The Last Of The Sky Pirates Part 14

aPrepare to board!a he bellowed down.

Rook looked up and waved wildly. The sky s.h.i.+p sank lower. The gantry came closer.

aWumeru!a Twig shouted. aWuh-weela-wurr.a Help Cowlquape aboard.

aProfessor,a said Rook urgently, ayouall have to jump.a aJump?a the ancient professor croaked. aI think my jumping days are over.a aTry,a said Rook. aYou must trya He looked up. The Skyraider was just above them now. As it came down lower, he stepped behind Cowlquape and seized him by the shoulders.

The sky s.h.i.+p drew level, but did not slow down a aNo, no, I canat aa Cowlquape trembled, the years of being perched on the high prison ledge suddenly returning to him with full force as he looked down.

aNow!a shouted Twig.

Rook pushed Cowlquape off the gantry. At the same time Wumeru leaned forwards, arms outstretched. She caught the old professor in her great arms and lowered him gently onto the deck. aWuh-wuh,a she said softly. You re safe now.

Overjoyed, Twig locked the flight-levers and hurtled down to the foredeck to greet his old friend. He rushed up, arms open, and embraced him warmly.

aCowlquape, Cowlquape,a he cried, his voice straining with emotion. aI canat tell you what it means to see you again.a aNor I, you, Twig,a said Cowlquape. aNor I, you.a At that moment the sky s.h.i.+p gave a sudden lurch. aHold on, old friend,a said Twig, pulling away. aWeare not quite safe yet. But fear not. I wonat let you down.a Back at the helm, Twig unlocked the levers and tried his best to right the stricken sky s.h.i.+p. aJust a little bit longer,a he groaned, as it trembled and creaked.

aWuh-wuh!a screamed Molleen. The flight-rockas breaking up.

Twig locked the helm and levers a second time, raced to the bal.u.s.trade and bellowed down. aThe prow-weight, Weeg!a he roared. aThen the stern-weight!a aWuh-wurra!a the banderbear shouted back. Head already cut both of them free.

aThe neben-hull-weights, then,a Twig shouted. aSever the neben-hull-weights a" small, medium and large!a Weeg made no reply, but the next moment the Skyraider leaped upwards abruptly, back past the gantry and a" under Twigas expert guidance a" soared round the tower and off into the cloudy sky.

As the sky s.h.i.+p sailed past, Orbix Xaxis a" Most High Guardian of Night a" raised his powerful, exquisitely tooled crossbow. He aimed it at the sky s.h.i.+pas helm, and fired.

Down on the gantry Rook untethered the Stormhornet and leaped into the saddle. Then, standing tall in the stirrups, he jerked the pinner-rope to his right, and rose up into the air a" only to pull up sharply a moment later as the tether-rope went taut.

aOoof!a he gasped as he was thrown forward in his seat.

Rather than soaring away from the gantry, the Stormhornet remained stuck, bobbing about in the air like a kite. Rook looked round. He had been careless. In his hurry, instead of reeling in the tether-rope and stowing it neatly, he had left it hanging loose. Now it was snagged on the gantryas jutting bal.u.s.trade.

With trembling hands, Rook seized the rope. He tugged it and shook it for all he was worth a" but the tether-rope was stuck fast. It would not budge. There was nothing for it but to land again, dismount and pull it freea"

aHalt!a The bellowed command cut through the air like a knife. Rookas heart missed a beat. He yanked desperately at the rope. It moved a" but only a fraction, and wedged itself tighter than ever. A figure emerged from the doorway at the end of the gantry, crossbow in hand. He raised it to his eye. aHalt, or Iall shoot!a Rook stared at the wiry individual in the black uniform. Though his hair, shaved back to a shadowy stubble, was shorter than Rook had ever seen it before, the youth was unmistakable. aXanth,a he gasped.

Xanth lowered the crossbow. aRook? Rook Barkwater.a His dark eyes narrowed. aIs that you?a Rook raised his goggles. Their eyes met. From behind Xanth came the sound of heavy boots pounding closer and closer. Rookas heart hammered furiously in his chest. Xanth stepped forwards.

aPlease, Xanth,a said Rook quietly. aFor friends.h.i.+pas sakea"a The pounding of the boots grew louder. The unit of guards was almost upon them.

