‘Just a few more… when did you last see a family of Dragonettes?’
Charkle peeped out from behind Nora’s neck and stared at Finnola.
‘Few hundred years ago I’d say. Don’t have much to do with Dragonettes, not much meat on them. You need at least three to make a decent meal.’
Charkle shot back behind Nora who frowned again at Finnola.
‘They didn’t stay long after I arrived. Left in the winter when the great earthquake brought the back of the cave down. Not seen any Dragonettes since, not till now anyway.’
Jack wished he could go outside into the fresh air. The smell was making him feel sick and he didn’t like to think what he might be standing in.
‘I’m putting a watch on you,’ Nora said quietly to Finnola. ‘I intend to know everything you do from now on, so if you see Pycroft before I do tell him he’s got something which belongs to me and he needs to return it as quickly as his little legs will carry him. Understood?’
‘Don’t do messages,’ Finnola grumbled.
‘And I don’t take kindly to rudeness so if you want the light to disappear you’ll do as I ask.’
Finnola grumbled under her breath in her squeaky, high-pitched whine.
‘If I hear anything I don’t like, I’ll come back and permanently light this cave. Is that clear?’
Finnola nodded.
Nora turned and walked towards the entrance. With every step she took the light inside grew fainter and fainter until only darkness remained. It was a relief to be outside and Jack gulped in the clean, fresh air.
When they were back in Westwood Elan shape shifted back. No one spoke until they got to the car.
‘Do you think Pycroft is around here somewhere?’ asked Elan.
‘He could be anywhere,’ sighed Nora, ‘but at least we learnt a bit more about Charkle’s family.’
‘You don’t think she ate them all do you?’ whispered Charkle who was close to tears again.
‘No,’ replied Nora. ‘I doubt she’d have caught any of your family. I expect they moved out because of the smell. I’m sorry Charkle but I don’t think it’s going to be easy to find them. You’re welcome to live with us, but I’m going to have to transform you into something a little less conspicuous or you won’t be able to fly around very easily. Now what’s it to be?’
‘Can I be a bat like Timmery?’
‘Not another bat like Timmery,’ groaned Camelin.
‘I think that will be perfect,’ said Nora, ignoring Camelin’s remark. We’ll sort that out as soon as we get home. Now are you two flying back or do you want a lift?’
‘Flying,’ Jack and Camelin said together.
The flight back seemed to take ages. Jack was exhausted when they reached Ewell House. Nora was nowhere to be seen and he realised Elan still had his clothes in the car.
‘I’m going to have to stay like this till they get back, but I’m so tired I’m finding it hard to stay awake.’
‘I keep telling them its tiring being a raven but they never listen to me. Food and sleep, those are the two main things a raven needs and lots of them.’
All Jack could do was nod in agreement.
‘I’ve got a surprise for you,’ Camelin said excitedly. ‘Follow me, but when you get to the window you’ve got to close your eyes!’
Jack could hardly lift his wings as he flew after Camelin up to the loft. When he was safely on the window ledge he did as Camelin had asked.
‘Surprise!’ croaked Camelin.
Jack smiled when he opened his eyes. There on the floor of the loft was a second cat basket.
‘It’s for you. A raven basket just like mine. I know it’s the right size because I tried it last night.’
Camelin looked expectantly at Jack.
‘Do you like it?’
‘It’s great,’ said Jack as he hopped into the basket.
It was a perfect fit and soon they were both on their backs, with their feet in the air, snoring loudly.
By the time Jack and Camelin woke the heat in the loft was oppressive.
‘Emergency rations,’ announced Camelin as he rummaged around in his basket before throwing a chocolate bar to Jack.
Jack had never tried to unwrap anything with his beak and claws. It wasn’t easy, especially since the heat in the loft had melted the chocolate. Camelin was on his second by the time Jack got into the wrapper.
‘Come on, let’s go outside. It’ll be cooler flying,’ Camelin said once Jack had finished.
