.a Rook grinned. They had made it. The next moment his happiness was complete. aAnd look!a he cried out. aMagda and Stob!a aYouare right, brave master,a said Hekkle. aBut a Oh, no!a His feathers ruffled and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. aWhat is that?a aWhat? What?a said Rook. He looked intently for any sign of danger, but could see none. Stob and Magda had dismounted next to a long log, tethered the prowlgrins to a nearby lufwood tree and were standing with their backs turned away, looking out across the pastures beyond. aWhat is it?a said Rook. He was suddenly frightened.

Hekkle flicked the reins and kicked into the prowl-grinas side. aWatch out, Master Stob!a he shrieked as they pounded across the ground, but the wind whipped his warning away. aMistress Magda!a aWhat was that?a said Magda.

Stob shrugged. aI didnat hear anything,a he said, sitting down on the log.

Magda turned. aLook,a she said excitedly. aItas Hekkle. And heas got Rook with him!a Stob frowned. aWhy are they galloping like that? And waving their arms? You donat suppose any of those horrible trog things are a?a Magda jumped up onto the log for a better view. aI donat think so,a she said. aThereas nothing chasing them.a She cupped her hands to her mouth. aWhatas wrong?a she cried out. aAre you all right?a aStop waving, brave mistress!a Hekkle screeched back. aAnd get out of there! Both of you!a Rook knew Hekkle well enough to understand that Magda and Stob must be in terrible danger. aRun for your lives!a he screamed. aNOW!a All at once there was an ominous rumble and a loud hiss. The ground shook. The dead leaves flew up. A pair of fromps skittered across the ground and away.

Rook stared ahead in horror and disbelief as the log on which Stob sat and Magda stood quivered, swung round and abruptly reared up into the air. It writhed. It swayed. It opened at one end, revealing sharp fangs and a dark, cavernous throat a" and howled and wheezed with a bloodthirsty rage.

aStob,a Rook gasped. aMagda aa ook stared in horror as the enormous thrashing creature rose up on a cushion of air spurting from rows of knot-like ducts the length of its huge mossy body.

aA logworm!a Hekkle shouted. aSave yourselves!a He kicked his prowlgrin hard with his heels.

Stob fell heavily just behind the hovering logworm, and remained motionless where he lay. Magda landed with a thud beside the tethered prowlgrins, which twisted and reared in panic as the logworm swung round in mid air.

aStob!a Magda screamed as the creatureas great gaping maw lurched towards her fallen companion. aWatch out!a The logworm instantly turned towards the sound of her voice. Magda screamed. The prowlgrins thrashed about, screeching and howling and rolling their eyes in terror. The logwormas ring of green eyes focused on the terrified creatures.

aFor pityas sake, Magda!a shouted Rook from behind Hekkle. aGet out of there aa His voice was drowned out by a deafeningly loud hissing. The logwormas huge mouth was sucking in air with tremendous force. A flurry of leaves and cones disappeared inside the creature as it came down low, and advanced on Magda and the terrified prowlgrins. They squealed and screeched and fought against the tunnel of swirling air, while Magda gripped their straining tether-ropes desperately.

aMagda aa Rook gasped.

Hekkle brought their prowlgrin to a skidding halt, leaped from its back and raced towards her. aBrave mistress!a he called and seized her tightly by the wrist. Her cloak billowed out in the twisting air as he dragged her away to safety, just in time.

There was loud crack as the first of the tethers snapped under the unrelenting pressure, and one of the squealing prowlgrins barrelled back towards the cavernous mouth of the logworm. It disappeared inside. With a hideous crunching sound, the log-wormas body arched and shivered as it squashed the life out of its still squealing prey.

Hekkle, dragging Magda with him, reached Stob and plucked at his shirt. aGet up, brave master,a he said. aGet up!a The librarian apprentice groaned.

Just then there was another crack, and the second screaming prowlgrin disappeared. The logworm belched thunderously.

Hekkle and Magda pulled Stob to his feet, and stumbled away from the writhing monster. Rook kicked into the sides of his panic-stricken mount.

aCome on, boy,a he said. aThey need our helpa"Whoooah!a he cried out.