Xanth raised his crossbow and took aim. Rook closed his eyes.

There was a click, a tw.a.n.g and a whistle as the crossbow loosed its bolt and sent it speeding towards the Stormhornet. Rook froze. The next instant a" with a soft thwpp a" the bolt sliced through the tether-rope and the Stormhornet catapulted forward into the air.

Seizing control of the skycraft, Rook darted up and off into the swirling mists. He flicked the pinner-rope to the left and felt the Stormhornet gather speed beneath him. As he flew on, he glanced over his shoulder and glimpsed Xanth a" his shaven head gleaming in the bright rising sun a" standing in the middle of a large group of Guardians.

Had Xanth shot the bolt through the tether-rope on purpose, deliberately setting him free? Rook desperately wanted to think so. aThank you,a he whispered.

As he left the Tower of Night behind, he saw the Skyraider in the sky up in front. But something was wrong. It wasnat waiting for him. Instead, listing heavily to one side, it was gathering speed. Past Undertown it went, with the boom-docks ahead a If it didnat change course, it would sail over the great jutting Edge itself, and be lost in Open Sky.

ealigning the nether-sail, Rook stood up in the stirrups and sped forwards. As he battled to get closer to the Skyraider, he realized just how bad the situation had become. The flight-rock seemed to be crumbling, with ever larger chunks falling down from the cage. What was more, without its hull-weights, the sky s.h.i.+p looked out of control and at the mercy of the turbulent wind that held it in its grip.

As the Skyraider careered over the boom-docks, Rook could see the banderbears abandoning s.h.i.+p. With their parawings strapped to their backs, they leaped off the bal.u.s.trades, tugged their rip-cords and sailed down to the ground below a" Old Molleen, with no flight-rock left to tend; Wuralo, the female whose life he had saved at the Foundry Glade; and Wumeru, his friend. Last to jump was Weeg. As he launched himself off from the deck, Rook saw that he was carrying a ragged bundle in his paws. He gasped.

It was Cowlquape, wrapped up in the banderbearas protective embrace, like a babe in arms. The pair of them were swooping down through the sky towards the boom-docks. Pulling on the pinner-sail, Rook set the Stormhornet on a path to meet them. A cloud rolled in and he lost sight of the distant Skyraider.

aI just hope theyave all made it,a Rook murmured, as he approached the muddy sh.o.r.es of the boom-docks and swooped in to land.

He brought the Stormhornet down next to one of the great overflow pipes that would lead them back into the labyrinth of sewer tunnels. The banderbears were huddled together.

aWhereas the captain?a called Rook, tethering the Stormhornet and rus.h.i.+ng over. Cowlquape pointed at the clearing horizon. Rookas eyes followed the direction of his bony finger.

High up in the sky and far out beyond the Edge, the Skyraider was still airborne a" but only just. With no weights left to balance it, the sky pirate s.h.i.+p was on its side, juddering as it sailed on. The useless weight-ropes dangled; the sails flapped in the gathering wind. Rook raised his telescope to his eye and focused in on the helm.

aI can see him!a he said, his voice breaking with emotion. aWhy doesnat he abandon her?a Wumeru was suddenly by Rookas side. aWuh-wug. Weela-lugg.a He is mortally wounded, a crossbow bolt in his back. She hung her head. He chooses to die with his sky s.h.i.+p.

They stood there, side by side, arms raised to s.h.i.+eld their eyes from the sun, watching the great sky s.h.i.+p sailing away.

aHe was so brave,a Rook trembled. aSo selfless aa Suddenly, the Skyraider was flying no longer. The buoyant flight-rock had died, and the sky s.h.i.+p was dropping out of the sky like a stone. Down it came, gathering speed as it fell, before a" in the blink of an eye a" disappearing below the Edge. Rook gasped. Tears welled in his eyes. aOh, Captain Twig,a he murmured.

Wumeru clapped her arm around his shoulder and squeezed warmly. aWuh-wuh,a she said. Wumeru is truly sorry.

Rook sniffed, and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. Captain Twig was gone. For ever.