‘I’d like to go and see Arrana but I think we ought to ask Nora first.’
‘OK, race you to the kitchen.’
‘It’s not time to eat,’ Nora said as Jack and Camelin swooped past her and landed on the back of the chairs.
‘We haven’t come for food,’ replied Camelin.
Nora looked genuinely shocked.
‘Do you think it would be alright if we flew over to Glasruhen Forest to see Arrana?’ asked Jack. ‘We won’t be long.’
‘I think she’d enjoy a visit and by the time you get back I’ll have transformed Charkle. No one will ever know he’s a dragon unless he sneezes.’
Jack and Camelin left Nora in the kitchen. It was a relief to be out of the sunshine. Jack enjoyed flying in the shade of the trees; he liked the rush of air under his wings.
‘Watch this,’ croaked Camelin as he turned over and flew on his back. ‘Now you.’
‘I don’t think I’m ready for upside down flying yet.’
‘Just have a go. You never know when you might need it.’
Jack tried to flip over but ended up rolling in a complete circle. He tried again, this time managing several wing beats before his head bumped into a branch. He went careering down.
‘Pull up!’ yelled Camelin.
Jack flapped his wings wildly as he fell. His wing almost touched the ground before he managed to pull down hard and rose steadily into the air.
‘The main thing to remember is not to lose track of where you are,’ advised Camelin as he flew alongside Jack. ‘Try again.’
‘Maybe tomorrow.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Camelin said cheerfully. ‘We can’t all be good at everything.’
Jack didn’t rise to the challenge. He thought he’d leave the more spectacular flying to Camelin and concentrate on the skills he needed.
Jack watched the trees sending their message to Arrana. They flew faster trying to reach the centre of Glasruhen before the last Dryad could announce their arrival but the trees were too quick. By the time they reached the centre of the forest a group of Dryads had gathered around the ancient oak.
‘Something’s wrong,’ Jack called to Camelin. ‘They look worried.’
As soon as they landed the Dryads circled around them. They all began speaking at once until the tallest raised her arms and everything went quiet.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Jack.
‘We couldn’t deliver the message. Arrana won’t wake up. She’s been like this before but never this sleepy,’ the Dryad explained.
Jack hopped back a little way and in his loudest voice addressed the Hamadryad.
‘Arrana the Wise, Protector and Most Sacred of All Dryads.’
Everyone held their breath. Arrana didn’t stir.
‘Try singing,’ the Dryad suggested, ‘and we’ll all join in. That might wake her.’
Jack thought carefully. He didn’t know which song would be best, and then he remembered The Tree in the Wood. He opened his beak to sing but instead of his lovely voice a terrible croaking sound came out.
‘Oooh, I know this one,’ said Camelin enthusiastically as he joined in with Jack.
Together they made a terrible racket. All the Dryads put their hands over their ears. Jack and Camelin threw their heads back and croaked the chorus as loudly as they could…
‘…and the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around.’
Their song rang through the forest. The noise was awful bu
t it seemed to be having an effect on Arrana. The Hamadryad quivered slightly. Jack and Camelin croaked even louder until the whole trunk began to vibrate and eventually became a blur. As Arrana transformed leaves began to fall from her branches. When eventually she stood where the gnarled trunk had been, everyone gasped. Arrana’s copper coloured hair was flecked with silver, her face was pale and Jack could see through her smooth, nut-brown skin. He didn’t know what to say.
‘It’s started,’ she whispered. ‘I’m beginning to fade.’
THE SEARCH
The message had already reached Nora by the time Jack and Camelin returned but she still wanted to hear what they both had to say about Arrana.
‘This is very worrying,’ she said as she paced up and down. ‘And you say you could see right through her?’
Jack and Camelin both nodded.
‘She was sort of transparent,’ explained Jack. ‘Is there anything we can do?’
‘Not until we open the window in time and send you two back to find those missing cauldron plates. We don’t have much time and we’re still no nearer to getting the golden acorn back.’