The terrified prowlgrin let out an ear-splitting screech and reared up. At the sound, the logworm turned on them, and Rook found himself staring straight down the creatureas blood-red throat. Its circle of green eyes fixed him with a malevolent intensity. With a sinister hiss, the logworm lurched towards them, sucking in everything in its way in huge, convulsive gulps.

Rook felt the prowlgrin being dragged backwards. It was like being caught inside a whirlwind. He tugged at the reins in a furious attempt to yank the creature out of the traction-like spiral of air which was drawing them closer and closer to the terrible gaping mouth. Suddenly, with a loud crack, the harness snapped. The reins came away in his hands.

aNo,a he groaned, tossing the useless bits of tilder-leather to the ground, and hanging on grimly round the creatureas neck.

aPick on someone your own size!a Hekkleas voice shrieked and, turning, Rook caught sight of the puny shryke-mate a" feathers fluffed up and eyes glinting a" beating the ground furiously with a lullabee branch. Distracted, the huge logworm roared with rage and twisted round to confront the shryke. Twigs, leaves, rocks and earth were thrown high up into the air.

Suddenly free, the prowlgrin tore off as fast as its powerful legs could take it. Rook held on desperately as they thundered through the suddenly thinning lufwood trees and on into the brilliant light and vast s.p.a.ces of the Silver Pastures themselves.

Rook felt a great wave of relief wash over him. Vast and softly undulating, the pastures were spectacular. The silvery grey-green was broken only by the thick streaks of the black and brown herds of migrating hammelhorn and tilder, which stretched out as far as the eye could see.

The wide sky, cloudless now, was dotted with birds in flight a" a flock of s...o...b..rds, a cl.u.s.ter of cheepwits, songteals twittering loudly, a gladehawk hovering and waiting to dive and, far, far in the distance, a solitary caterbird flapping sedately. Below, the huge herds moved slowly through the pastures. The air was filled with the warm, musty smell of their thick fur mingling with the mouthwatering scent of crushed gra.s.s. Their deep lowing rumbled sonorously a A loud hiss cut through the air directly behind him. The logworm! Rook kicked his heels into the galloping prowl-grin, not daring to look back. The huge beast had followed them out into this vast sea of gra.s.s. Ahead, a large herd of s.h.a.ggy hammelhorns trumpeted loudly and, turning on their heels, stampeded off in a cloud of dust.

The logworm was almost on top of them. Rook could feel the twisting air tugging at his cape, his trousers, his hair, and making the prowlgrin pant with exertion.

aFaster! Faster!a Rook cried out in desperation. aDonat give up now!a The prowlgrin snorted helplessly. It had done all it could; it could do no more. Clinging on tightly, Rook leaned forwards. aYou did your best,a he whispered.

The prowlgrin stumbled. Rook cried out. They crashed into the soft, herb-scented gra.s.s, Rook tumbling clear of his mount. The gaping maw of the logworm loomed over them, closer, closer a aNo!a he screamed. aNot like this!a All at once Rook caught sight of a blur of movement out of the corner of his eye. The next moment something struck him hard, knocking the air from his lungs, and a" in a flurry of grasping hands, glinting wood and flapping sails a" he was plucked from the ground.

Rook gasped. He was soaring up, up, up into the sky.

aJust in time, friend,a came a voice from behind him. Rook craned his neck round. He was on a skycraft! He was actually flying! There, astride a narrow seat behind him, was the pilot a" a young, slightly built slaughterer, dressed in flight-suit and goggles. The skycraft lurched to the left. aStay still, friend,a he said firmly. aSheas not used to pa.s.sengers.a Rook turned back, scarcely able to believe what was happening. He wrapped his arms round the neck of the skycraftas roughly hewn figurehead and clung on tightly, his heart bubbling with joy.

Flying!

Far below, there came a long howl of despair. Rook looked down to see the brave yet hapless prowlgrin disappear inside the voracious log-like creature. A last plaintive squeal rose up through the air. Then nothing. Rook shuddered, and almost lost his grip on the figurehead.

aWhooah, steady there, friend!a the pilot shouted. aFirst time in the air?a Rook nodded and tried not to look down.