He turned back to where Cowlquape, Weeg and Molleen stood waiting. aCome,a he said, athe librarian scholars will welcome us in the sewers. I know the way.a He looked back at the Edge one last time, standing silently for a moment, and was about to turn away when he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. Something huge. Something flapping a He squinted into the misty distance. It was a bird. A magnificent black and white bird with vast wings and a long, spreading tail.

aWhatas that?a Rook breathed.

aWhy itas a caterbird,a said Cowlquape. aI do believe itas a caterbird!a aItas magnificent,a said Rook. aBut wait a Whatas it got in its claws? Look!a He pointed at the small bundle clutched tightly in the enormous creatureas great curved talons.

Cowlquape gasped. aOf course a" it has to be! I should have known at once!a He laughed joyfully and clapped his hands. aIt is the caterbird. The one whose hatching Twig was present at when he was a lad. The one who has watched over him ever since!a Rook stared, wide-eyed. aI wonder where itas taking him.a Cowlquape shook his head. aThat I couldnat tell you, young librarian.a The caterbird, with its precious load swinging below its great body, had wheeled round in the sky and was heading towards the Deepwoods. Suddenly Twigas words came back to Rook a" about his quest; his endless, futile quest to return to his waiting crew.

aThereas only one place it could be taking him,a he said, his heart soaring. aTo Riverrise.a he old nightmare was back. The baying whitecollar woodwolves, their eyes flas.h.i.+ng, their teeth bared and fur bristling. His father shouting, his mother screaming. Running a Running a Got to escape the wolves a Got to shake off the slave-takers a Now he was alone, lost and wandering through the dark, menacing forest. Eyes glinted at him from the shadows. Growls, grunts and bloodthirsty cries echoed in the darkness. All at once he heard something else. Something close by a" and coming closer, closer.

He looked up. A ma.s.sive creature was looming towards him a But wait a Shouldnat he wake up now, just as he always did?

This time, however, was different. This time the creature continued inexorably towards him. He could hear its footfall, feel its hot, moist breath in his face. Sobbing loudly, knowing there was no escape, Rook reached out with his hand a" into the darkness, into the unknown.

His fingers brushed against thick, warm fur. His heart pounded; his legs went weak. The sound of low, lulling grunts whispered into his ear as he was swept up off the ground and enfolded in the creatureas huge, but gentle arms.

They smelt mossy. They cuddled him warmly tenderly. Cradling him. Protecting him. Rook had never felt so safe or known so much comfort a aRook, are you awake?a Rookas eyes opened. He knew that voice. He looked round the small, cosy room. The ornate oil lamp on the writing desk was still burning, casting a soft amber glow into every corner of the room and spilling out across his treatise-journal which lay open on the desk beneath it a" and beside his bed sat Varis Lodd.

aI heard of your brave deeds from the Professor of Darkness the moment I arrived from the Free Glades,a she said. aAll Undertown is talking of it!a She paused. aBut what is it? You look as if youave seen a ghost.a aNot a ghost,a said Rook. aA dream. I had a dream. A dream Iave had many times before, only this time a Varis, when you rescued me as a child, do you remember where exactly you found me?a aFound you?a said Varis.

aIn the Deepwoods,a he said. aWhat happened? Youave never really saida"a aYou mean you donat know?a said Varis. aI had no idea. I thought they would have told you. Your parents, they were taken by slavers. You escaped. Earth and Sky know how. And then a Oh, Rook, it was miraculous! I found you, all healthy and plump, tucked up asleep in a nest of woven gra.s.sa"a Rook stared at her. aA nest?a aThatas right,a said Varis, nodding. aAn abandoned banderbear nest, though how you got there, Iave no idea.a Rook trembled as the memories came flooding back; the huge, enfolding arms, the warm breath, the thick fur, the steady thud of a heart beating next to his. Safe, protected, watched over, in the vast depths of the endless Deepwoods.

aI know how I got there,a said Rook, with a smile. aI know.a

The Edge Chronicles.

Beyond the Deepwoods.

Stormchaser.

Midnight over Sanctaphrax.

The Curse of the Gloamglozer.

The Last of the Sky Pirates.

Vox

Freeglader

The Winter Knights.

Clash of the Sky Galleons.

Far-Flung Adventures

Fergus Crane

Corby Flood.

Hugo Pepper.