The atmosphere was subdued. No one spoke. All were lost in their own thoughts.
‘Elan’s out now, looking in all the obvious places where Pycroft might be. I don’t understand why the trees haven’t seen anything of either Bogie.’
‘Could Pycroft be in Newton Gill with Peabody?’ Jack asked.
I doubt it. If Peabody knew where he was he’d have got him here somehow. He’ll want his own nose back as soon as possible. I imagine he’s looking everywhere for his brother too.’
Jack thought about Camelin’s secret cave at the bottom of the garden and the Hag in Westwood Roost. Pycroft had to be in a place with no trees or Nora would know his whereabouts.
‘Somewhere underground then, like a cave,’ suggested Jack.
‘I’ve got Timmery and Charkle checking them,’ Nora replied. ‘But so far he’s left no trace’.
‘I think we need to have a look at the map and start a systematic search. We have so little time and such a lot of ground to cover.’
Nora went over to the dresser and brought out her map.
‘Now let’s think, areas where there aren’t any trees.’
Nora tapped the map in several places.
‘The top of the hills to the north of Glasruhen are sparse and bleak. Then there are the old quarries, disused mines, caves and more Spriggan tunnels than I care to think about.’
A worried silence filled the room. Again no one spoke until a fluttering of wings announced the arrival of Charkle and Timmery.
‘Any news?’ asked Nora.
The two tiny bats fluttered around Nora’s head. Jack tried to see which one was Charkle. They looked almost identical except one had a purple sheen to his wings and was slightly bigger. Timmery flew over the map. He fluttered around the drawing of a group of hills.
‘We’ve looked in all the caves around the bottom of the Ridgeway and Elan’s looked in all the crags and caves on top. There’s no trace of anyone living there. She said to tell you she won’t be back until later. She’s going to carry on for a while.’
‘What can we do to help?’ Jack asked. ‘It seems a waste of time for us to sit around doing nothing.’
‘You’re right,’ said Nora. ‘There’s a lot we’ve got to do before the solstice and at least you two can be putting in some practice.’
‘I meant looking for Pycroft and the golden acorn.’
‘I know you did, but there’s something Camelin has to teach you before the ritual. If you don’t get it right, you won’t be able to break through the thin veil that separates the window in time from the here and now. You might as well make a start.’
Jack looked at Camelin who puffed his chest feathers out importantly and eagerly began to explain.
‘You know how everything has to be equal?’
Jack nodded.
‘Well, we’ll have to go to the top of Glasruhen Hill to where the old hill fort used to be. It was built around the summit. Then we’ve got to start off flying towards each other from either end of the old gateways at exactly the same speed. When we pass each other in the middle, at exactly the same time, we’ll break through the window into the past.’
‘It’s the only way the window in time can be opened,’ continued Nora.
‘But I thought you were going to perform a ritual to do that!’ exclaimed Jack.
‘The ritual is to make sure we send you back to the right time and place. It’s bad enough you’ve got to return to such troubled times. You don’t want to be there any longer than you need be.’
Jack realised it wasn’t going to be easy flying at the same speed as Camelin. He was a far stronger flyer, with years of experience.
‘You’re going to have to be very careful, both of you, when you go back into the past, especially you Jack,’ continued Nora. ‘Once you’ve transformed into a boy you’re going to have to keep out of sight and avoid being caught.’
‘But… I thought I’d be staying as a raven.’
‘You will until you locate the plates. Once you find them you’ll need to get them into the nearest well or spring and you won’t be able to do that as a raven. The plates will be too big and heavy to lift in your beak. Camelin can’t transform into a boy anymore so you’ll have to move the cauldron plates on your own.’
Jack hoped they’d be able to find the missing plates quickly. He’d been reading about the Roman occupation of Britain and if he was caught with a Druid’s cauldron plates he’d be in real danger. He might never make it home again.