At that moment the fragile skycraft hit a pocket of turbulent air. It bucked and dipped, and went into a nose-dive. The slaughterer pilotas hands darted forwards and began tugging at a series of ropes, raising weights and shifting the sails round, while his feet balanced the craft with thin, curved stirrups. Rook gasped, stomach in his mouth, as the ground spiralled towards them.

aI know, I know,a the slaughterer muttered through clenched teeth, as he tugged on two of the ropes at the same time. aYouare not built for two, are you, old girl?a The skycraft abruptly pulled out of the dive and soared back into the sky a" only to be struck by a ferocious gust of wind slamming into its side. Rookas stomach did a somersault as the buffeting crosswind threatened at any moment to send them into another terrifying spin. The patched sails billowed in and out; this side, that side a aHelp!a Rook shouted out despite himself, his cry whipped away on the battering wind. He glanced behind him.

With his jaw set grimly, the young slaughterer was gripping the steering-handles tightly. The skycraft juddered violently, threatening to shake itself to pieces at any moment.

aEasy, girl!a he coaxed as, balancing in the stirrups, he wrestled with the tangle of ropes.

Rook held his breath.

Slowly, slowly a" his brow furrowed with concentration a" the slaughterer brought the skycraft round. His feet were poised, ready for the moment when the wind struck them from the back. Rook gripped the carved wood with white-knuckled ferocity a All at once the skycraft gave a violent shudder. The wind was directly behind them. The sails billowed, the ropes strained. With a terrible lurch a" and an ominous crunch a" the skycraft hurtled forwards like an arrow.

Nothing could have prepared Rook for the sudden burst of speed. It threw him back, s.n.a.t.c.hed his breath away and plucked at the corners of his mouth. He screwed his eyes tightly shut.

aWhup! Whup! Wahoo!a he heard a moment later. He frowned in disbelief. Was the slaughterer seriously enjoying this a" or had the young pilot gone mad with fear?

Rook risked another glance over his shoulder. Although they were travelling at breakneck speed, and at an alarmingly steep angle, the slaughterer did seem to be in control. Standing up in the stirrups, he was pulling in the sail-ropes one by one, reducing the bulge of the individual sails, while at the same time keeping the fragile craft expertly balanced. aWhup! Whup! Wahoo!a he cried out again. He was enjoying himself.

Ahead of him, Rook spotted a tall tower; a ma.s.s of roughly hewn timber that seemed to sprout from the pastures like a colossal wooden needle. Just below the point, Rook could make out a series of rough gantries and primitive walkways bedecked with lanterns that, even in the light of the pastures, seemed to be glowing.

aThatas my beauty, I knew you could do it,a the slaughterer muttered under his breath. aNearly there a Nearly there aa He tugged on a thick, plaited black rope above his head, and the sail to Rookas left rose.

The effect was instantaneous. Instead of continuing forwards, the skycraft went into a slow, coiling turn, arcing through the air like a woodmaple-seed on the wind. Once round the tall needle of the tower it flew, then descended, inch perfect onto a rough plank gantry where the skycraft touched down.

Rook slumped forwards, exhilarated and exhausted in equal measure. The slaughterer tore off his goggles and leaped from the seat, his face bursting with pride. aYes.a He smiled, and stroked the skycraftas carved prow. aI knew you wouldnat fail me.a He looked suddenly thoughtful. aWhat does the Professor of Darkness know?a he said. aMore than a single pilot on a skycraft. Canat be done, eh? Well, weave shown him, havenat we, Woodwasp, old girl?a He patted the figurehead affectionately.

Rook tapped him on the shoulder. aMy nameas Rook Barkwater, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart,a he began. He paused. aDid you say Professor of Darkness? Are you also an apprentice?a The slaughterer looked down and laughed. aI, Knuckle, an apprentice?a he said. aNo. Just a simple herder, me. The professor is a a an acquaintance of mine.a He turned to face Rook, as if only now seeing him for the first time.

aBut you fly so well,a said Rook. aWho taught you, if not the masters of Lake Landing?a aI taught myself,a said Knuckle. He patted the skycraft lovingly. aBuilt her from scratch, I did. aCourse, Iad be the first to admit that sheas not the most beautiful skycraft ever to fly, but the Woodwasp here is a remarkable creature. Obedient. Sensitive. Responsive aa Rook was intrigued. aYouare talking about it as though it was alive,a he said.

