Doomwyte

Time inside the caverns was not marked by the passage of day or night. Korvus Skurr and Sicariss waited impassively, brooding over the still surface of the dark pool. It was some moments before Veeku, leader of the crows, called out from the small passage between the two caves, “Harrakk, my birds bring word from the Redstone house for the mighty Korvus!”

The raven hopped down to the pool’s edge. “Bring them here to me!”

An escort of rooks and choughs brought the two crows forward. Veeku took his place beside Korvus. “Mighty One, my birds did not capture the one who told stories, but they bring useful information.”

Sicariss hissed, “Let them ssspeak for themselvesss!”

The two crows prostrated themselves, with outspread wings, in front of Korvus. The larger of the two spoke. “Hakaaarr! Our brother captured a young one from the Redstone house, but he was slain by a strangebeast and flung into a ditch. There were many Redstone creatures there, we had to hide, or we would have been slain also. But we heard their words, O Mighty One.”

Korvus Skurr raked the stone floor with his fearsome talons. “Speak then, tell me what they said.”

The two crows relayed the solution of the puzzle, as best they could, speaking alternately.

“Bird has no rubies, snake no emeralds….”

“Where are the stones, hidden well by Prince of Thieves….”

They waited in silence, not daring to look up.

“You heard thosssse wordssssss?”

Veeku spoke for both his crows. “If that is what they said, then that is what they heard.”

Korvus lowered his head, allowing Sicariss to slither down onto the mossdamp stones. “See if they speak truly.”

The smoothsnake positioned herself in front of the larger crow. “Look into my eyesssss…look deeeeeeep!” The bird was compelled to obey. He stared in fascination at the two gold-rimmed, black-beaded reptilian eyes. The snake’s head moved back and forth as it intoned, “Deeeeeep…look deeeeeeep! All you have to fear isssss death itsssself…. Sssspeak to Sicarissssss!”

The carrion crow fell immediately under the snake’s spell. He spoke slowly in a dreamlike voice. “We were afraid for our lives…hid in the ditch. Those were the words I heard. I wanted to return…wanted to report words to Leader Veeku.”

The snake’s tongue flickered toward the other crow. “And thissss one, what did he want? Ssssspeak!”

The larger crow replied automatically, “He did not want to come back, but I said we must.”

With eye-blurring speed, Sicariss whipped her coils about the smaller crow’s neck and began bunching her muscles, constricting in a death grip. Korvus turned to look at Veeku. The crow leader clacked his beak.

“Kayaah, there is only one reward for disobedience!”

The smaller crow flapped and rent the air with his claws, gurgling. Then he went limp. Sicariss swiftly loosed her victim, sliding slowly up the big raven’s outspread wing until she regained her former position on the tyrant’s head. Korvus went back to his perch on the rock, nodding to Veeku.

“Welzz awaits him.”

The carrion crow leader thrust the dead one into the pool’s icy waters, leaping back as the monster fish struck.

Veeku waited until Korvus was finished watching the revolting spectacle, then spread his wings in salute. “Yarrra, Great One, this lowly bird awaits your orders.”

The raven and his snake seemed to hold a whispered conversation. Then Korvus turned to Veeku. “This time I will send my Wytes to the Redstone house, they will bring me what I want. You will go with them, but stay outside the place. This is what I want you to do, listen carefully.”

Outside it was still raining, with no sign of a break in the dull, brooding clouds. The dark beast lurking on the hill outside the caverns had watched all the comings and goings, of both birds and reptiles. No movement from below escaped its fierce, vigilant eyes. Whenever there was no activity from below, the mysterious creature would continue its demolition of the heavily forested slope, using tools it had fashioned roughly, digging and gouging implements. Beneath its jet-black coat, the beast’s sinews and muscles flexed and strained as it attacked the rain-soaked earth, levering loose rocks and boulders, and severing tree roots. It was a formidable task for one creature alone, but the worker toiled on doggedly. It might take seasons of labour, but the dark beast would accomplish the task, because it was driven, regardless of its own life, by the quest for vengeance!

6

That strange mountain hare, the Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee, was highly impressed at the magnificent spread of afternoon tea laid out in Great Hall. Having been introduced to all and sundry, he shook Friar Skurpul’s paw soundly. “Och, ye had nae need tae put on a special spread for me, mah guid fellow.”

The Friar grinned cheerily. “Nay, zurr, Oi b’aint dun nawthin’ speshul furr ee. This’n yurr bees moi yooshul arternoon Abbey tea.”

Abbot Glisam patted the seat on his right side. “Please sit down and help yourself, Bosie.”