For the rest of the day Jack and Camelin practiced flying towards each other. As Jack predicted, it wasn’t easy. When Elan returned she took a pole with a large hoop attached to the top down to the bottom meadow. She paced out the length they’d each need to fly and pushed the pole into the soft ground exactly in the middle.
‘If you use this it will make it easier for you to practice,’ she told them. ‘It needs to be perfect. You’ll only get the one chance when we perform the ritual. And, don’t forget, with the sun going down the light will be fading.’
Even after hours of practice it wasn’t any easier. Jack felt frustrated and cross because he couldn’t get it right. Camelin tried to compensate for Jack’s lack of speed, but even that didn’t help.
‘We’ve got the next two weeks to practice,’ Camelin said cheerfully. ‘We’ll get it right eventually.’
The next few days passed quickly. Jack made his way to Ewell House on his own each night after school. Elan was busy searching the countryside with Charkle and Timmery for signs of the Bogie. He continued to do his homework in Nora’s library as quickly as he could, then he transformed and practised with Camelin until it was time to go home.
It became a nightly routine for them to take off from opposite ends of the meadow and try to pass each other as they flew through the hoop. Jack had to learn how to tip his body at the last minute. He had to keep his wings tucked close into his body so he didn’t crash into Camelin as they passed each other.
Each night before bed Camelin tapped on Jack’s window and came for his reading lesson. Before they began Jack would ask if there was any news. He always got the same answer; there wasn’t any.
‘They’ve looked everywhere, twice,’ Camelin told him on the Friday night.
It was the first weekend since Jack had arrived that he hadn’t been over to Ewell House. Everyone was busy searching. He spent Saturday afternoon reading to Orin about the Romans. He needed to know as much as he could so he’d be prepared for his journey into the past, as long as the acorn could be found in time.
With only three days to go Jack finally perfected flying past Camelin at precisely the right time and speed.
‘Again!’ he cried as he hopped around the meadow feeling elated.
By the fifth time Jack knew they’d got it right.
‘Well at least we’re ready,’ he said thankfully to Cam
elin.
‘You’re a great flyer,’ Camelin replied, ‘a natural.’
‘I couldn’t have done it without such a brilliant teacher.’
Jack watched Camelin puff out his chest feathers; he knew he was pleased.
‘Come on, race you back to the house. I’ve got something for you in my bag.’
They flew at speed back up to Camelin’s loft, weaving and swerving around the bushes and trees and landing at exactly the same time on the window ledge. It took them both a few minutes to get their breath back.
‘Well at least we know we can get away in a hurry if we ever need to,’ laughed Camelin. ‘Now, what’ve you got for me?’
Once Jack had transformed and dressed he took a large bag out of his backpack and put it into the middle of his own raven basket, the only clear space he could see in the entire loft.
‘It’s a thank you, for you, for teaching me to fly.’
Camelin’s eyes grew wide; he began rocking from foot to foot in his excitement. He sniffed the air and then sniffed around the bag.
‘Are they doughnuts?’
‘Have a look.’
In no time Camelin had the top off the bag. Inside was an assortment of mini-doughnuts.
‘I wish I had an Oracular Frog. They’re the perfect pet you know.’
‘Oracular Frog!’
‘Yes, they know everything. It could take one look in the bag and tell me exactly how many doughnuts were in there.’
‘I can do that,’ laughed Jack and peeped into the bag. ‘Thirty.’
‘Wow! Thirty! How did you do that?’
‘Easy, that’s how many I asked for at the baker.’
Camelin poked his beak into the bag, brought out one of the small doughnuts in his beak, flipped it and gulped it down.
‘Mmmm! Raspberry, my favourite. I didn’t know they made raven doughnuts. Do they do anything else for ravens at the baker?’
Jack laughed and watched Camelin flip and swallow another mini doughnut. There wasn’t anywhere for Jack to sit. Camelin had covered the beanbag with rubbish.
The Golden Acorn Page 17