aAye, well, thatas the secret of skycraft flight in a nutsh.e.l.l,a said Knuckle earnestly. aYou treat your sky-craft like a friend a" with love, with tenderness, with respect a" and sheall return the favour tenfold. When I saw you in trouble with that logworm, it was the Woodwasp herself who urged me to try to rescue you. aWe can do it!a she told me. aThe two of us together!a And she was right.a aAnd thank Earth and Sky for that,a said Rook softly. aWithout you both, I would have perished.a Suddenly, from all around, came the sound of voices. Rook looked out from the gantry to see half a dozen or so skycraft a" each one piloted by a single pilot a" looping down through the air towards them. Like Knuckle, they seemed to be slaughterers, flame-haired and clad in leather flight-suits. They waved down enthusiastically.

aThat was amazing, Knuckle!a shouted one.

aThe most incredible piece of flying Iave ever seen!a shouted another.

aAnd with two people on board!a said a third, awestruck. aIf I hadnat seen it with my own eyes, Iad never have believed it possible!a One by one, they landed their own skycraft on gantries below them, dismounted, and clambered up swaying ladders to join them. Knuckle bowed his head.

aIt was nothing,a he said, modest, almost shy. aItas all down to the Woodwasp here, the little beautya"a aBut you are an excellent pilot,a Rook b.u.t.ted in. He turned to the others. aThe way he swooped down and plucked me from the jaws of the logworm. The way he battled with the air-pockets and gale-force winds aa He shook his head with admiration. aYou should have seen it!a He glanced back towards the young slaughterer. aKnuckle, here, was magnificent! He saved my life!a aAnd who are you?a asked a short, sinewy slaughterer as he stepped forwards.

aLooks like a merchant to me,a came a voice.

aProbably one of those apprentices,a came another.

aHe is an apprentice,a Knuckle answered for him. aHis name is Rook Barkwater.a Rook nodded. aI was travelling with two other apprentices,a he said. aA shryke guide was taking us to the Free Glades. Have you seen them? Do you know if theyare all right?a aA shryke?a said Knuckle, and screwed up his nose.

The others muttered under their breath. Shrykes were clearly not popular among the group of slaughterers.

aThis oneas not like the others,a Rook a.s.sured them. aHeas kind, thoughtfula"a aYeah, yeah, and Iam a tilder sausage,a came a loud voice, and they all laughed.

aYou certainly fly like a tilder sausage,a said someone else. The laughter got louder.

Knuckle turned to Rook. aCome,a he said, taking Rook by the arm. aWeall get a better view from the west gantry. Perhaps we can spot your friends from there.a *

Rook gasped as he peered down from the west gantry of the tower. On the ground, far below him, the herds of tilder and hammelhorn looked like woodants in the failing light. He clutched the bal.u.s.trade nervously. aItas so high.a He trembled.

aWouldnat be much use for looking out of if it werenat,a said Knuckle.

aI know,a said Rook queasily. aBut does it have to sway like that?a aThe windas getting up,a said Knuckle, and he scanned the sky thoughtfully. aLooks like a sky-stormas brewing.a Rook frowned. He turned to Knuckle. aA sky-storm?a he said. aWith thunder and ball-lightning?a Knuckle chuckled. aYeah, and hailstones the size of your fist if youare luckya aThe size of your fist,a Rook said softly. The slaughterer looked at him quizzically. aAre you telling me youave never seen a sky-storm before?a Rook shook his head. aNot that I remember,a he said wistfully. aI grew up in an underground world of pipes and chambers a" dripping, enclosed, illuminated with artificial light aa He turned, tilted his head back and was bathed in the golden shafts of warm sunlight. aNot like this. And as for the weather,a he said, turning back to Knuckle, aeverything I know, I learned from barkscrolls and treatises.a aSo youave never smelt the whiff of toasted almonds in the air when lightning strikes? Nor heard the earth tremble as the thunder explodes? Nor felt the soft, icy kiss of a snowflake landing on your nose a?a He paused, suddenly noticing the blush spreading over Rookas cheeks. aBut I envy you, Rook Barkwater. It must be wonderful to have the chance to experience all these things for the first time a" and be old enough to really appreciate them.a Rook smiled. He hadnat thought of it like that.