[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Red-eyed, they studied the flock of helipoppering lizards as they dove and
darted through the swamp. Each displayed several tiny patches of luminescence
along its flanks. Running lights, Jon-Tom mused.
They were unfamiliar to Mudge and Weegee, but Cautious expressed
surprise at the ignorance of his traveling companions.
 Squirks. Harmless little things, and tasty.
Mudge swatted at one that dove at his face, mistaking his whiskers
for worms. They could motor forward or backward with equal agility, Jon-Tom
observed with delight. They darted back just out of reach whenever he took a
gentle swipe at one. Their flattened tails served as rotors.
He went to sleep with one buzzing curiously above his ear.
Page 100
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Cautious awoke first, well after the sun had put in its daily
appearance. There was no sign of the pirates, so they lingered long enough to
make a quick meal of backpacked supplies before resuming their trek southward.
Morgels and cypress began to give way to drier land dominated by rail-thin
evergreens and blue magnolias. One tree put form silvery blossoms that
vibrated when they were touched. Mudge pronounced it distant kin to the
familiar belltrees of home, though this variety hummed instead of tinkling.
 Like I thought. Our friends they doen know this country. They
stick to water robbing. I think we pretty okay now. Soon maybe we find a new
town and rent ourselves-a boat.
 You could probably go back now, Jon-Tom told the raccoon.
 I d rather go with you, if you doen mind. Most of my people they
happy in swamp, doen care about rest of the world. I always want to see other
places.
 You stick with bald-bottom  ere, then. Mudge nodded toward his
tall friend.  You ll see more of it than you ever wanted to. I know that for a
fact, I do, because I ve traveled farther than  ere an there with  im, an me
without ever  avin a choice in the itinerary.
They marched all that day and into the morning of the next without
encountering so much as a sign that another village might be near. Jon-Tom
didn t mind the hike, so long as they didn t have to slop through mud and ooze
and tangled vines. On dry land his long legs enabled him to keep pace with his
more energetic companions.
Once Mudge draped a long thin section of vine across Jon-Tom s
back, sending the youth into a panic believing a snake had fallen on him.
Weegee leaped instantly to Jon-Tom s defense, insisting that such juvenile
gags were beneath Mudge s station. All otter Weegee was, but far more mature
than most. No wonder Mudge had been attracted to her.
By mid-afternoon they were wading a shallow inlet less than a foot
deep when Cautious suddenly raised a paw to call for a halt. He was staring
into the trees opposite, his nose working the air.
 Relatives, enemies, or wot? Mudge inquired.
 Fire. Something s burning. Something big.
Page 101
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Jon-Tom turned a fast circle. The broad stream they were crossing
was devoid of trees.  No reason to get excited. If it is a fire and it s
coming this way, we re in the best place to cope with it. There s nothing out
here to burn.
 Maybe so, man, said Cautious,  but where I come from we ve heard
rumors of funny things people down here do with fires.
Weegee was eyeing the forest dubiously.  Strange we don t see any
smoke.
A distant rumble became audible. Cautious s eyes grew wide.  Run!
He turned to his right and started splashing wildly downstream.  This way
quick, you bet!
Jon-Tom followed without knowing why he was doing so.  I don t
understand. We re in the middle of a stream. This is as safe a place to be as
any. Why are we running?
 The slinkers are burning the water!
Jon-Tom almost stumbled as he put his foot in a hole, managed to
regain his balance.  That s insane. Why would anyone want to burn the water,
even if they could?
 Doen you hear, man? Indeed, the rumble was growing steadily
louder. The raccoon turned and headed toward the nearest bank. It was still a
good distance away.
At last they could see the smoke. A peculiar pale blue smoke
preceded by a tremendous commotion in the water. The approaching blur began to
separate into individual shapes and the hair on the back of Jon-Tom s neck
stiffened.
The water was indeed on fire, though whether the liquid itself
burned or the smoke rose from some volatile substance that had been dumped on
top of it he couldn t say. As to the disturbance preceding it, this was a
stampede of epic proportions. Driven before the advancing flames was a huge
herd of alligators and crocodiles, gavials and other toothed denizens of the
Page 102
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
shallow stream. Hundreds of them half swimming, half running, pounding their
frantic way toward the smokeless sea. A few managed to escape onto the banks,
but most continued to flee downstream.
 They catch them this way, the slinkers do, and cut them up for
the meat and hides. This must be how they drive them, you bet. Cautious had
more to say but not the chance to say it as all four of them found themselves
wrenched upside down and lifted skyward. Hanging in the big net they were able
to watch the reptilian stampede thunder by beneath them. Nearby, other nets
held batches of furiously spasmodic crocodilians.
 Get off me  ead, luv, Mudge was shouting.
 I m not on your head, dammit.
 I m tryin to get at me knife. If we can cut ourselves out o
this before the bleedin owners show up....
 Too late. Too late for sure, said Cautious, interrupting him.
A dozen locals had materialized out of the fading flames.
Slinkers, the raccoon called them. Mostly rats and mongooses averaging four
feet tall. Jon-Tom picked out a few minks among the group. They wore neither
civilized clothing like Mudge and Weegee nor the relaxed attire of Cautious s
people. Their fur was streaked with long splashes of blue and ochre paint.
Head bands were decorated with fragments of crocodile hide and trade feathers.
Other feathers were tied to short tails. Most carried spears except for a few [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]